We all want to be liked, but is it enough?

In a survey of more than 5,000 social media users across 11 markets (including Canada), 84% said they have “liked” or followed a brand on social media. Of those, 58% have interacted directly with a brand and 79% received a response back, according to the survey report from Social@Ogilvy and SurveyMonkey.

However, only 19% are true “brand promoters,” (or advocates) which are much more influential and valuable, the report suggests.

Those users are more active followers (with 66% likely to follow brands on a regular basis, compared with 52% of other social “sharers”). And while 42% of “sharers” follow brands specifically to interact with them, 52% of “promoters” do the same.

Thirty-nine percent of “promoters” also follow brands to be associated with them, more than the 28% of “sharers” who say they do the same. Among “promoters” 77% follow a brand to hear about products, offers or news, 53% to give direct feedback and 52% to interact directly with an organization.

“Promoters” are also more likely to believe a brand’s reputation is important (46%) than “sharers” (36%). In addition, 35% of “promoters” would buy a product if it were mentioned by a friend on social media, versus just 24% of “sharers.”

“Promoters” also tend to be friends with other “promoters” (or are perhaps exerting some influence). Fifty-nine percent in that group say they see their friends on social media regularly mentioning brands and products (91% saying the mentions are largely positive), with 47% of “sharers” saying the same of their own networks.

However, 60% of “promoters” and 71% of “sharers” have also reported discussing terrible brand experiences online.

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