The Psychology of Facebook Likes

When it comes to digital marketing, people are pretty cynical – which is understandable. We’re bombarded with marketing images and videos everywhere, from games and TV through to subtler machinations through movie placements. So why would someone want to add your company on Facebook? Surely they get enough advertising from everywhere else? Why would anyone want to be friends with a brand of cat food, say? Or their dentist?

There are a number of reasons people will like your brand on Facebook.

1. Discounts, offers and competitions.

A report from Psychology today has shown that 67% of people have liked a Facebook page because of an incentive of some sort. This is a great way to increase likes and engagement if you have the budget. It doesn’t have to cost the earth, just get people to like and share a post as well as your page to get the likes rolling in.

2. The brand is part of a person’s identity – a football club they support or a fashion brand that they love.

This is the sort of like which all the money in the world can’t buy. You can’t boost your cat food brand to the ranks of people’s inherent identity, no matter how hard you try. Obviously, exceptions can be made for older people who own twelve cats.

3. Entertainment value.

If you provide your customers with a steady stream of posts that are entertaining, well-researched and written, as well as useful, then that’s where you’re on a winning streak. Content that people want to share is what you are aiming at – content that isn’t stuffy and awkward but natural and helpful.

Your brand needs to act like a person in order to engage people on Facebook. Don’t just shamelessly self-promote – after all, we remove people who brag too much from our feeds. Instead try to balance fun and engaging posts, with a little bit of self-deprecating humour in the mix and you’re good to go

source:http://www.business2community.com/facebook/the-psychology-of-facebook-likes-01256420