Altimeter Report: The 8 Success Criteria For Facebook Page Marketing

Report Snapshot (full report embedded below)
Altimeter Group conducted research, and gleaned input from 34 vendors, agencies, and experts, to determine success criteria and develop a roadmap for Facebook page best practices. We found Eight Success Criteria for Facebook page marketing, and then tested the maturity of 30 top brands across six industries.

Our heuristic evaluation revealed that brands fell short nearly half of the brands we reviewed (14 out of 30) did not fully leveraged social features to activate word of mouth, the hallmark behavior of social networks. Within this immature landscape, a few brands were on the right track to successfully harnessing Facebook page marketing. Brands like Pampers, Macy’s, Kohl’s, and AXE increased engagement and activated word of mouth through advocacy and peer-to-peer interactions, or solicited business call to actions that result in transactions.

How should brands approach their Facebook page marketing? We asked the experts.
Research means digging in deeper to find the truth,  and we know our place in the ecosystem is to work with others.  As a result, we had a call for submissions, and we received input from 34 vendors, agencies, brands, and individual experts. We read blog posts, looked at examples, and reviewed case studies.

360i, AKQA, Awareness, The Community Roundtable, Context Optional, Digital Evolution Group, Edelman Digital, Facebook, Gigya, Horn Group, Inside Facebook, Janrain, KickApps, Lithium, LiveWorld, Ogilvy’s 360° Digital Influence, Razorfish, RockYou, SHIFT Communications, Spredfast, StepChange Group, a Powered Company, Vitrue and Wildfire Interactive. We also received input from individual contributors such as: David Armano, David Berkowitz, Bert DuMars, Charlene Li, Dave McClure, Annie Noll, Shiv Singh, Adam Smith, Justin Smith, Jason Sullivan, and Anita Wong.

8 Success Criteria for Facebook Page Marketing
After pouring over the data from the ecosystem we’re part of, we found a clear pattern. There was a consistent set of criteria we heard from the industries experts, we found the following 8 criteria:


8 Success Criteria for Facebook Page Marketing

Then, we put 30 brands to the test to find out who’s doing it right –and wrong.
We then took that criteria, created a scorecard with quantitative criteria, and measured the world’s top brands on their Facebook efforts to find out who’s doing it right, and who’s not.  In the embedded report, you can download many of the high level findings, as well as see screenshots, comparison by industry and read our recommendations.


Facebook Success Criteria Scoring: By Brand

About the Altimeter research team.
For this report, I’m very thankful to work closely with Altimeter Partner, Alan Webber (bio, Twitter), who served as Editor. Alan is a multi-talented guy who stems from Forrester with a strong background in web user experience, and was able to tighten down the scorecard methodology which we’ll use to help clients. Christine Tran, Researcher (blog, Twitter), lead a detailed and thorough research process, always kept the ball rolling and is a consistent and reliable source of quality work, long hours, and positive energy. I’m very thankful for both of their consistent help!

Our belief in Open Research: It works when you share it
We want to be facilitators of the ecosystem and want to work closely with the marketplace.  We’re publishing our report under Open Research, at no-cost under creative commons licensing, this report was 100% funded by Altimeter Group, we also do our best to disclose our financial relationships.  To make Open Research work, we hope you read it, spread it, and use it to improve.  If you found this research report helpful, please embed it on your blog, email it to your teams, and spread it to others.

Related Links

Update: We’ve posted additional data that wasn’t specifically in the report, read more here.

189 Replies to “Altimeter Report: The 8 Success Criteria For Facebook Page Marketing”

  1. This is a great report and the advice is very practical. To date, most Facebook best practices guides seem to lack both real advice and any foundation in research. You have covered both here.

    I think you have also covered a lot of points that are not exclusive to Facebook (brand consistency, authenticity, etc). These guidelines should be applied to other social efforts (i.e. Twitter, branded communities, etc).

    Thanks for the hard work and willingness to open it up for everyone.

    Mark Newcomer
    consensus interactive

  2. This is a great report and the advice is very practical. To date, most Facebook best practices guides seem to lack both real advice and any foundation in research. You have covered both here.

