Targeting young people: Should we be on Facebook?

So much has been written and spoken about ways in which brands should or should not be involved in the social media space. There is no silver bullet. However, by learning from how people behave in the social media space, we can identify key principles that brands should adhere to when planning.

Always be giving. Do not detract from the experience, always add value.

From our research, a key motivator for people contributing was in the hope (or more likely expectation) that they would receive back a useful tip or content in the future.

People want brand content to make them feel like an insider (from a US survey about what people want from brand pages, 42 per cent want insider tips, 41 per cent info about upcoming events and 37 per cent info about new products). They do this to shape how others perceive them and to maintain and grow relationships.

Chanel is a great example. The brand's Facebook page provides people with plenty of shareable content - or social currency - as well as news on product launches with mass appeal.

Sony Ericsson is another. In China MEC and SE worked with Kaixin001 to distribute virtual T707 ‘gifts’ to demonstrate the advanced functionality.  Over 12 million T707 gifts were sent by users – the most successful gift ever on the site.

Pre-judge communication just like people do.

People are considering whether what they do or say will actively engage people. Similarly, brands should always consider whether the communication gives something to the community.

Is it interesting, is it amusing and will it start a conversation? Most importantly, will it prompt action?

Two good examples which satisfy this criterion are Blendtec’s 'Will it blend?' which was almost exclusively delivered through earned media, and Old Spice 'Smell like a man' which amplified paid media through earned.

Like does not mean a relationship.

For people on social networking sites, 'friending' or 'liking' is the introductory level of intimacy in a relationship - the potential first step towards a deeper relationship. It is giving permission to proceed with the conversation.

Similarly, with brands, a person will 'like' or 'befriend' a brand on their social network and then forget about it. In order for brands to maintain a dialogue with their fans and be kept top-of-mind, they need to provide a continuous benefit. This is why discounts, special offers and timely news updates are working well for brands within social networks.

Don’t talk about yourself, talk about what you can do for me

People will often frown upon egocentric posts. They want others to contribute news, stories, content and experiences.

Brands need to do the same. Brand communications need to have the ego taken out, which is tough when the traditional advertising mindset is to shout about your strengths.

A great example of this is Visa’s 'Small business network' which includes Facebook as part of its effort to bring a community of small business owners together to share experiences and recommendations. Relevant Visa services can then be suggested at the right time to the right people.