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