Teens spurn online friendship with businesses
Social networks like Facebook are not as effective as one might think at building brand loyalty among teenagers. It is not uncommon for Facebook to be hailed as a good communication and marketing platform for companies seeking to advertise.
However, the reality for the high-spending teenage target group is quite different. They do not want to be friends with brands on the social network, as the market researchers at Forrester Research found out. Younger Facebook users are not willing to become friends with companies on social media. As teenagers in particular spend a lot of time on social networks, many companies are present on Facebook and the like. According to the study by Forrester, only six percent of twelve to 17-year-old US web users are looking to get close to brands. This figure is twice as high among consumers aged between 18 and 24.
According to the study, young Facebook users are not generally averse to market companies and their products. However, direct contact with the companies is largely undesirable. According to the teenagers surveyed, brands should simply not be present on social media. If they are present, young users expect more attention and interaction from companies.
