Lately I've been thinking a lot about the importance of Facebook and how influential of a vehicle it actually is. When we did a study earlier this year, Facebook was the #2 reason (behind "in person) when we asked how consumers told other people about products and services they like (or dislike).

This week eMarketer published data from a study put out by Morpace focused on Facebook. 

There were some statistics from the survey you may find interesting.

- More than 2/3rds (68%) of US Facebook users stated that a referral from a Facebook friend would increase the likelihood of them purchasing a product or visiting a retailer.

- On average a Facebook user is a fan of nine fan pages.

- When asked why they join fan pages, the top two reasons were "To let friends know which products I support" and "To receive coupons and discount offers"

- Morpace concluded that Facebook can allow businesses to directly communicate with their target market. Whether this is the exchange of product information, the offering of exclusive coupons/discounts, or viral product buzz from Facebook friends. 

EXPO collaborated with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese a few months ago to get feedback on a new variety called "Cheddar Explosion." The target audience was parents that have young kids in the house. Kraft decided to utilize the videos on its Facebook Fan Page. 

What we found amazing was how engaged the Facebook fans became. Over 175 people "liked" the video and over 75 people commented on it. 

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=112669368762588

Do you "Friend" brands on Facebook? If so, what are some of the reasons?