In a survey of 1.700 students aged 16-24 91% said they didn’t like the idea of buying products directly from Facebook.  The main reasons for this included concerns about security, delivery and getting the best price. Only 4% of those surveyed said they would buy goods on Facebook.

This poses the question, should Facebook be primarily for socialising and less about advertising? Many brands have managed to target the youth market effectively with their Facebook pages, campaigns and apps rather than full on ads.

Perhaps brands should be using Facebook to build brand recognition and loyalty in less direct ways.

There have been several cases where brands have used Facebook to engage with the youth market with success, with regard to brand loyalty rather than direct sales.

Coke Zero targeted the youth market on Facebook using an app for users to find their Facebook doppelganger. Users can upload photos or simply register for the application and Coke Zero's technology will scan existing photos using Facebook Connect and create a profile. When a member with similar features joins, the user is notified of their doppelganger's existence. Just a bit of fun, but the aim for Coke was not necessarily to drive sales but to ensure the brand maintains its relationship with consumers on social media.

Pringles also used Facebook effectively to change perceptions in Australia that the crisps brand was boring and expensive, with a campaign focused on planning the perfect party. Pringles actively engaged in consumer conversations on the fan pages, and gave away free music downloads as spot prizes. This proactive approach led the Pringles Australia fan-page to become the number one Facebook Fan-Page in Australia, with more than 266,000 fans. Pringles also saw a 200% increase in sales, proving they had gotten through to the youth market.

There are plenty more examples of brands engaging with the youth market in order to build brand loyalty rather than targeting young people with ads so it seems Facebook should stick to being social.