    I think you have also covered a lot of points that are not exclusive to Facebook (brand consistency, authenticity, etc). These guidelines should be applied to other social efforts (i.e. Twitter, branded communities, etc).

    Thanks for the hard work and willingness to open it up for everyone.

    Mark Newcomer
    consensus interactive

  3. This is a great report and the advice is very practical. To date, most Facebook best practices guides seem to lack both real advice and any foundation in research. You have covered both here.

    I think you have also covered a lot of points that are not exclusive to Facebook (brand consistency, authenticity, etc). These guidelines should be applied to other social efforts (i.e. Twitter, branded communities, etc).

    Thanks for the hard work and willingness to open it up for everyone.

    Mark Newcomer
    consensus interactive

  4. nice work, jeremiah, not that we expected anything else. one of the problems / challenges we as digital marketers (on the agency side) remain dumbfounded by is that so many brands still consider “social” (and therefore FB) as a silo, or as its own isolated effort. as adivsors, we are consternated by working with so many marketers who still don't really get it. as your analysis clearly supports, understanding FB's (and social's) highest and best use is the fuel to achieve liftoff. extreme appreciation for sharing.

  5. nice work, jeremiah, not that we expected anything else. one of the problems / challenges we as digital marketers (on the agency side) remain dumbfounded by is that so many brands still consider “social” (and therefore FB) as a silo, or as its own isolated effort. as adivsors, we are consternated by working with so many marketers who still don't really get it. as your analysis clearly supports, understanding FB's (and social's) highest and best use is the fuel to achieve liftoff. extreme appreciation for sharing.

  6. nice work, jeremiah, not that we expected anything else. one of the problems / challenges we as digital marketers (on the agency side) remain dumbfounded by is that so many brands still consider “social” (and therefore FB) as a silo, or as its own isolated effort. as adivsors, we are consternated by working with so many marketers who still don't really get it. as your analysis clearly supports, understanding FB's (and social's) highest and best use is the fuel to achieve liftoff. extreme appreciation for sharing.

  7. I applaud you and Altimeter for making this report accessible.

    Two things:
    * I think that the eight items are more “best practices” rather than success metrics. There will always be cases where one metric or another will not apply.
    * I think that experimenting is essential to testing, measuring, and refining marketing efforts.

  8. I applaud you and Altimeter for making this report accessible.

    Two things:
    * I think that the eight items are more “best practices” rather than success metrics. There will always be cases where one metric or another will not apply.
    * I think that experimenting is essential to testing, measuring, and refining marketing efforts.

  9. I applaud you and Altimeter for making this report accessible.

    Two things:
    * I think that the eight items are more “best practices” rather than success metrics. There will always be cases where one metric or another will not apply.
    * I think that experimenting is essential to testing, measuring, and refining marketing efforts.

  10. Jeremiah, great job!

    When I was an analyst at Common Sense Advisory we wrote a report on the maturity of companies when it comes to translation and localization. I was wondering if you have looked at social media in multiple languages. In the localization industry, this is an area where we are trying to figure out what is the best way to go. Would you be interested in talking about it? I am in the Bay area today and tomorrow.

    Renato Beninatto
    CEO and Chief Instigator
    Milengo – Translations for a Working World
    http://www.milengo.com

  11. Thank you talsie, I'm open to critiques. It would be helpful if you left some URLs to the sources that are similar, I think it would help others –and me.

  12. Thank you talsie, I'm open to critiques. It would be helpful if you left some URLs to the sources that are similar, I think it would help others –and me.

  13. Thank you Jesse. Regardless of the nomenclature, brands must follow these 8 criteria. Some background news. Originally I was going to call these “8 Directives” but Christine talked me out of it.

  14. Thank you Jesse. Regardless of the nomenclature, brands must follow these 8 criteria. Some background news. Originally I was going to call these “8 Directives” but Christine talked me out of it.

  15. Thank you Jesse. Regardless of the nomenclature, brands must follow these 8 criteria. Some background news. Originally I was going to call these “8 Directives” but Christine talked me out of it.

