What users expect brands on social networks? Why they begin to follow? Do you expect interesting content, that amuses them, or prefer offers and promotions?
There are many theories about which a portion reason why brands should not try to sell through their social channels, while another show solid data showing that users begin to follow brands driven by incentives and discounts.
Users detest advertising and commercial messages on social networks. A conclusion reinforced by the survey Disruptive Communications, where he highlighted what are the aspects that bother users, referring to the behavior of brands in social media were. Of them, he highlighted their attitude too oriented sale.
Conclusions already in 2011 evinced the IBM report showing that 70% of users were on social networks to keep in touch with family and friends, while only 23% showed interest in the marks in this environment.
So, the study of Fast Company, performed under a small sample of consumers, analyzed the reaction of users to the Facebook activity of a selection of major brands, such as Subway, Starbucks, Amazon or Walmart, for 5 days.
The study showed how targeted publications for sale by Subway showed a higher response rate than those aimed at promoting the engagement. Instead, the backlash in the case of Starbucks was recorded.
Deepening the study, we can see that the usual strategy is based on sharing Subway primarily entertainment content and entrenchment; Starbucks while the opposite happens. Hence, by changing the communicative intention, the reaction of users will also be different. Users reacted positively to that content that matched the behavior they expected of the brand, one that led them to follow them, and you are accustomed. It is the one that corresponds to your personality and strategy in this channel, and users expect.
Therefore, if the followers of a brand attracted it came to promotions and discounts, will continue to stand and respond positively, as long as it keeps your speech. However, if what they seduced them was their quality content, and expect leisure and entertainment, you will not see with good eyes that try to convince brand buy something they have not asked. This is design-oriented interests of the target audience and maintains consistency, so that it meets the expectations of the fans strategy.