Generation Z's Motivations for Following Brands on Facebook Brand Fan Pages: A Focus Group Study

The Generation Z, who use Facebook in order to get in touch with their friends, is a target audience for brands aiming to promote their products and services through Facebook marketing. But, Facebook marketing is a challenge for brands as it intervenes in this social domain. Therefore, whether Facebook marketing targeting these young people is an effective method or it is a waste of time for brands is a good question to ask. In order to find that the motivations of young people to interact with brands by liking brands’ Facebook corporate brand fan pages were investigated in this research. With this aim, three qualitative focus group interviews were conducted with young students born after 1995, representing the Generation Z in Eskisehir, Turkey. Within the scope of the research, the number of brands that the participants like on Facebook and the reasons why they like Facebook corporate brand fan pages were primarily looked at. Then, the participants’ interactions with brand generated content, brand representatives and other customers on Facebook brand fan pages were interrogated. Following that, the influence of Facebook marketing on purchasing products and services was examined. The research revealed that most of the young students are influenced by brand generated content on Facebook corporate brand fan pages and tend to shop as a result. The results gained in this study can be helpful to marketers in determining their communication strategies on Facebook brand fan pages.

where idleness people hang out. Facebook is out of date. It's a place where our relatives hang out.
Yusuf, Male, 18 Focus Group 3: Of course, it is effective. Most of the young people pass their whole time on Facebook. I think it is a very influential.
Dilek, Female, 18, Focus Group 3: I think it is effective but it is not enough. They should supplement Facebook marketing with other social media tools such as Instagram. This way, it will be more effective.
Begüm, Female, 18, Focus Group 3: I think it affects. We are all kids of social media generation. Facebook marketing leads to consumption.
Fatmanur, Female, 18, Focus Group 3: I think it is effective because we see the posts on Facebook and they somehow stay in our minds.

w. Shopping through Facebook
Most of the brands in Turkey do not have a shopping option on their Facebook brand fan pages. When the participants were asked whether they consider doing shopping from Facebook brand fan pages, they said that they have doubts. Most of the participants mentioned that they don't find shopping through Facebook safe. Thus, they will prefer websites. Also, some of them said that doing shopping from pyhsical stores by wandering arounds is more fun and meaningful. Although, some of the participants said that doing shopping through Facebook with a few clicks will be very easy and convenient. In focus group 2, the participants said that they won't do shopping through Facebook if such an opportunity appears in the future. One of the participant said that she did shopping via Instagram. However she had difficulties in terms of getting the right size and changing the product. The participants said that they prefer touching and trying the product that they will buy. They stressed that shopping through the internet is not trustable. Although, some of the participants mentioned that they do shopping from virtual shopping sites such as Morhipo or Trendyol. Also, coming across with a fake Facebook account and giving their credit card number to this fake site is another element that deters young people from shopping through Facebook. In focus group three, most of the participants said that they don't find shopping from Facebook safe as well. The participants prefer shopping from physical stores rather than the internet and they said that they may do shopping from Facebook if there will be an option to pay from the door.
Fatih, Male, 18, Focus Group 1: I will buy probably. You can order a pizza with four clicks.
Why not order something with four clicks to our door?
Hande, Female, 17, Focus Group 1: I wouldn't buy. It's not safe and it isn't fun. Shopping is something everybody likes. I find shopping by wandering around more enjoyable. It's more meaningful.
Ayşenur, Female, 18, Focus Group 2: Once I did from Instagram. I bought a shirt but it was small. I had difficulty in changing it afterwards. Thus, I don't think I will buy something through Facebook. Begüm, Female, 18, Focus Group 3: As long as there is a payment option at the door, I will buy through Facebook.

Discussion
According to the results of this research, the motivations of young Turkish students representing the Generation Z to follow brand fan pages on Facebook are learning about the campaings and promotions and seeing the new products and services with their prices. One of the significant finding of this research is that most of the participants in the research were inclined to shopping after following the brand fan pages on Facebook that they liked. They had this experience two or three times before as they spend most of their time on Facebook.
Thus, most of the participants highlighted that Facebook marketing is effective on young people. They stressed that Facebook marketing targeting the Generation Z is not a waste of time for brands. However, the participants also pointed out that companies should use other social networking tools such as Instagram which is the trendiest social media tool among young students. The participants in the research also want brands to display every product that they have in their physical stores on their Facebook page but they don't want idealized human bodies displaying the products. Instead, they would like to see average human bodies on brands' Facebook pages. Most of the participants were hesitant about shopping through Facebook. They assume that shopping from Facebook will not be safe. However, some of them think that if there will such an option in the future, they are willing to try it as it will be more convenient and fast. This study showing the motivations of young Turkish student representing the Generation Z to follow brand fan pages on Facebook will be helpful to marketers in determining their communication strategies on Facebook brand fan pages.