Social media is a topic of great interest not only to users, but also to scientists. At least, this is what a few new studies on social media habits and platforms suggests. Researchers seem fascinated by the power which social networks have over people and they are spending more and time attempting to find out why this is so. For the most part, their findings are entertaining to read. However, smart marketers actually know how to make the most even of the more peculiar and useful findings about social media.
People judge by the profile picture
A joint study by Princeton Universiry, Radboud Universiry and Columbia University has found that on social media websites, people are judged not on what they wear, but on the profile picture they have set. Researchers found that even small differences in a person facial expression on his or her profile photo can change the way they are perceived by others.
Therefore, pick your page’s profile image very carefully! Focus on bright colours, yet nothing too bold or loud. Also, faces should not be too serious, because they may push consumers away. However, they should not be too smiley either, since you will need to look like a trustworthy professional.
Receiving feedback makes people feel like they belong
Social media websites are above all “social.” In other words, interaction and communication is very important. Another study has found that the more comments, likes and replies we get online, the more feel like we belong in this community. Therefore, if you want consumers to perceive your company as more of a brand, you will need to get involved in their discussions and to be always ready to answer their questions.
Different countries share in a different way
One research has found an interesting link between Internet penetration and social media sharing. According to it, the higher the web penetration is in a country, the less they share. On the contrary, in areas where fewer households have access to the web, users tended to overshare. Marketers can use these findings to estimate how much content they should share themselves. For instance, if your audience consists mainly of people who do not share much, you should do your best to avoid oversharing. However, if they are living in a region where social media sharing enjoys higher popularity, you should not fear to post on a more frequent basis.
Content that stimulates people’s emotions is always popular
This is one of the most useful takeaways from a social media study for marketers. A white paper by University of Pennsylvania’s Jonah Berger explains that content that effectively triggers any kind of emotional arousal in people tends to be more shared on the web. In other words, posting content that offers only statistics, figures and numbers is less likely to impress the reader than a content that shares a story and provokes emotional reaction.
Emotions are contagious on social media
Last, but not least, remember to base your social media marketing campaign on positivity. Negative posts result in other negative posts. But the good consumers are the happy consumers. Send out positive messages, if you want positive feedback.
Next time you see a social media research on the web, read between the lines and try to find how you can use the finding in your online marketing strategy.
