Motivations to interact with brands on Facebook – Towards a typology of consumer–brand interactions

In recent years, Facebook and other social media have become key players in branding activities. However, empirical research on consumer–brand interactions on Facebook is still in its infancy. Therefore, the aim of this research is to provide additional insights to brand managers on how to adapt their approaches to increase consumers’ interactions with brands on Facebook. In this study, we apply the uses and gratification theory proposed by Katz to develop a new typology of consumers based on consumer motivations to interact with brands on Facebook, and explore the type and intensity of these interactions. We identify five main motivations that might influence consumers’ interactions with a brand on Facebook: (i) social influence, (ii) search for information, (iii) entertainment, (iv) trust and (v) reward. Building on these five motivations, a classification using clustering techniques reveals four different groups of consumers: (i) ‘brand detached’, (ii) ‘brand profiteers’, (iii) ‘brand companions’ and (iv) ‘brand reliants’. Our results provide valuable and applicable insights for social media marketing activities, which will assist brand managers to develop strategies for effectively reaching and influencing the most desirable groups of consumers.

Relatório da prática de ensino supervisionada em educação pré-escolar: a aprendizagem em grupos de idades mistas na educação pré-escolar

O presente relatório trata a descrição e reflexão da intervenção desenvolvida na Prática de Ensino Supervionada em Educação Pré-escolar, nas valências de creche e jardim de infância. O trabalho que serviu de base ao relatório teve como objetivo compreender de que forma a interação entre crianças de diferentes idades contribui para o seu desenvolvimento. Assim, apresenta-se uma revisão de literatura sobre o tema do relatório, baseada nos trabalhos Vygotsky,e de Lilian Katz. A metodologia da investigação utilizada baseou-se na recolha e análise de dados sobre momentos de interação entre crianças de idades díspares e na aplicação de entrevistas às educadoras cooperantes. Durante a prática de ensino supervisionada promoveram-se momentos deste tipo de interação, através de visitas das crianças de creche à sala de jardim de infância. Os resultados obtidos através desta investigação revelam que a interação entre crianças de diferentes idades traz benefícios ao seu desenvolvimento, a diversos níveis; Supervised Teaching Practice in Preschool Education: Learning in mixed age groups in Preschool Education Abstract: The current report deals with the description and reflection of intervation developed in Supervised Teaching Practice in Preschool Education, in the nursery and kindergaten valences. The work that provided the basis of the report has as goal understand how the interaction between children of different ages contributes to their development. Therefore, presents a literature’s review about the report’s theme, based on Vygotsky’s and Lilian Katz’s works. The research methodology that supports this report was based on the collection and date analysis on interaction moments between different ages children and interviews application with cooperating teachers. During the supervised teaching practice, it was promoted interaction moments between different ages children’s, through visits of nursery children to kindergarten room. The obtained results through this research show that the different ages children’s interaction is beneficial to their development, at different levels.

Motivations to interact with brands on Facebook – Towards a typology of consumer–brand interactions

In recent years, Facebook and other social media have become key players in branding activities. However, empirical research on consumer–brand interactions on Facebook is still in its infancy. Therefore, the aim of this research is to provide additional insights to brand managers on how to adapt their approaches to increase consumers’ interactions with brands on Facebook. In this study, we apply the uses and gratification theory proposed by Katz (1959) to develop a new typology of consumers based on consumer motivations to interact with brands on Facebook, and explore the type and intensity of these interactions. We identify five main motivations that might influence consumers’ interactions with a brand on Facebook: (1) social influence, (2) search for information, (3) entertainment, (4) trust and (5) reward. Building on these five motivations, a classification using clustering techniques reveals four different groups of consumers: (1) “brand detached”, (2) “brand profiteers”, (3) “brand companions” and (4) “brand reliants”. Our results provide valuable and applicable insights for social media marketing activities, which will assist brand managers to develop strategies for effectively reaching and influencing the most desirable groups of consumers.