A scientific and humorous comparison of the Facebook user types identified by Psychster Inc. and students at UW MCDM and the many parodies in the media.

1. Psychographic Segmentation
of Facebook Users
Psychster Labs October 19, 2012
David C. Evans Ph.D.
Psychster Inc.

2. Links
The paper:
Evans, D.C., Robertson, N., Lively, T., & Jacobson, L., Llamas-Cendon, M., Isaza, H., Rosenbalm, S., &
Voigt, J. (2012). Facebook’s 8 fundamental hooks and 6 basic user types: A psychographic
segmentation. The Four Peaks Review, 2, 36-54.
http://journals.lib.washington.edu/index.php/FPR/article/view/13914
The authors would like to thank Eden Epstein, Nicholas Mattos, Bibianna Cha, Christina Seong,
Parinaz Ejlali, and Sara Degruttola for their assistance with earlier versions of this study.
Find out your segment:
http://psychsterdata.com/fbsign/quiz.php

3. Our recent
scientific study
Surrounded by funny parodies
with which we compare our
results in this slideshow

4. Psychographic Segmentation
1. Collect data. A
continuous (1-5) ratings
of how much people
need or use ~100
value-propositions for
your media or software.
2. Perform a Factor Analysis. Sorts needs from the 3. Perform a Cluster Analysis. Sorts people into
survey into fundamental hooks, where if you need groups who have similar needs for the
one in a group you tend to need them all. fundamental hooks.
News Feeds Apps Biz
0 18
% %
16
50
% %
16
%
4. Perform Logistic Regression. Makes a short diagnostic quiz to identify anyone’s segment for targeting or more
research. See http://psychsterdata.com/fbsign/quiz.php

5. Facebook’s Fundamental Hooks (1-4 of 8)
1. Media & News 2. Social Updates 3. Games 4. Groups &
Referrals Linking
R2 = 12.2% R2 = 9.9% R2 = 5.5% R2 = 5.3%
Frequently learn about books .78 Importance of status updates .77 Use FB to play games .73 Likely to like politics .74
Frequently learn about movies .76 Importance of status updates that Likely to share content Join groups based on
are friends only .77 applications .70 politics .68
Frequently learn about local places
.74 Likely to like/comment on friends' Importance of app content Likely to link account to
status .77 .69 news site .60
Frequently learn about music .73
Likely to like/comment on photos Use apps to play games .64 Likely to link account to
Frequently learn about
.71 info site .57
clothing/fashion .72 Likely to like games .61
Frequently learn about blogs/news Likely to share status updates .68 Likely to like/comment on
.71 Likely to share photos .67 app content .61
Frequently get updates about int'l Want photos that are viewable by Use apps to give virtual gifts
news .71 friends only .66 .50
Frequently learn about travel .71 Importance of photos .64
Frequently get updates about Use FB to connect with friends .63
entertainment news .68 Frequently get updates about
Frequently get updates about local friends & family .59
news .67 Rely on FB to connect w/ friends
Frequently get updates about .59
industry news .64 Use FB to share my life .59

6. Facebook’s Fundamental Hooks (5-8 of 8)
5. Public Networking 6. Sharing 7. Invitations 8. Private
Networking
R2 = 5.2% R2 = 3.9% R2 = 3.6% R2 = 3.3%
Want photos that are viewable by Likely to share videos .59 Important to receive Importance of status
everyone .67 invitations to events .68 updates that are private
Importance of videos .55
.59
Important to status updates that Important to send
Likely to like/comment on videos
are public .65 invitations to events .67 Want photos that are
.52
viewable by only me .58
Rely on FB to connect w/ coworkers Importance of privacy
Likely to share links .44
.59 change notices .53 Want photos that are
Importance of links .43 viewable by a specific
Use FB for business .52
group .46
Use FB to expand my network .49
Likely to link account to
Member only for business .46 music site .41
Likely to like celeb .43 Likely to link account to
shopping site .40

7. average factor score average factor score
-1
-1
0
1
2
0
1
2
Media & News Media & News
Updates Updates
Games Games
Fans
Linking Linking
Public Public
Branders
Sharing Sharing
Invitations Invitations
Private
average factor score Private average factor score
-1
0
1
2
-1
0
1
2
Media & News Media & News
Updates Updates
16%
18%
Games Games
Linking Linking
22%
23%
Public Public
Neutrals Sharing
4%
17%
Sharing
Invitations Invitations
Social-Searchers
average factor score average factor score
Private Private
-1
-1
0
1
2
0
1
2
Media & News Media & News
Updates Updates
Games Games
Facebook’s User Types (FBSIGN)
Linking Linking
Public Public
Sharing Sharing
Gamers
Invitations Invitations
Influencers
Private Private

