What do business decision makers talk about on Facebook?
How much time people spend, and how deeply they engage, is only part of the story of how business decision makers use Facebook. It’s important to know what people like to talk about to be able to connect on a deeper level.
Facebook IQ looked at conversation on our platform, and we were able to find that business decision makers take a more serious tone on Facebook, avoiding internet slang. They're less likely to be talking about Christmas and birthdays, and more likely to be talking about content, politics and the news. They're also more likely to be recommending content using words like share and watch.
Business decision makers take a professional tone
Compared to the average Facebooker,1 BDM are:
To understand more about what business decision makers talk about on Facebook, we looked at how they interact on Facebook relative to other platforms. We surveyed a group of business decision makers about how they participated in social platforms, as well as how those platforms impacted their business. We found that this group is more likely to review businesses, follow companies and share business content, showing us that business decision makers don't always take their “business hat” off when they’re on Facebook or other social platforms. In fact, 58% of business decision makers agree that social media provides them important information for business decision making - and that number rises to 69% for Millennials.
Business decision makers use Facebook for business content
On Facebook, compared to other platforms1, BDMs are:2
1.40Xmore likely to post business reviews
1.28Xmore likely to share business content
1.15Xmore likely to follow news from a specific company
1.19Xmore likely to share business news
There is a significant opportunity to connect with this group about more than just their personal interests; it's clear that business decision makers are using Facebook to discuss and conduct their business.
What it means for marketers
Stay professional.
The casual slang that may be effective in other types of campaigns may not be appropriate for the business audience on Facebook. If you're counting on your audience to have their “business hats” on, keep in mind the tone and word choice they may be expecting from business communication. There's no indication that Millennial decision makers prefer slang, either.
Refine your targeting for B2B.
On Facebook, there is a demonstrated desire for business decision makers to consume business content. However, remember that this audience is also consuming other types of content, including non-business content, so your success will rely on how accurately you target your audience with the right message at the right time. Segmenting your audience and delivering relevant creative will make the most impact. Leverage advanced targeting by reaching your audience before they know what they're looking for.