Marketing Using the Interest Graph

What interests you? Well, that’s a great question, especially for companies wanting to learn what really pulls at their customer’s heart strings. As briefly discussed in the thank you economy, the interest graph is a new way to develop connections based on what people like, not who they know. It gives marketers the chance to demonstrate human-like qualities, by giving them the ability to dial in on what people really enjoy, like baking, hunting, rowing, or scrap-booking.

People make connections on Facebook for all sorts of reasons, and more commonly with total strangers based on shared interests in a product or service. Even companies are enhancing the shopping experience by promoting social discovery. They’re allowing users to follow individual products and product categories, allowing for direct updates in their newsfeed. Step2 has implemented a “follow a reviewer” feature that enables individuals to subscribe to product reviews from someone with similar tastes and preferences.

Facebook’s “open graph” system is allowing brands and retailers the unique opportunity to learn about the interests of their customers and use this information to serve them with personalized experiences. For instance, when a customer logs in to Amazon.com, their Facebook profile information is pulled, allowing Amazon to suggest products they might be interested in. This same system was implemented in the past but has evolved into a more complex beast. Before, e-commerce sites used previous purchased data to determine what consumers may be interested in. Now, these sites know what your interested in based off of your social presence, a much more effective system.

The shopping cart system is a great indicator of what a consumer may purchase in the future. But what do you do with that information? Re-targeting is a form of digital advertising that uses browsing behavior to sustain and fuel interest in a product and market related products to individuals that will likely find compelling. Ultimately, ads that are propelled using true indicated interests are more likely to resonate and lead to a sale.

The interest graph is a win for both the brand and the consumer. Consumers want to see products that interest them, and smart brands will capitalize on those interests to boost revenue. The personalized web is the way of the future, and businesses who leverage the interest graph are the ones who will win at the end of the day.