  16. Hello from your Fresno neighbor! I came across this site quite randomly for work-related reasons and came across your detailed report. After seeing your name and checking out your site, I've confimed we were in fact neighbors! I took piano lessons from your sister's teacher =) It's great to see this web site and your success! Thank you for sharing the report, as well. I found it very insightful and more in depth than many articles/reports that just seem to skim the surface of FB. Best to you and your family!

    ~Karen Joe (from El Paso Ave.)

  17. Hello from your Fresno neighbor! I came across this site quite randomly for work-related reasons and came across your detailed report. After seeing your name and checking out your site, I've confimed we were in fact neighbors! I took piano lessons from your sister's teacher =) It's great to see this web site and your success! Thank you for sharing the report, as well. I found it very insightful and more in depth than many articles/reports that just seem to skim the surface of FB. Best to you and your family!

    ~Karen Joe (from El Paso Ave.)

  18. Hello from your Fresno neighbor! I came across this site quite randomly for work-related reasons and came across your detailed report. After seeing your name and checking out your site, I've confimed we were in fact neighbors! I took piano lessons from your sister's teacher =) It's great to see this web site and your success! Thank you for sharing the report, as well. I found it very insightful and more in depth than many articles/reports that just seem to skim the surface of FB. Best to you and your family!

    ~Karen Joe (from El Paso Ave.)

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  20. I'm not so surprised that big companies don't adhere to marketing 101 principles. They never really did, so why should they start now (with social media)? For so many, marketing communications falls to the bottom of their priority pile.

  21. I'm not so surprised that big companies don't adhere to marketing 101 principles. They never really did, so why should they start now (with social media)? For so many, marketing communications falls to the bottom of their priority pile.

  22. I'm not so surprised that big companies don't adhere to marketing 101 principles. They never really did, so why should they start now (with social media)? For so many, marketing communications falls to the bottom of their priority pile.

  23. Highlight for me: Jeremiah used a word I did not know and was inspired to look up: “Our heuristic evaluation revealed that brands fell short…”

    Heuristic (pronounced /hjʉˈrɪstɨk/, from the Greek “Εὑρίσκω” for “find” or “discover”) is an adjective for experience-based techniques that help in problem solving, learning and discovery. Archimedes is said to have shouted “Heureka” (later converted to “Eureka”) after discovering the principle of displacement in his bath

  24. Highlight for me: Jeremiah used a word I did not know and was inspired to look up: “Our heuristic evaluation revealed that brands fell short…”

    Heuristic (pronounced /hjʉˈrɪstɨk/, from the Greek “Εὑρίσκω” for “find” or “discover”) is an adjective for experience-based techniques that help in problem solving, learning and discovery. Archimedes is said to have shouted “Heureka” (later converted to “Eureka”) after discovering the principle of displacement in his bath

  25. Highlight for me: Jeremiah used a word I did not know and was inspired to look up: “Our heuristic evaluation revealed that brands fell short…”

    Heuristic (pronounced /hjʉˈrɪstɨk/, from the Greek “Εὑρίσκω” for “find” or “discover”) is an adjective for experience-based techniques that help in problem solving, learning and discovery. Archimedes is said to have shouted “Heureka” (later converted to “Eureka”) after discovering the principle of displacement in his bath

  26. Interesting report, Jeremiah, thanks for posting it — and thanks more generally for your whole open research effort. It's all extremely helpful to the rest of us working on these issues.

    I do have a real question about the report, though. You note in your recommendations the importance of focusing on business goals, not just metrics like numbers of fans or “likes.” Of course this makes sense. But the report doesn't give any indication of the business success that your top-rated companies have generated through Facebook. Your eight “success criteria” seem more like good practices based on practical experience from some reputable agencies and consultants. Nothing wrong with that; I trust their judgement. But it's hard to go the next step and say more definitively Pampers or Macy's doing a better job on Facebook than BMW or Cisco when we don't know what business objectives they are trying to accomplish. In fact, you even say that few brands have calls to action related to transactions, never mind actual demonstration of increased sales or other presumed business objectives.

    Perhaps a next round of the research will dig into the actual business results companies are generating?

