Liking a company or brand means different things to different people. Even age groups have different expectations of what should happen when they ‘like’ your company on Facebook.
So you have a page on Facebook. You have lots of new users that ‘like’ you but you aren't sure what that means. Well, you are not alone. In fact, many people incorrectly interpret the meaning of their ‘likes’ and have sent unwelcome communication believing that it is an open invitation to do so.
Facebook users that press ‘like’ do so for very different reasons and expect very different results.
The Genuine "I Like Your Company"
People will give a page a 'Like' only because the user ‘likes’ your company. That, of course, only means that they approve of your business and want to let others know that they like your business an recommend it.
Following the Trend 'Like'
Some may simply 'Like' your page because another of their ‘friends’ ‘liked’ you and they are simply following suit.
The I Want to Receive Posts 'Like'
One of the most common reasons that a user will ‘like’ a company is because they would like to receive posts made by that company on their feed page. If, for example, a user is interested in search and rescue they may visit a rescue equipment vendor’s business page and like it. In this way they are assured that they will receive feeds from that company announcing new products, product testing results, and perhaps contests or other promotions that may be of interest to the user.
The Thumbs up 'Like'
Some users, however, will ‘like’ a company’s page but don’t necessarily wish to receive active feeds from that company on their page. They may simply wish to give the company thumbs up of approval and that’s all they intend to do. Another reason a ‘like’ is issued to a company is to add to that company’s count of ‘friends’ when they announce that they are trying to increase their ‘like’ numbers. Some will do so just to help out, whether they are even remotely interested in the company or not. It’s sometimes simply an act of random kindness that takes just a brief moment and will help someone out.
The Shameless Bribe 'Like'
There are many users that will 'Like' your page simply because you offer a great reason for them to do so. Perhaps those pages offer a free download or coupon discount if you 'Like' their page. This is a very common and useful method to get people to "Like" your Facebook page.
Facebook 'Like' Statistics
- Studies show that only 39% of Facebook users expect to get news-feeds when they ‘like’ a company. This being the case you would be wrong to assume that they want to hear from you every day on their news-feeds.
- A big 37% of users expect absolutely nothing to happen when they ‘like’ your company or any other company’s page. As far as specific demographics are concerned, younger users are less likely to expect anything to happen in return for their liking a brand.
- If your target market is in the 35-50 age range, however, they would like discounts and promotional information when they ‘like’ you. In that age group users tend to mean it when they say they ‘like’ you.
Different 'likes' by different folks simply means there are several reasons why people will like your page. Just don't make the mistake that they are all liking your Facebook page for the same reasons.
