Crossman Insights poll: most online Aussies content-driven and cut-throat on Facebook
An overwhelming three in four (73%) online Australians aged 18 to 64 actively use Facebook and more than half (55%) of these users have clicked ‘Like’ on a company and/or brand page in the last three months. However, almost one in five (17%) clicked ‘Unlike’ on an organisation’s page with lack of relevance being the number one reason cited, followed by too many updates causing a cluttered news feed, and boring content.
The results from the latest round of survey series Crossman Insights, initiated by Sydney-based public relations consultancy Crossman Communications using the Newspoll Online Omnibus, showed that 69% of Facebook users were compelled to ‘Like’ a company or brand page to be in the running to win something, and three in five (58%) said they did it to get discounted products or free samples.
Crossman Communications managing director, Jackie Crossman, said that with recent evidence suggesting social media is beginning to mature, there has never been a more opportune time for businesses to develop a multi-faceted, creative and sophisticated Facebook strategy that spans outside of ordinary competitions and discounts to keep fans engaged and informed.
Says Crossman: “Online Aussies are displaying a high level of curiosity and sincerity when loving up company and brand pages on Facebook, but they also have exacting standards. To avoid being killed off by the dreaded ‘Unlike’ button, businesses need to come up with innovative and clever ways to converse with their fan base – especially once a competition has ended – to drive higher levels of affiliation, trust and recommendation.”

1 Comment
The results of the survey are insightful – i.e, people are being compelled to like a company or brand page to receive a benefit. In other words, the ‘like’ rating is being manipulated and not a genuine reflection of how punters are responding to what they are seeing on the page.
But Crossman’s conclusion that “businesses need to come up with innovative and clever ways to converse with their fan base” is – with respect – pretty pedestrian. I think this might have been the case when Coca Cola decided to buddy up with Santa Claus in a series of Ads in the early 20th Century. Engaging and holding the punters attention has always been the challenge.