Sources used in this document:

Settings. Journal of Marketing, 76(6), 105-120.

This scholarly article points out that while 83% of Fortune 500 companies have been using some form of social media, and while consumers are relying on social media more each year, best practices regarding the use of social media to "bolster brand evaluations" remains "undefined" (Naylor, 2012). The article actually presents four studies that focus on whether or not a company should "hide or reveal" the demographic characteristics of a brand's online supporters" (Naylor). The article goes into the issue of "mere virtual presence" (MVP); for example, people do tend to identify with others to whom they share similar ideas and values, so if the supporters of a given brand on Facebook have similar lifestyles and attitudes as a Facebook user, he or she is more likely to be "persuaded" by the MVP of those existing advocates for that brand (Lamberton, et al., 2012).

The article suggests that to be smart, a company could use "ambiguity" in presenting those in support of the product (i.e., not identify the demographic that typically likes the product). The brand could show only those supporters that have not provided a photo, so a new Facebook user doesn't see that those in support of the product have dreadlocks, for example, or tattoos. However, some social media users are not persuaded by "ambiguity" and others may infer "commonality" because the identity of the previous users is not presented. It sounds like, from this article, that researchers are still trying to understand the best practice dynamics of social media. But the ideas and the surveys within the article are very informative and interesting, in particular to anyone who plans to market products on social media.