Facebook is the world’s biggest social network but what about the numbers behind the headlines? We’ve put together a list of revealing statistics that every business should know about. Some will not be a surprise but they will give you plenty of food for thought.
Even better, we follow up each statistic with some killer ideas about how to fully utilize them. We use examples from some of the world’s leading companies and come up with innovative solutions.
Here we go:
1. 2.13 Billion Monthly Active Users
This is a staggering number. A third of the world’s population go on Facebook at least once a month. There’s no doubt about it, this social network is too big to ignore.
Here’s another figure. 1.4 billion people visit Facebook each day. So, even if you are missing out on some of the monthly audience, you will still have access to more than enough people. These numbers can seem overwhelming at first glance, but with smart marketing you can break down and target your audience.
What it means for you:
That if you do not have a Facebook presence, you will be missing out big time. It’s highly likely your competitors will be on Facebook so you need to compete with them. Even once you are there, you will need to do everything you can to optimize your presence.
- Facebook Page: As a business, you need to have a Facebook page. This will be where you post your content, share images and videos, and interact with your followers. Ensure you have completed all the key fields including contact details, profile and cover pictures, and your website.
- Advertising: With over 2 billion people using Facebook each month, this is a no-brainer. Facebook Ads, done right, are one of the most effective forms of advertising there is. Setting the criteria for your advertising can be a complex process. You need to work out who your audiences are and who how reach them. Connectio can help you setup a killer advertising strategy that boosts your return on investment.
2. 95.1% of Active Users Access Facebook Through Mobile
The vast majority of active users use smartphones to access Facebook. For comparison, just 35.8% use laptops or desktop computers.
What it means for you:
This means any ad, post, or other content you put on Facebook needs to be mobile friendly. Let’s take a look and see how Nike uses Facebook:
(Source: Facebook.com)
Nike’s page is full of visual content, easily viewable on mobile devices. You will notice the captions and other written content are short and simple.
What makes this multi-billion dollar company stand out, even more, isn’t just sports stars, but how it uses them:
(Source: Facebook.com)
In this video, dedicated to tennis legend Roger Federer, the Nike doesn’t even use his face. Instead, it simply puts the name and insert the various putdowns Federer faced over the years, changing every few seconds with the ball flying over the net. In the end, the “Federer” becomes “Forever.”
Simple, direct, and very effective. A perfect video for mobile devices.
3. 88% of Millennials Use Facebook – But Only 37% of Aged 65+ Do
The fact the younger generation have adopted Facebook more widely than elderly is hardly news in itself. The difference is huge. For businesses who mainly sell to older generations should consider targeted campaigns to fully realize Facebook’s potential. Connectio tools make this easier than ever before.
Also, bear in mind over the next decade, and likely several after that, this gap will narrow, as the “Facebook generation” gets older.
What it means for you:
This is the sort of scenario Custom Audiences is made for. It’s a Facebook function that allows you to draw up a list of specific people according to your specifications. You can take it from your email list, previous engagement on Facebook, or even those who have visited your website.
The point is, you can use Custom Audiences to create highly targeted advertising campaigns to people you know will be interested in your products or services.
And best of all, you can use ConnectAudience tool to skyrocket your Facebook campaigns. We covered this topic in great detail in a previous post.
4. Over 50% of Facebook Users Speak a Language Other Than English
This is one area where you can really get ahead of your competitors, particularly if you are selling internationally. It’s often overlooked, somewhat surprisingly for a global platform, that most users do not speak English as a first language.
Using Facebook’s and Connectio tools, you can target different advertising campaigns to specific countries. Once you do that, you can create ads in the native language – pushing you ahead of your competitors.
What it means for you:
There are translation tools available, but make sure you get it right – it will not cost much to get it checked out by a native speaker. A spelling or grammar error could lead the advert to do damage to your business’ reputation.
Look into your audience and identify where they come from. For example, if a large number of current customers come from a Spanish speaking country, then it’s worth targeting them. Use ConnectExplore to identify your audience and target countries.