  27. Interesting report, Jeremiah, thanks for posting it — and thanks more generally for your whole open research effort. It's all extremely helpful to the rest of us working on these issues.

    I do have a real question about the report, though. You note in your recommendations the importance of focusing on business goals, not just metrics like numbers of fans or “likes.” Of course this makes sense. But the report doesn't give any indication of the business success that your top-rated companies have generated through Facebook. Your eight “success criteria” seem more like good practices based on practical experience from some reputable agencies and consultants. Nothing wrong with that; I trust their judgement. But it's hard to go the next step and say more definitively Pampers or Macy's doing a better job on Facebook than BMW or Cisco when we don't know what business objectives they are trying to accomplish. In fact, you even say that few brands have calls to action related to transactions, never mind actual demonstration of increased sales or other presumed business objectives.

    Perhaps a next round of the research will dig into the actual business results companies are generating?

  28. Interesting report, Jeremiah, thanks for posting it — and thanks more generally for your whole open research effort. It's all extremely helpful to the rest of us working on these issues.

    I do have a real question about the report, though. You note in your recommendations the importance of focusing on business goals, not just metrics like numbers of fans or “likes.” Of course this makes sense. But the report doesn't give any indication of the business success that your top-rated companies have generated through Facebook. Your eight “success criteria” seem more like good practices based on practical experience from some reputable agencies and consultants. Nothing wrong with that; I trust their judgement. But it's hard to go the next step and say more definitively Pampers or Macy's doing a better job on Facebook than BMW or Cisco when we don't know what business objectives they are trying to accomplish. In fact, you even say that few brands have calls to action related to transactions, never mind actual demonstration of increased sales or other presumed business objectives.

    Perhaps a next round of the research will dig into the actual business results companies are generating?

  29. Thanks Rob. This was a heuristic evaluation. We measured, then judged their efforts from the perspective we were actual customers. Our research team spent days looking at each post, comment and counting 'likes' for the entire month of June for each of the 30 companies (we've got the spreadsheets to back). The way to think about this is: if a brand makes their community happy by generating a vibrant place, then then have the option to start generating business impacts (revenue).

    We will be tackling that question of revenue+social directly at our conference the riseofsocialcommerce.com in Oct 2010.

  30. Thanks Rob. This was a heuristic evaluation. We measured, then judged their efforts from the perspective we were actual customers. Our research team spent days looking at each post, comment and counting 'likes' for the entire month of June for each of the 30 companies (we've got the spreadsheets to back). The way to think about this is: if a brand makes their community happy by generating a vibrant place, then then have the option to start generating business impacts (revenue).

    We will be tackling that question of revenue+social directly at our conference the riseofsocialcommerce.com in Oct 2010.

  31. Thanks Rob. This was a heuristic evaluation. We measured, then judged their efforts from the perspective we were actual customers. Our research team spent days looking at each post, comment and counting 'likes' for the entire month of June for each of the 30 companies (we've got the spreadsheets to back). The way to think about this is: if a brand makes their community happy by generating a vibrant place, then then have the option to start generating business impacts (revenue).

    We will be tackling that question of revenue+social directly at our conference the riseofsocialcommerce.com in Oct 2010.

  32. What would be valuable is follow-up around the investment required for each “criteria”, and estimated returns. Free Social Media channels like FB can quickly cost a great deal in resources without a scalable return. CFO's will catch-on quickly if marketers can't get a model in place.

  33. What would be valuable is follow-up around the investment required for each “criteria”, and estimated returns. Free Social Media channels like FB can quickly cost a great deal in resources without a scalable return. CFO's will catch-on quickly if marketers can't get a model in place.

  34. What would be valuable is follow-up around the investment required for each “criteria”, and estimated returns. Free Social Media channels like FB can quickly cost a great deal in resources without a scalable return. CFO's will catch-on quickly if marketers can't get a model in place.

