Facebook likes are anything to go by, Shakira is the world’s favourite person closely followed by Cristiano Ronaldo and Eminem, Coca-Cola is the world’s top brand, Vin Diesel is more loved than Harry Potter...
But Facebook likes, quantity is no indication of quality or even reality, according to new research from University College London.
Be aware of the number of fake Facebook advertising likes that are fake, and the damage those fake fans cause to your social reach and return on investment.
Also Facebook is different from the rest of the online ad industry, which follows a standard of allowing click audits by third parties like the IAB, the Media Ratings Council or Ernst & Young.
The cost of ownership for these fake fans is just now coming to light with reduced organic reach and reduced performance on paid reach. This is a potentially systemic problem that needs a larger fix, but there are some real changes in tactics and strategy that brands can employ to counteract these effects and increase their performance.