Kiss Insight

KISS CONFIDENTIAL LIKES THIS 04 August 2010

This month Facebook declared its 500 millionth member, a number which means Facebook now connects with 8% of the World's population. Such is their global dominance, there are only four countries across the world in which they are not the leading social network (Russia, Japan, China and Korea). And with 500 million guaranteed fans, a film about Facebook’s rise to prominence is due for release.

But you don't need to take Facebook's word for it alone, Wiggin Research recently conducted a survey to find out how dominant Facebook really is within the British market. On this graph you can see how Facebook reign online, holding double the audience of its nearest competitor. 

With such a large audience to connect with, it's no wonder that the music industry, big brands and commercial companies alike are tuning in to the potential of those 500 million members (which in Britain is 1 in 3 of us). Wiggin Research identified that 48% of Facebook users are a “fan” of at least 1 brand/business and on average users are fans of 3 brands. Further to this, the most susceptible Facebook users when it comes to becoming a brand fan is women and teenagers. However, what does this commercial infiltration mean for all those profiles? How significant is it for us to like anything on Facebook and how much does it really tell us about a brand?

Crowd DNA have recently embarked on some Facebook research which has identified the younger Facebook fans (or as they like to call them ‘Tweens’) as a key audience in this issue and connected Liking/joining a Page/Group with powerful emotional benefits. All your likes and adds are communicated into your newsfeed and profile, creating an online image, demonstrating to peers how in touch and in the know they might be. The reason young users take to this element of Facebook so voraciously is because it gives them a control over their lives which they won't experience elsewhere (school or home).

And in addition to this, these Tweens trust their friends, above all, for likeable online content. Facebook’s groups have become a world filled with identification and social allegiance which has moved beyond simply befriending people. This is especially true when connected with Wiggin’s research (see right) that identified 3 of the top 5 reasons for becoming a fan of a brand on Facebook as recommendation from friends. Crowd DNA have rightly concluded that there is great potential for brands to increase awareness and credibility through shareable branded content, if that content is right and if it is, social groups will run with it. (For the full low down from Crowd DNA on Tweens, have a read of Tweenage Clicks)

Aside from the social status though, does it matter what that brand does after? We interviewed a few of Kiss' Facebook users from our Student Insight Panel to see what a group provided for them beyond the initial thumbs up. Amy Jones noted that fashion brands like Topshop would keep her up to date with the latest sales which was a good thing as long as they didn’t bombard her with pointless information. For Julia it was more about image. Julia wanted her friends to see her profile and know her musical, political and fashion preferences straight away. Similar to the young Facebook users that Crowd DNA had identified, Julia had used her Facebook to carve out her identity. Danni Murray commented that joining a company can be a frivolous venture, something that she may just do for fun and then forget about after. But like Amy the benefits of that group only come when it’s brand that provides her with offers that she would use and take advantage of, such as those of her local Club. This benefit of Facebook groups is something that Crowd DNA came across also, a younger Facebook fan they interviewed commented “I’m addicted to joining Groups. I’m on Pages for Jason Derulo, Samsung, The Saturdays, iPhone, Crunchie Bars, Lindor, New Look and River Island; loads of others. It’s how I stay in touch. Things like new launches, sales offers, discounts – I get to hear about it all.”

It seems that a brand needs to function in many ways beyond a thumbs up in order to engage its fans for more than a fanciful moment. Retaining its respect amongst fans is a must in order to remain a key brand that shapes people’s social significance and keeps them coming back to the group, but striking a balance in interacting with those fans and not bombarding them with information is a must also. The benefit then becomes mutual, the fans shape the brand as much as the brand shapes the fan. People's continuous interest and positive comments on a group page are a great indicator of how that brand functions in people’s lives.

For Kiss, Facebook is beneficial to our brand as we can see who likes us and what they have to say about everything we're doing, every day. To add to that we can get a better idea of our audience, who else they like and what their status says helps us get to know what interests them and who we should be working with or talking to. For example, we know that Kiss’ Facebook fans like the books P.S I love you, Breaking Dawn and Harry Potter enough for the majority to like the relative groups. When it comes to T.V, Eastenders, Family Guy and Hollyoaks are all in the top ten that Kiss’ fans enjoy. Facebook has become a database for us to tap into and work from.

In addition to this, Kiss provides another level of interaction for its fans to be rewarded with. The Kiss online community impart their knowledge and appreciation online and have an immediate on-air response. DJs can use all the latest comments to better communicate with their audience and the immediacy of it is like a conversation. Jez Welham in this month's interview, which you can read in Kiss History, told us how extremely helpful he finds Facebook "It’s so immediate, I can sit in the studio and write something along the lines of ‘what you all up to?’ and I’ll suddenly see 500 comments. Without realising it, I’ll have done my own survey and I’ll be able to work out that everybody’s tired of exams for example, so I know where their heads are at.

