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The Science of Facebook The science of social networking. Dan Zarrella Social Media Scientist
The Science of FacebookThe science of social networking.
Dan Zarrella
Social Media Scientist
Unicorns and
Rainbows
“We’re on the cusp of a new way of
doing social science. Our
predecessors could only dream of
the kind of data we now have.”
-Nicholas Christakis
#FBSci
Gossip and
grooming
Takeaway:
Facilitate existing
relationships.
#FBSci
Via @DanZarrella
Profiles
Takeaway:
People have
profiles, brands
have pages.
#FBSci
Via @DanZarrella
Ambient
Awareness
Performance
Takeaway:
Help your users
look cool.
#FBSci
Via @DanZarrella
Facebook Profile Activity by Age
Women Are Talked to More
More Men Say They’re Single
Women Describe Themselves More
Takeaway:
Know your
audience.
#FBSci
Via @DanZarrella
Pages
Day vs Likes
0.14%
0.15%
0.15%
0.16%
0.16%
0.17%
0.17%
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Hour vs Likes
0.12%
0.13%
0.14%
0.15%
0.16%
0.17%
0.18%
0.19%
Buzzwords in Facebook Pages
Takeaway:
Stay away from
buzzwords.
#FBSci
Via @DanZarrella
Facebookers “Like” Food
Most “Liked” Page Types
Least “Liked” Page Types
Takeaway:
Be entertaining.
Via @DanZarrella
Post Type vs Likes
0.00%
0.05%
0.10%
0.15%
0.20%
0.25%
0.30%
photo status video link
Post Length vs Likes
0.00%
0.05%
0.10%
0.15%
0.20%
0.25%
0
30
60
90
12
0
15
0
18
0
21
0
24
0
27
0
30
0
33
0
36
0
39
0
42
0
45
0
48
0
51
0
54
0
57
0
60
0
63
0
66
0
69
0
72
0
75
0
78
0
Sentiment vs Likes
0.10%
0.12%
0.14%
0.16%
0.18%
0.20%
0.22%
0.24%
0.26%
-12 -10 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26
Self Reference vs Likes
0.00%
0.01%
0.02%
0.03%
0.04%
0.05%
0.06%
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Social proof
“We view a behavior as more correct…
to the degree that we see others
performing it”-Robert Cialdini
#FBSci
Sharing
Takeaway:
Emphasize social
proof.
#FBSci
Via @DanZarrella
Video Sharing
Takeaway:
Videos do better on
Facebook than
Twitter.
#FBSci
Via @DanZarrella
Digits
Linguistic Content
Takeaway:
On Facebook,
sex and positivity
sells.
#FBSci
Via @DanZarrella
Readability
Part of Speech
Takeaway:
Write simply and
Plainly for
Facebook.
#FBSci
Via @DanZarrella
Day of Week
Takeaway:
Weekends are more
Facebook sharing
friendly.
#FBSci
Via @DanZarrella
Most Shareable Words
Gossip is just news
running ahead of itself in a
red satin dress.-Liz Smith
#FBSci
Least Shareable Words
Meta Mentions
Takeaway:
Think
mainstream.
#FBSci
Via @DanZarrella
Dan Zarrella
@DanZarrella
