Want your Facebook Page to thrive? Think globally.
filed under: Social Media and Measurement and Analytics
http://tbg.cm/qLFYSg
I constantly find myself surprised when I see data which demonstrates how global the world really is. It’s not because I’m an American and I have some sort of imperialist view of the planet; it’s because I’m human, and we all struggle to think about things outside of our individual spheres. If you’re using social media to organize events in your local community, then going with your own intuitive, localized picture of the world will be good enough. But if you’re using social media on behalf of an international brand, it’s imperative that you fully understand just how global your audience is and begin to incorporate this knowledge into your strategy and execution.
Facebook is a global network.
About 155 million Facebook users live in the United States, but that only represents about 20% of the 750 million total Facebook users. You’ll find an equally large audience if you combine the next four largest countries (Indonesia, India, Turkey, and the UK). And you can gather an audience three times larger than the US if you add in the next twenty-one largest countries.
About 155 million Facebook users live in the United States, but that only represents about 20% of the 750 million total Facebook users. You’ll find an equally large audience if you combine the next four largest countries (Indonesia, India, Turkey, and the UK). And you can gather an audience three times larger than the US if you add in the next twenty-one largest countries.

What this means is that the brands who want the largest audiences need to find ways to connect with customers and fans from all over the world. Take Starbucks for example. Starbucks was ranked number one for social engagement in a recent study by Altimeter Group. And with a Facebook fan page audience of 25 million, every other brand on the planet should be jealous. The secret is that more than 90% of Starbucks Facebook fans are from outside the US.
Identify your target audience.
When you are thinking about your audience, don’t just think about age, gender, and interests. Make sure you have a plan in place that looks at specific countries and specific groups in those countries. Do good research and get creative. For example, dig into your sales data and determine which global markets already know about your brand and your offerings. Uncover which countries have the fastest growth rates on Facebook, and leverage this user enthusiasm to get noticed by an impassioned new audience.
When you are thinking about your audience, don’t just think about age, gender, and interests. Make sure you have a plan in place that looks at specific countries and specific groups in those countries. Do good research and get creative. For example, dig into your sales data and determine which global markets already know about your brand and your offerings. Uncover which countries have the fastest growth rates on Facebook, and leverage this user enthusiasm to get noticed by an impassioned new audience.
Engage an international audience.
The first step is to simply acknowledge that you are talking to a wide range of people with different cultures, languages, and timezones. Find topics that are on-brand but have universal appeal, such as family, fun with friends, the environment, healthy lifestyles, technology, and more. Feeling excluded is the last thing a fan should experience on your page, so avoid using slang, making inside jokes, or making obscure cultural references. And do your homework so you are more aware of events happening around the world. For example, instead of only wishing your US fans a happy 4th of July, learn about the independence day holidays of other countries around the world.
The first step is to simply acknowledge that you are talking to a wide range of people with different cultures, languages, and timezones. Find topics that are on-brand but have universal appeal, such as family, fun with friends, the environment, healthy lifestyles, technology, and more. Feeling excluded is the last thing a fan should experience on your page, so avoid using slang, making inside jokes, or making obscure cultural references. And do your homework so you are more aware of events happening around the world. For example, instead of only wishing your US fans a happy 4th of July, learn about the independence day holidays of other countries around the world.
It can take some practice to fully wrap your head around the concept of the global audience with which you are connecting. But that’s the magic, humbling nature of the internet. Not only will it improve your personal understanding of the world we live in, but it can help your brand engage with untold numbers of new fans.
