Facebook Like or Share – Which Is More Valuable to Brands?

Did you know that people like Facebook posts eight times as often as they share Facebook posts or comment on Facebook posts? However, for brands, Facebook shares are far more valuable than Facebook likes.

That data comes from a research study conducted by Brian Carter and Marketo called Contagious Content, which found that 3.4% of Facebook Page fans share the average post compared to 0.4% who comment on the average post and 0.4% who share the average post.

The study explains that liking a Facebook post is similar to speaking directly with one other person or identifying yourself in a group of like-minded individuals, but it stops there. On the other hand, sharing a Facebook post means that the person endorses the content to his or her audience. Sharing bad content could jeopardize that relationship. It’s improbable that liking bad content will have the same impact.

According to the data, a highly shareable post affects people in such a way that they are motivated to share it with other people. Just as powerful brands evoke emotions in consumer audiences, shareable content evokes conscious or subconscious emotions in consumers which are so strong they feel compelled to spread the word.

In order to create more shareable Facebook Page content for your brand, the report recommends that you create highly shareable posts, which do one or more of the following:

• Give the audience something such as discounts that benefit everyone, not just a small group of individuals.
• Advise the audience on a specific topic, particularly on a problem that everyone has.
• Warn people about something harmful that could be dangerous to anyone.
• Amuse people with humorous images and quotes that appeal to everyone.
• Inspire people with quotes or images.
• Amaze people with facts or images.
• Unite people behind a common cause, feeling, desire, etc.

The Contagious Content report also includes some useful data from a New York Times study, which found that 94% of people consider how useful and helpful a link would be to another person in their audience before they share it. Make sure your headlines are clear and explain the benefit of reading or viewing your posts to make it easier for people to decide to share them.

Finally, avoid talking about yourself, being too edgy, being to niche, or asking for likes. The Contagious Content research data found that these mistakes will prevent people from sharing your Facebook posts.

What type of content does your brand Facebook Page get the most shares from? Leave a comment and share your experiences.

Image: Davide Guglielmo via sxc.hu

Author

Susan Gunelius

Website

Susan Gunelius is the author of 10 marketing, social media, branding, copywriting, and technology books, and she is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She also owns Women on Business, an award-wining blog for business women. She is a featured columnist for Entrepreneur.com and Forbes.com, and her marketing-related articles have appeared on websites such as MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, TodayShow.com, and more.

She has over 20 years of experience in the marketing field having spent the first decade of her career directing marketing programs for some of the largest companies in the world, including divisions of AT&T and HSBC. Today, her clients include large and small companies around the world and household brands like Citigroup, Cox Communications, Intuit, and more. Susan is frequently interviewed about marketing and branding by television, radio, print, and online media organizations, and she speaks about these topics at events around the world. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+.