In a recent study conducted by Simply Measured, brands who have switched to Facebook’s new Timeline have increased their brand engagement by an average of 46%. The new feature was introduced to all brands last month with the purpose of showcasing a brand’s stories and identities. Bear in mind that the study was done with a sample size of only 15 brands across various industries. The result of the study showed that all brands except three (AT&T, Target, Old Spice) showed a percent increase in engagement, with Livestrong, Toyota, and The Humane Society achieving the largest increase.
Data was measured before and after February 29, 2012 (official date Timeline was introduced to all brand pages). The graph above shows the average increase of all 15 brands before and after the launch. Fan engagement is shown as a 14% increase, indicating an increase in “likes” of those specific brands. Perhaps the more interesting find is that average engagement per post increased an average of 46%, indicating that fans are interacting more with the content and engaging more with the brand. This is likely due to Timeline’s simple and intuitive layout. The new layout makes it easier to watch videos, check photos, view status updates, and engage with the cover photo.
Social media marketers need to take advantage of this feature and capitalize for their brands. The graph below shows the different levels of engagement by post type. Since the launch of Timeline, photos increased by 53 percent, videos by 49 percent.
Timeline allows your brand to tell a unique story. With the ability to backdate posts, you can share your company’s entire history with your audience. We here at Internet Marketing Inc have already jumped on the Facebook Timeline band wagon. Please share with us your reactions to the change. Has Timeline made your brand more engaging to your fans?