Help seeking behavior on Facebook

Results of a surveyOlga Reili, Tatjana Pavlenko, Olga Sorokina

GOAL

Find out with a qualitative, open-ended survey,

what the typical questions users ask on Facebook are

(or another social networking service)

preparation

MethodologySurvey ResearchInstrumentsOpen-ended and closed questions viaTypes of dataNominal, binarySamplingA random sample of Facebook users (64 people)Data analysisQualitativeDifficultiesDifficult to analyze data and report it, difficult to compare answers across subjects

process

QuESTIONS

1. Have you ever asked any questions on Facebook?

2. If you answered "No", tell us why you have never asked any questions on Facebook. (move to the next question if you answered "Yes")

3. How do you prefer asking questions on Facebook? (multiple selection is possible)

4. Try to remember at least one question you asked on Facebook. Please write it below.

5. What type of question it was (urgent, personal, professional etc)?

6. Have you tried to find the answer somewhere else before turning to Facebook? Where?

7. How satisfied were you with the answer received? Was it reliable and(or) quick?

8. How many people responded to your question?

9. Do you think it is useful to ask questions on Facebook? Why?

results

QuESTIONS

QuESTIONS

Try to remember at least one question you asked on Facebook

When is it good for you to come to the training?

Who can give me "Microsoft Office 2010" for Windows 64bits?Does anybody know, where to find the book ........?May be was searching who wants to go walking..Where are the pictures from yesterday evening? Is this your guitarre?Asking help on finding free but rare software

who needs bus ticketsWhere people are going tonight?How do i find job announcements?Question about oranizing childs birthday, but maybe its was more like part of chat.asking for a shared car ridehow are you?

are we gonna meet today?

I was looking for rental flatAnyone renting out apartment in Tallinn? :)No idea...I have informed about good movies and things like that. However, sometimes I have had private e-mailing with my friends about where to go and what to do.Need softwareWhat's the best CRM for a small business?I cannot, honestly.When are we going ice-skating?Who wants to go to the cinema with me today?Saturday meeting?what do you think of Rushdie's Midnight Children? worth reading?does anybody go anywhere (saying exactly where)Do you want to help me with my research? If yes, follow the link.Jus some retoric questions for busting up some pointless discussion.I was pissed of hotels not having enough big cups for tea and asked why is it so :)I do not ask questions

what date would be the most suitable one for most of you to meet?"

in private message to friend: When are you going to Tallinn? :)

What are you doing this weekend?About the grading system at school.What is the hw for a class?Question linked to the conference. When will be known the date of abstracts acceptance?Asked if anyone wants to learn spanish with me?Asked about the performance that I wanted to seeI asked about filling-in the questionnaire I had on my classes :)who wants to join me on my ride to Narva (Tallinn, Poland, Transylvania etc)?I am looking for a rent flat, any suggestions?Who want to join for a ride Tallinn-Narva, Friday at 18:00?

45answers

45answers

When is it good for you to come to the training?

Who can give me "Microsoft Office 2010" for Windows 64bits?Does anybody know, where to find the book ........?May be was searching who wants to go walking..Where are the pictures from yesterday evening? Is this your guitarre?Asking help on finding free but rare software

who needs bus ticketsWhere people are going tonight?How do i find job announcements?Question about oranizing childs birthday, but maybe its was more like part of chat.asking for a shared car ridehow are you?

are we gonna meet today?

I was looking for rental flatAnyone renting out apartment in Tallinn? :)No idea...I have informed about good movies and things like that. However, sometimes I have had private e-mailing with my friends about where to go and what to do.Need softwareWhat's the best CRM for a small business?I cannot, honestly.When are we going ice-skating?Who wants to go to the cinema with me today?Saturday meeting?what do you think of Rushdie's Midnight Children? worth reading?does anybody go anywhere (saying exactly where)Do you want to help me with my research? If yes, follow the link.Jus some retoric questions for busting up some pointless discussion.I was pissed of hotels not having enough big cups for tea and asked why is it so :)I do not ask questions

what date would be the most suitable one for most of you to meet?"

in private message to friend: When are you going to Tallinn? :)

What are you doing this weekend?About the grading system at school.What is the hw for a class?Question linked to the conference. When will be known the date of abstracts acceptance?Asked if anyone wants to learn spanish with me?Asked about the performance that I wanted to seeI asked about filling-in the questionnaire I had on my classes :)who wants to join me on my ride to Narva (Tallinn, Poland, Transylvania etc)?I am looking for a rent flat, any suggestions?Who want to join for a ride Tallinn-Narva, Friday at 18:00?

Try to remember at least one question you asked on Facebook

When is it good for you to come to the training?

May be was searching who wants to go walking..

Where people are going tonight? Asking for a shared car ride. Are we gonna meet today?

Where to go and what to do.

When are we going ice-skating?

Who wants to go to the

cinema with me today?

Does anybody go anywhere (saying exactly where) Saturday meeting?

What date would be the most suitable one for most of you to meet?

When are you going to Tallinn? What are you doing this weekend?

Asked if anyone wants to learn spanish with me?

Who wants to join me on my ride to Narva (Tallinn, Poland, Transylvania etc)?

Who want to join for a ride Tallinn-Narva, Friday at 18:00?

questions asked on Facebook

Activities36%

Does anybody know, where to find the book ........?

Who can give me "Microsoft Office 2010" for Windows 64bits?

Where are the pictures from yesterday evening?

Asking help on finding free but rare software

How do i find job announcements?

I was looking for rental flat

Need software

I am looking for a rent flat, any suggestions?

questions asked on Facebook

Looking for...18%

What's the best CRM for a small business?

What do you think of Rushdie's Midnight Children?

Do you want to help me with my research?

Asked about the performance that I wanted to see

Asked about filling-in the questionnaire I had on my classes :)

questions asked on Facebook

Opinion11%

Also people ask:

Rhetoric questions for busting up some pointless discussion

“How-are-you” style questions

Studies-related questions

If anyone needs something (offering help)

questions asked on Facebook

results

Other results

Why people do not ask questions on FacebookThey prefer more personal approach, consider FB too public, see no pointSearching for help elsewhere62% of respondents tried to find help in the Internet (Google, Wiki, specific websites) or asking their friends (by phone or e-mail) before turning to FB38% posted their question straight on FB without previous searchingReceiving answersOnly 2% have never received any answer for their question98% received at least one answerSatisfaction with the received answerMost of the people were satisfied with the answer they receivedUsefulness of asking questions on Facebook85% find asking questions on FB useful

thank you!

P.S. Feel free to ask questions http://www.facebook.com/groups/tlu.imke/ :)