Brain buzz for Facebook? Neural indicators of SNS content engagement

Abstract Marketing in social media is gaining importance among young consumers. Because of the clutter in social network services (SNS) like Facebook, creating engaging content that can generate click-through and sharing behaviors is becoming a key success factor for SNS marketing. We investigate the neural indicators of engagement with content as a driver of consumers′ click-through behavior in social media. Using a novel neuroscientific research methodology called event-related potentials (ERP), we find unique brainwave signals that combine P3 and late positive potential (LPP), increasing power signals with multiple exposures while young consumers are exposed to highly engaging Facebook posts. These unique brainwave signals in response to engagement with online content, which occur within 300 ms, are detected in the bilateral temporal brain areas. A new neuromarketing method will soon allow marketers to predict consumers′ online click-through behaviors from micro-second brain processes that occur almost simultaneously with the time of content exposure.