If you conclude it’s worth doing multilingual advertising, then you can use translation services to help you set them up.
5. 46% Have Found Fashion Inspiration on Facebook in the Last 3 Months
For apparel companies, this is a revealing statistic. Over four in ten respondents to a Facebook survey said they found inspiration for fashion on the platform. This presents a huge opportunity for fashion stores to promote product and influence potential customers.
You can do this through advertising but also sharing high-quality content on Facebook. Focus on being helpful and advise rather than hard-sell.
What it means for you:
If you are in the fashion industry, then for all the hype about Instagram, this is a powerful reminder of how useful Facebook could be. Each of the leading fashion brands is on the world’s biggest social media platform, churning out fresh content daily.
Leading British company, ASOS maximizes Facebook’s potential by sharing interesting and engaging content:
(Source: Facebook.com)
Although ASOS is promoting its app in this instance, the content nonetheless interesting and useful for its followers. With nearly half of Facebook users being influenced by fashion posts they have seen, this is a smart move.
6. Red Bull is the Most Popular Product Company on Facebook
Drinks manufacturer Red Bull is the most popular product brand on Facebook, with over 49 million likes at this time of writing. This underlines the power of the social network for your business. Other entries in the top ten include:
- Nike Football (Soccer) (45m Likes)
- PlayStation (38.5m Likes)
- Pepsi (37.5m Likes)
What this means for you:
Red Bull and other top companies on Facebook have one thing in common – their pages are full of exciting and engaging content:
(Source: Facebook.com)
Red Bull’s approach typifies the all-action reputation of the brand. It’s content rarely explicitly promotes its central product – the energy drink. Instead, it features the drink in engaging videos with sports stars such as baseball player, Kris Bryant.
The video itself shows shots of him in training and warming up for the new season. The mantra is very much “work hard, use energy, and just do it.” There’s the inevitable snippet of Bryant taking a sip of Red Bull to restock his energy levels.
However, it’s smartly inserted into a fun, creative, and informative video. After all, if you have excellent content people want to read or see, then they will keep coming back to you.
7. 26% of Users Who Clicked on a Facebook Ad Report Making a Purchase
This is an incredibly powerful statistic. The fact 26% of users who clicked on a contextual Facebook advert made a purchase shows targeted campaigns work.
And they work extraordinarily well.
What this means for you:
There are some caveats to this, of course. This kind of exceptional figure is dependent on a number of factors:
- Content of the advert itself: Is it engaging? Does it clearly state what you are trying to sell? Is it relevant to your audience?
- Targeting: Did you use Custom Audiences to set up your campaigns? Are you using the right criteria to target your audience?
With Connectio, you can streamline the targeting process at a few clicks of the mouse.
Firstly, use ConnectExplore to carry out research on your audience. Find out the right interests to target and identify potential leads. This highly effective tool will filter your audience and take the guesswork out of marketing.
Then move onto ConnectAudience to build your list. This can come from your own email list which is then matched with Facebook profiles. You can tailor your audience to the criteria set by ConnectExplore.
There’s also the option of using ConnectRetarget which tracks visitor behavior on your website. Once in place, the tool can then match those visitors with Facebook profiles and retarget them through automated advertising.
And that’s not all. You can follow up any leads generated on Facebook with our ConnectLeads tool. This gives you the ability to sync Facebook leads with your email systems. Taking a holistic approach to Facebook marketing is one of the best ways to secure conversions.
Summary
In essence, your business simply cannot afford to not be on Facebook. It’s a vast marketplace of over 2 billion people. This number can be a little overwhelming, so break it down and look at the statistics that matter. For example, did you know that up to 26% of people who click on a Facebook advert? Or that 46% of users were influenced by fashion posts?
The key is to identify the areas that affect your business. This should naturally take you to the statistics that are most relevant to your business.
Behind each statistic listed in this post are real and tangible numbers that can skyrocket your revenues. As you can see you can take action today and make the most of Facebook’s boundless potential.