Top Fans

Situation

Facebook’s public figures have millions of followers who actively engage with their content. However, fan interactions were often unstructured, making it difficult for public figures to recognize and reward their most dedicated supporters. The opportunity arose to create a system that highlights top fans, encouraging more engagement and fostering stronger connections between public figures and their followers.

“I comment on every post, but it feels like my favorite artist never sees me.” - Facebook User Interview

Research Insight: Competitive analysis revealed that gamification and recognition programs significantly boost user engagement on social platforms. Our internal data showed that highly engaged fans were 3x more likely to continue interacting if they received acknowledgment from public figures.

Visual Suggestion: Example of an unstructured comment section with high engagement but no way to differentiate top fans.

Task

The goal of the Top Fans project was to create a system that rewards and highlights the most engaged users on public figure pages. Our objectives included:

• Developing a proof of concept that validates the effectiveness of a Top Fans feature.

• Measuring the impact of fan recognition on engagement rates (likes, comments, shares).

• Ensuring the solution is scalable and easy for public figures to manage.

Visual Suggestion: Wireframe of an early concept for the Top Fans badge.

Action

To execute this project, we followed a structured, cross-functional approach:

User Research & Insights

• Partnered with a UX researcher to design and execute user interviews.

• Gathered insights from both public figures and their fan communities to identify expectations and motivations.

• Identified key drivers for engagement, such as visibility, exclusivity, and rewards.

Design & Prototyping

• Developed multiple design concepts for the Top Fans badge and fan recognition system.

• Created prototypes that incorporated different placements for the badge (profile, comments, notifications).

• Ensured seamless integration within Facebook’s existing UI to maintain a familiar user experience.

“Seeing a Top Fan badge next to my name would make me feel noticed and valued.” - Beta Tester Feedback

Visual Suggestion: Mockup of a Top Fan badge appearing in the comments section.

Testing & Iteration

• Conducted usability tests to measure user reactions to the Top Fans badge.

• Implemented A/B testing to analyze engagement changes between pages with and without the feature.

• Worked closely with engineers and product managers to address technical limitations and optimize performance.

Visual Suggestion: Engagement metrics comparison between pages with and without Top Fans enabled.

Result

The Top Fans feature had a measurable impact on engagement and user experience:

• 18% increase in fan interactions on posts where the Top Fans badge was visible.

• 22% of public figures actively acknowledged Top Fans through comments or shoutouts.

• Positive feedback from users, with many stating they felt more motivated to engage consistently.

“I love that my favorite musician recognized me—it makes me want to interact even more.” - Facebook User Feedback

The success of the proof of concept led to further refinement and discussions on expanding fan engagement features across Facebook.

Visual Suggestion: Final summary of engagement metrics with user testimonials.