Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: explain "like us on Facebook" signs to me

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Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 04-21-2012, 07:12 AM:

I do not have a Facebook account. I do, however, have a basic knowledge of how the service works.

What I do not understand is why so many retail business now have signs that ask their patrons to "like us on Facebook." Why would I, as a customer, bother to "like" a grocery store, a dry cleaners, my bank, or the phone company? And what benefit is there to the business to being "liked"? Are they just trying to have a high number of people who like them for its own sake, or is there some other reason why these businesses would care?

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 04-21-2012, 07:21 AM:

Facebook creates a cheap and very fast way to reach out to your friends or fans. For many businesses it's just another way to network with customers. Some use it to notify fans of short term specials, some use it to disseminate information.

I have one for my theatre which I use to let our "fans" know what movies are coming and going each week. I will occasionally post contests using the promo items we get from the studios. I will use it to share trailers or other items of interest related to movies. And I use it to pose questions/surveys, or to answer customer questions.

As with email lists, snail mail lists, and other forms of communication, Facebook is just another channel to reach customers. But it has more immediacy and reach than most other forms of contact.

One of the biggest advantages to Facebook is that it's free and the contacts you build are relatively high value because they have to actively choose to "Like" your page. Plus, your page will be suggested to friends of your fans who share similar interests. This becomes more noticeable when a person has multiple friends who like the same page.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-21-2012, 01:29 PM:

Basically, when you "Like" something, updates from that entity show up on your "news feed." So I put up a post every week that tells our upcoming movie and all of the 500-plus people who "like" us get that message.

Some places put coupon codes and that kind of thing on their page but I haven't gotten into that yet.

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 04-21-2012, 01:54 PM:

"Liking" a business is also good for the consumer. For example, the local (and only) drive-in lists its current movies. Wexner Center for the Arts Movie dept. sends regular updates and comments on their eclectic movie program.

One place it shines is for portable businesses such as food trucks. I track two of them that are especially good so I know where I can find them on any particular day...some of them move around frequently.

It's one of the better features of Facebook, in my opinion. If any of them start sending out too much junk, I'll just "unlike" them.

Posted by Melanie Loggins (Member # 6454) on 04-21-2012, 04:13 PM:

Having people who "like" us on Facebook helped us out last night. After turning away over 100 people for Hunger Games for the second night in a row, we decided, at 7:15, to add another show last night, at 10. I put it on FB right away and we had enough people find out about it that the late show was worth it.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 04-21-2012, 04:56 PM:

All of the explanations here are sound. But something that I doubt anybody could explain would be the like-begging of posts and pictures. "Like if u agr33!" and the such. It makes no difference. Facebook does not tally likes for each user like Reddit does.

Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 04-21-2012, 05:31 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
Like if u agr33

Only used by 13 year old girls.

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 04-21-2012, 07:06 PM:

An interesting thing I've noticed is the number of businesses who are putting a "Like us on Facebook" note in their advertising...and NOT a website URL. I've noticed some small businesses aren't even bothering with a website anymore

One thing that annoys me is businesses who will say "Like us on Favebook" but don't give their Facebook URL. They just expect you to figure it out and not incorrectly guess, ending up liking a page run by a fan (or worse, anti-fan).

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 04-21-2012, 07:32 PM:

So it's like an opt-in mailing list thing, where both parties benefit? That makes sense, I guess. It probably is a good marketing move for businesses like movie theatres that cater to a younger demographic and which have information (e.g. schedules) which needs to be frequently updated, and which is useful to the consumer.

Personally, I would be somewhat hesitant to post information in a venue over which I did not have full control (e.g. Facebook as opposed to my own web site), but I can see the appeal.

I still don't see how "liking" a business applies to a bank, though.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 04-21-2012, 07:41 PM:

You can also look at the number of "like" hits as rep points to a business - as a score on how they're doing.

Then,the business looks at these and use these hits like notes in a suggestion box - to see if they/what they need to improve, or just show on how they're doing.

There is no two banks alike out there - some are going to get more "likes" than the other.

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 04-23-2012, 01:20 PM:

Speaking of which, can we get more people on Film-Tech to like the following pages on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/CardinalCinema (Cardinal Sound & Motion Picture Systems)

http://www.facebook.com/EastonMovies (Easton Premier Cinemas)

Thanks!

[Big Grin]

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 04-23-2012, 01:53 PM:

I just glanced through here but one thing is that if I click "like" on something, it'll show up to my friends as well that I like whatever it is, which can be good advertising.