Are You a Brand Fan or Follower?

Why do consumers follow brands on Twitter or Facebook?  It depends on which social media they’re using, according to a new study out this month.

According to the report published by market research firm Chadwik Martin Bailey, Facebook users were more likely to show their support for a company they liked by becoming a fan of the brand on the social network while Twitter users were more likely to follow a brand to receive real-time information and exclusive offers.

It goes on to say that consumers were nearly 70 percent more likely to recommend or buy products from a brand after following them on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Consumers said that their number-one reason for becoming a fan of a brand on social networking sites was to receive discounts from the companies. Other reasons for following a brand included previously purchasing a product from the company, wanting to show others they supported the brand or to gain access to exclusive content.