The Top Five Brands on Facebook

What are Facebook fans looking for when they "like" a brand page? According to new research from ExactTarget and CoTweet, it's pretty simple: coupons and free stuff.

40% of those surveyed said that was a motivator for "liking" a company, 36% said they wanted to get freebies and 30% wanted updates on upcoming sales. 39% also want to show their support for a brand, but here's a key stat: Only 17% are more likely to buy something after "liking" the brand, so it sure sounds like it's a good tool to reach your existing customers but isn't doing much -- yet at least -- to grow a customer base.

Interestingly the survey participants who join Facebook looking for shopping tips are most likely to be able to name brands who are marketing well whereas those who are more interested in social networking have a hard time even naming good examples.

The five best brands at engaging users on Facebook, according to the survey, are:

1. Oreo (Nabisco)
2. Walmart
3. Victoria's Secret
4. iTunes
5. Dove

Also, for marketers who want to get in front of Facebook fans, try the off hours. According to the research, "In total, 65% of Facebook users say they login only before or after work/school and 69% use Facebook on the weekends or days off."

You can see the full report about Facebook, brands and followers here.