FACEBOOK FAN PAGE COMMUNICATION AND ITS EFFECTS TOWARDS FAN PAGE OWNERS: THE CASE STUDY OF POPULAR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE IN THAILAND

Abstract

This research aims at 1) exploring communication process and strategies on Facebook fan pages; and 2) examining its effects towards popular Facebook page owners in Thailand. This qualitative research relies on the case study approach using observation and in-depth interviews with informants from two different groups, which are, 1) three Facebook fan page owners; and 2) five message receivers involved with Facebook fan pages. Research suggest two types of popular Facebook fan pages, including fan pages that mainly aims at selling products or service and those that do not mainly sell products or service. The process of making Facebook fan pages popular has three steps; 1) using concept and personality that differentiate each page from other pages, 2) creating useful content tailored to different target audiences, and 3) boosting Facebook pages as to increase number of their followers. Five strategies for creating business page for selling product and service include 1) focusing on only selling products, not content that target audiences prefer to consume, 2) selling good-quality products 3) sharing content about product samples 4) presenting understandable product information and 5) presenting product reviews by customers who bought the product. Seven strategies for creating business page for non-product or non-service involve 1) using photos that bring smiles, 2) sharing tips preferred by target audiences, 3) sharing trendy fashion, 4) sharing great quotes, 5) presenting content that is not covered by mainstream media channels, 6) borrowing magazines’ column layouts, 7) sharing posts consistently three times a day. The results of making fan pages popular are 1) earning money from a fun hobby, 2) turning Facebook fan pages to media space for advertising purposes, and 3) increasing number of Facebook fan pages’ followers to attract advertisers, and thus, making the pages a main source of income.