  35. Thanks Jeremiah. I'm not questioning the research effort; clearly you guys did some great work here. And I don't doubt the basic conclusion that building a more vibrant community, on Facebook or wherever, is generally helpful. My concern, which admittedly may be overly nit-picking, is making that last leap to a definitive ranking that certain companies are more successful than others when you rightly stress in your recommendations the importance of business metrics, but then don't actually include them in the report. Not sure I can make the October conference, but will definitely look forward to hearing about it either way.

  36. Thanks Jeremiah. I'm not questioning the research effort; clearly you guys did some great work here. And I don't doubt the basic conclusion that building a more vibrant community, on Facebook or wherever, is generally helpful. My concern, which admittedly may be overly nit-picking, is making that last leap to a definitive ranking that certain companies are more successful than others when you rightly stress in your recommendations the importance of business metrics, but then don't actually include them in the report. Not sure I can make the October conference, but will definitely look forward to hearing about it either way.

  37. Thanks Jeremiah. I'm not questioning the research effort; clearly you guys did some great work here. And I don't doubt the basic conclusion that building a more vibrant community, on Facebook or wherever, is generally helpful. My concern, which admittedly may be overly nit-picking, is making that last leap to a definitive ranking that certain companies are more successful than others when you rightly stress in your recommendations the importance of business metrics, but then don't actually include them in the report. Not sure I can make the October conference, but will definitely look forward to hearing about it either way.

  38. This is highly useful data to all marketers. I really appreciate you in sharing this valuable information. But when I had an overview on the slide share presentation, I felt there was no deep perception of their achievements using facebook page for marketing! However, I will have a study through it later. Thanks again for sharing!

  39. This is highly useful data to all marketers. I really appreciate you in sharing this valuable information. But when I had an overview on the slide share presentation, I felt there was no deep perception of their achievements using facebook page for marketing! However, I will have a study through it later. Thanks again for sharing!

  40. This is highly useful data to all marketers. I really appreciate you in sharing this valuable information. But when I had an overview on the slide share presentation, I felt there was no deep perception of their achievements using facebook page for marketing! However, I will have a study through it later. Thanks again for sharing!

  41. This is highly useful data to all marketers. I really appreciate you in sharing this valuable information. But when I had an overview on the slide share presentation, I felt there was no deep perception of their achievements using facebook page for marketing! However, I will have a study through it later. Thanks again for sharing!

  42. Great webinar. This is one of the best discussions on this to date. thanks very much

  43. Great webinar. This is one of the best discussions on this to date. thanks very much

  44. Great webinar. This is one of the best discussions on this to date. thanks very much

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  46. Could you give examples of the 8 success criteria? 1, 2, 7 & 8 I'm most curious about, because this seems to be very different for each type of brand, very dependent on type of product or market, especially versus a non-profit, or just a personal project (like my thing). Thanks!

  47. I have just read this Facebook Page Marketing Best information interesting post in slide share i like it very much very useful for me to build brand reputation for my seo firm in the arena of social media marketing. 😉

  48. Really good report. Also reminded us of taking a look at our Facebook page again (wasn't our priority recently) and the criteria help a lot when thinking about how to make it better.
    Thanks.

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  53. Loved the report

    Though I must say I am kinda shocked at the results, Especially with regards to Authenticity. It is extremely important for companies to engage with visitors on a person to person basis to build a foundation of trust and encourage deeper engagement. Communicating on a company-person basis will often make that visitor feel unimportant to the company in question. 

    I absolutely agree with the conclusion and feel companies could use this report as a guideline for interacting on facebook.

  54. This is a very interesting post. I would be curious to see what are the statistics of these major brands this year. It’s is kinda funny how most larger brands still try to implement traditional marketing strategies to social media marketing. Although it is a form of direct marketing on the basic levels. They are still reluctant to use creative strategies that will allow them to increase the bottom line.

  55. Thanks for the great research again, Jeremiah. Incredibly useful stuff. It’d be great to see an evaluation considering more non-profits and healthcare in the mix. There are some household names in those fields, (Gates Foundation, American Cancer Society, Mayo Clinic) and it’d be interesting to see how they fare in your analysis.

  56. Nice post Amazing, I found your site on Bing looking around for something completely unrelated and I really enjoyed your site. I will stop by again to read some more posts.

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