Why Do You Share On Facebook?
We all share on Facebook. But have you ever thought about why you share with your friends and family?
New research takes a look at the motivations of why people share what they do. This is important because as you craft content for your Facebook ads and posts, you need to consider if it is share-worthy.
The researchers at Fractl surveyed more than 2,000 Facebook users to find what inspires people to Like and Share on the social medium.
The number one reason people share is “to share things that my friends will find interesting.” Nearly 50% of people share content on Facebook to entertain others: Only 11% want to educate; 17% want to express things they care about; and 13% want to move their network with posts that will help their friends feel something (happiness, sadness, anger and other emotions).
More than 70% of women share and it helps them feel connected with their friends. Nearly 60% share things to inform friends about what they care about. And, only 16% share things to persuade their friends of ideas.
The most interesting part of this research is the aversion of Facebook shares for controversy: 52% said they avoid sharing “hot-button” content.
So post those positive, hopeful, inspiring posts. I hope you share this interesting information about how I feel about sharing.
Mark Mathis
Mark wrote his first direct-mail fundraising letter in 1981 for the University of Iowa Center for Advancement. The effort raised a few million dollars in undiscovered wills and legacy gifts. From that day forward Mark discovered a love of the big idea that moves the needle. After 12 years at KWWL, Mark became a business owner as a co-founder of ME&V — rebranded as AMPERAGE in 2015. After 25 years of leading creative teams in video production, graphic design, PR, writing and web development, Mark transitioned out of ownership in 2021. Today he serves in an employee role as special projects consultant. He is creatively ambidextrous — son of an artist and engineer — and famous for distilling complex ideas down to a few words and a few visuals. Mark is a writer. When he found that many nonprofits struggled with complex branding puzzles, he wrote the book, “NonProfit-NonMarketing .” He also wrote a novel called “Reenactment.” Mark is an active blogger OneMinuteMarketer® with nearly 1,000 readers each week on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. One of his most popular YouTube videos is on “How to Look Good on Zoom.” One of Mark’s fondest business memories was being named to INC 500 two times and attending the INC 500 conference with other winners. Mark is considered by some a Civil War expert (and that explains his novel). Mark also served as an adjunct professor in the business and in the communications departments at Wartburg College. Mark is a graduate of the University of Iowa and is currently vice president of the University of Iowa Journalism and Mass Communications Advisory Board. Mark is married to state Sen. Liz Mathis, and the two love to travel, even when it means being trapped by a volcano in the Czech Republic for three weeks.
