Here’s How SMART Brands Work Facebook Magic

A new measurement of how brands use Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) for marketing has ranked retailer Macy’s (NYSE:M), cosmetics companies Sephora and Lancôme, and luxury brand Michael Kors (NYSE:KORS) as “geniuses.” The study measured the brands’ Facebook efforts according to size and growth, engagement, programming, and integration, with each brand getting scored against more than 350 qualitative and quantitative data points.

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“Facebook investors have shifted the measurement stick: from promise to performance,” said Scott Galloway, a New York University professor of marketing who authored the study. “Similarly, the marketing and digital professionals at prestige organizations charged with building and engaging communities on the world’s biggest platform, will face heightened expectations and scrutiny.”

The study, done in association with Buddy Media, which was recently acquired by salesforce.com (NYSE:CRM), found that while community growth was up, engagement across Facebook communities declined 50 percent year-over-year. Also, more 20 percent of the measured brands still do not engage in any two-way conversation, and another one-third prohibits fan posts on their Facebook walls.

The research also found that the move to the social network’s new Timeline interface has not been a growth driver. The brands that were part of the survey added 125 percent more fans in the 50 days prior to the Timeline launch than in the 50 days after the switch.

Almost 100 brands across beauty, fashion, specialty retail, and watches & jewelry segments were part of the study.

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