Facebook made some interesting changes last week that may help evolve how nonprofits and businesses use Facebook “likes” for cause marketing. The change should shakeup how organizations weigh the meaning/worth of a Facebook “like.”
All of us have seen Facebook cause marketing programs before. If you “like” the nonprofit’s (or sometimes the businesses’) page the company makes a donation to the nonprofit. I call it action-triggered cause marketing because it requires no purchase from the user, just an action.
I came across one of these Facebook like promotions just last week. For September 19th only Weight Watchers agreed to donate a dollar to Share Our Strength, an anti-hunger organization, for every Facebook like on the company’s or nonprofit’s page.
Facebook “like” cause marketing promotions are simple transactional programs that raise nonprofits a few bucks and increase their Facebook following, which might help turn fans into supporters.
Moving forward Facebook visitors won’t have to “like” a page to comment and post on it. This makes a “like” a less valuable piece of property because visitors won’t have to opt-in to participate. As John Haydon points out, just as comments grew and engagement changed when visitors to blogs didn’t have to register to comment, Facebook’s changes will lower the bar of entry for participation.
But what will be the impact on cause marketing promotions involving Facebook likes?
We may see fewer promotions as the like button will no longer be the holy grail of Facebook pages – engagement will. This is a good thing. John has always stressed to me that ending up on someone’s news feed is more difficult than just having them “like” your page.
Facebook has a sophisticated tool called Edgerank that decides if your update is included in someone else’s newsfeed. Interest, frequency and engagement determine your fate.
Here’s what I’ll be recommending to my clients for cause marketing promotions involving Facebook likes.
- Businesses should reward nonprofits for a variety of activities, not just liking a page. They could reward comments, posting of pictures and video, actions take over multiple days or weeks. John believes Facebook will be rolling out a whole sleuth of tools to make measuring engagement easier for nonprofits and businesses.
- The changes to Facebook pages punctuates the need for businesses and nonprofits to get serious about creating first-class content. Managing a Facebook page is like running an interactive magazine that has deadlines, a real need for engaging and varied content and a drive battle every day to rise above the noise and competition. Managing a Facebook page will now be more more like turning out People Magazine than getting votes on American Idol.
Nonprofits and businesses shouldn’t stop doing Facebook like programs. We need good online cause marketing options. The key is to look beyond the first kiss and encourage and reward frequent and deeper interaction. Facebook likes are a good start between nonprofits and users. But it’s what happens next that proves whether it’s like or love.
Great post, Joe! Your recommendations are spot on, and it will be interesting to see how long it takes companies to adjust their Facebook-triggered campaign strategies to accommodate the changes.
It will also be interesting to see how the newly lowered barrier to entry will open their virtual walls up to more public criticism…and if/how they'll choose to moderate and respond.
Joe – You're such a good writer! Can you help me finish my book?
We're going to write one together!
Great post, Joe. I think the other update from Facebook that will have an impact on cause marketing campaigns is the change to Apps. Many cause marketing campaigns on Facebook utilize apps that enable you to conduct virtual actions (such as Timberland's 'Virtual Forest' campaign). Now, when you authorize an App and "Allow" it to post content to your wall, that app will be able to post your future actions without your permission. From the app developer's standpoint, this is a positive. From the user's standpoint, perhaps less so.
Love the recap on everything here and agree with all, especially with Megan's comment above. And you’re right, Facebook is promising an updated analytics tool by the end of the year or beginning of next so that's something to look forward to for pages.
The harsh truth (in my opinion/experience) is that brands on FB GROSSLY overestimate exactly how many folks actually SEE their page in newsfeeds. I’m sure John would agree. If they knew how many people were actually paying attention to their updates, they’d be shocked. And these new additions to Facebook will only make it harder and harder to be seen, so I’m not sure if brands will get savvier, or more desperate…
I’m not trying to sound dramatic, and for the most part I really think these changes (and upcoming ones) could be really good for brands. Brands just need to evolve with Facebook – be adaptable, and quit being so focused on that PULL relationship. It just doesn’t work. You’re already “where the people are”, so stop trying to constantly bring them to your page, talk about you, and respond to you so frequently. People really need to tone it down on the level of postings, but let's not go there…that’s a whole 'nother comment.
Anyways, no matter how you spin it, most brands on FB are still insanely focused on promoting. I mean, it’s in the marketing DNA – they/we can’t help it. But the way I see it, FB users will only be able to take so much of that, and the brands that ultimately will do well and stay ‘noticed’ in the newsfeed will be those that provide some kind of value, aren’t pesky or salesy, and have content that can actually entertain you even where there’s “nothing going on” in the campaign department…
Am I being too harsh? Joe/John, what do you think?
Spot on, Kerrie! Question for you: who on Facebook do you like? Which brands do you think do it well?
I compared managing your Facebook page to running a magazine. Do you have some other business that YOU would compare it to. Not sure I had the correct analogy.
Thanks for stopping by!
Another big mistake brands make is that they when they attempt to engage, they keep the "topic parameters" too narrow. For example, a breast cancer org will only talk about news and other info related to breast cancer. But they miss that breast cancer survivors (and their families) get sick of talking about that every day. To broaden parameters, they should talk about healthy foods to eat, share articles about awesome bras for mastectomy patients, share videos from fans celebrating birthdays, and tips on having sex.
Kerrie – Staying competitive by definition means that you're willing to put up with a harsh world. There have been lot's of studies that show how brands are overly focused on acquiring fans but not retaining them. And, as I mentioned, most Page owners are shocked to learn that many (most) of their Page connections (fans) don't get their Page's stories in their news feed. The easiest way to prove this is to look at the number of impressions per post (in Insights). 99% of the time, those numbers are way less than the number of fans. On http://fb.com/NPOFBG, which has over 2,000 fans, my impressions show between 800 and 1200 per post. So all 2,000 fans ARE NOT seeing my posts!
Well done Joe. Facebook sure keeps things interesting by changing the rules of engagement so frequently. Glad you're on the job (or on the blog?) shedding light on what the implications are.
Now here's a question, what do you guys think about brand pages going away in general and a shift toward applications? Same game, different players?
Joe – that's a good question. I so observant when it comes to FB pages that I know when a page has changed ownership, changed directions, goals, etc. So to me, the analogy is almost like a Daytime Talk Show. When the host or goal changes, it can get boring or repetitive or self-centered, but when you have a host that is so interested in their guests and passionate – it's evident in every segment and interview they do, so it makes for one heck of a show.
Here are some of my favorite FB pages at the moment. None of these are my clients I swear
Public persona/ad campaign: http://www.facebook.com/mayhemhere
Non-profit: http://www.facebook.com/charitywater
Automotive: http://www.facebook.com/audi
Clothing: http://www.facebook.com/bebe
Celeb: http://www.facebook.com/DaneCook
Brand: http://www.facebook.com/skittles
Apps/content: http://www.facebook.com/MentosUS
Thanks for sharing this, Kerrie. Excellent list. I want to check these out. I'm surprised for celebs you didn't have the Joey Leslie Facebook page. Interesting….
Well stated and certainly food for thought as we work with clients and/or employers on their cause marketing initiatives. I plan to share this with my newly-approved "Corporate Social Responsibility" course students in the spring! Thanks!
You're welcome, Kirk! Give me enough notice and I'll come and share my thoughts with your class. I grew up in Brockton/Stoughton and live in Newton. Enjoy speaking to students on this subject (and cause marketing in general).
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