A Facebook group makes waves beyond the user’s moment of commitment. Benefits for both user and brand are numerous, and for Kiss these help shape the face of the brand and the face of the listener.

Have a read of the full interviews from our Student Insight Panel to find out what they like and why....

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Amy Jones 

How many times a week are you on facebook?    

About once a day

How many friends do you have on facebook?    

351

How many likes/interests do you have?    

47

Aside from Kiss, who else do you like on facebook in terms of brands/companies?

Topshop, Face.It.Beauty, Skillset, Founder of compare the meerkat, Oxford's FM 107.9, Radiowise, O2 academy Oxford, Deadleg promotions

Is it because someone invited you or do you seek out groups?    

A mixture of both. Facebook groups to do with interests such as fashion or radio I will seek out myself whereas other groups such as 'Face.It.Beauty', i'm invited to support as they are groups that friends have started.

What is the benefit to liking/joining the page of a brand or company?    

I think the main benefit is keeping up to date with the brand, for example Topshop page will let you know as soon as the sale goes live, so they constantly keep you in the know.

When you check out a friend's profile do you look at their favourite pages as well as groups they've joined and liked?   

Sometimes, not always. If it is on their main wall I pay attention to it, but I hardly ever check out people's info section.

Do you ever comment on a status update of a group you have liked or joined?    

I might 'like' a status such as a V Festival update as I'm going there this year, but I won't comment on an update..apart from if there's a competition or, for example gig tickets up for grabs from the O2 Academy.

What makes you dislike a group, is it trying to be too cool, bombarding you with messages, or is there something else that gets on your facebook nerves?    

Bombarding my inbox is a pet peeve, but this is usually only from bars and clubs (which I might go on to delete!)

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Julia Aufderklamm 

How many times a week are you on facebook?

Around 7-10 times.

How many friends do you have on facebook? 

234

How many likes/interests do you have?

Around 40.

Aside from Kiss who else do you like on facebook in terms of brands or companies?

Amnesty International, Urban Outfitters, MGMT, Arctic Monkeys, Kiss Kiss Kiss, Bob Dylan, The Integrals, Golden Silvers, Metronomy, The Mighty Boosh, Twin Peaks, Shameless, Dr.House, Curb your enthusiasm, Scrubs, Jean Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Schopenhauer, Frank Gallagher, Noel Fielding,...

Is it because someone invited you or do you seek out groups?

Sometimes I look for them but most of the time I see them at friends' pages.

What is the benefit to liking/joining the page of a brand or company?

That you can kind of show other people/your friends what you like in terms of music, movies, political attitude etc.

When you check out a friend's profile do you look at their favourite pages as well as groups they've joined and liked?

Sometimes, since it tells a lot about people and their personality.

Do you ever comment on the status update of a group you like or have joined?

No

What makes you dislike a group? Is it trying to be too cool, bombarding you with messages, or is there something else that gets on your facebook nerves?

If the group is just rubbish in terms of content...I am a bit annoyed by getting all these messages but it is also kind of interesting what is going on and I mostly didn’t join a page without thinking about it.

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Danni Murray 

How many times a week are you on Facebook?

Probably at least 7 (once a day) 

How many friends do you have on Facebook? 

A measly 297

How many likes/interests do you have?

Nearly as many as friends... 84

Aside from Kiss who else do you like on Facebook in terms of brands or companies?

Buffalo magazine, Smirnoff, SubLow magazine, Banquet Records, Twister Lollies, H&M, Evoke Films

Is it because someone invited you or do you seek out groups?

Sometimes I'm invited.... occasionally I see them on the side of Facebook and join for fun, like Twister Lollies and Slush Puppies. The only ones I tend to seek out intentionally are music/film/culture related...

What is the benefit to liking/joining the page of a brand or company?

I don't really find there are many.... occasional news i suppose but I don't go on pages frequently... Things such as club nights are useful for updates but other businesses I tend to use less.

When you check out a friend's profile do you look at their favourite pages as well as groups they've joined and liked?

Very rarely.

Do you ever comment on the status update of a group you like or have joined?

Again, very rarely, but it has been known, particularly if it is a music related group.

What makes you dislike a group? Is it trying to be too cool, bombarding you with messages, or is there something else that gets on your Facebook nerves?

I don't think I've ever disliked a group one I've joined it because I usually forget they are there.... I tend to just ignore or delete messages if I get too many... rather then the page/group itself.