8. Facebook’s User Types (FBSIGN)
• Fans join interest groups based on politics, art, and
music, and they often link their Facebook account
to other websites.
• Branders prefer public to private networking, and
they often use Facebook as a tool for
business, building a personal brand, or
accumulating social capital.
• Social-Searchers employ Facebook to learn about
news, media, and entertainment, but they show
little interest in apps and games.
• Influencers share videos, links, and good deals with
others, and they rarely use the private forms of
messaging or sharing available on Facebook.
• Gamers are motivated by games, apps, and
coupons; they interact with strangers as often as
acquaintances, and though fewer in number they
log the most time on Facebook.
• Neutrals are unmotivated by most of Facebook’s
features including status updates, and they report
being members only to keep connected to the
events of family and friends.

9. Facebook’s User Types (FBSIGN)
Most Men: Fans, Branders, Neutrals
Most Women: Influencers, Social-Searchers, Gamers
Youngest: Branders, Influencers, Fans
Oldest: Neutrals, Gamers, Social-Searchers
Most Active: Gamers
Moderate: Social-Searchers, Branders, Influencers
Least Active: Neutrals, Fans

10. Fans

11. Higher Than All Other
Segments On: Fans
• likelihood to link account
to News site
• interest in groups based
on politics
• likely to like brands I like
• likely to like arts
• likelihood to link account
to info site
• interest in groups based
on media
• I want photos that are
viewable by a specific
group
• interest in groups based
on offline interest
• likelihood to link account
to sports site
Lowest On:
• Nothing

12. Branders

13. Higher Than All Other Segments
On: Branders
• I want photos that are
viewable by everyone
• importance of status updates
that are public
• I Use FB for Business
• I Use FB to Date
• I Use FB to Share My Life
• early adopter importance
• frequently write blog
• freq learn about
clothing/fashion
• likely to like sports page
Lowest On:
• I Use FB to Play Games

14. Social-Searchers

15. Higher Than All Other Segments
On: Social-Searchers
• frequently learn about books
• frequently learn about
blogs/news
• get updates about national
news
• get updates about
entertainment news
• frequently learn about travel
• frequently learn about local
places
• frequently write blog
• frequently learn about
clothing/fashion
• likely to like sports page
Lowest On:
• give virtual gifts

16. Influencers

17. Higher Than All Other Segments
On: Influencers
• likelihood to share videos
• likelihood to like/comment on
videos
• use apps to get deals
• frequently purchase online
• share links
• frequently upload pictures
• use apps to take quizzes
• use apps to analyze my profile
Lowest On:
• I want photos that are only
viewable by me or a specific
group
• I am a member only for
business

18. Gamers

19. Gamers
Higher Than All Other Segments
On:
• I use FB to play games
• likelihood to share apps
• likelihood to Like games
• Like Zynga
• importance of app content
• freqency play online games
• daily time on FB
• give virtual gifts
Lowest On:
• be fine without FB for a
week/day
• use FB to date
• use apps to listen to music
• use LinkedIn

20. Neutrals

21. Higher Than All Other Segments
On:
Neutrals
• a member only for
family/friends’ events
• be fine without FB for a
week/day
• feed preferences
Lower On:
• likelihood to share links
• likelihood to comment on links
• likelihood to share status
updates
• likelihood to share photos
and 100 other features

22. Maslow’s Needs
Allrecipes T-Mobile Facebook
5. Opportunities for
learning and
creativity, mastery. Gamers
Foodies Professional Balance
Social Searchers
Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow, 1954)
4. Status, recognition from
others, importance of
work Workaholics Influencers
Entertainers
Tech-heads Branders
3. Acceptance, part of a
group, identification with a Fans
successful team Networkers Socializer
Neutrals
2. Physical safety,
economic security, Learners Family On-Call
freedom from threats
1. Physical survival. Water, Providers 911 Minimalist
food, sleep, homeostasis

23. Future research
• Collect quiz data to find out how proportions differ
among different samples.
• Learn lifestyles, media consumption and consumer
behavior to know what ads to target them.
• Merge with behavioral data to develop algorithms to
target people who haven’t taken a quiz.
• Study network properties to learn which segments bridge
hubs, and which are most influential.
• Get FB to add the segments to their ad targeting.

24. About us
• Our mission is to align digital media with human nature.
• Our-philosophy is that end-users have taken control and
the more you understand them the better.
• Our people are Ph.D. trained social scientists with
extensive business and publishing experience in social
software and social media.
• Our clients are enterprises, publishers, advertisers,
designers, academics and entrepreneurs with online
investments.
Psychster Inc.
4500 9th Ave NE
Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98105
ph: 206.715.7218
fx: 888.265.0989
info@psychster.com