Facebook Marketing

In order to attain a higher listing within search engine results, it is immensely important to optimise your website for search engines.

Facebook For Marketing
Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg, a Harvard University student, along with roommates and other Harvard computer students, and grew out of a website that was originally more focused on hopes to meet attractive female students at the University.

Facebook is (according to many published figures) the most widely used social networking website, with an estimated 140 million users. The regular usage pattern of the website also means that it is high in the top ten highest worldwide traffic websites, and the most popular for photograph uploads. Valuation-wise, estimates of what Facebook is could range from anywhere between 3 and 6 billion dollars.

Microsoft purchased a 1.6% share of Facebook in 2007 and as such are an exclusive banner advertising provider from which Facebook generates revenue.

The Big Idea The term ‘social networking’ pretty much seems to sum up what happens within Facebook, as users can choose to interact with friends and strangers worldwide on a number of levels. Users can essentially set up a profile which they can frequently update. These profiles can be made private and exclusive for interaction and sharing only with chosen friends, or public which allows contacts from strangers. Users can also join groups and networks related to their interests, geographical location, schools etc.

Popular features of Facebook are the user’s ‘Wall’ on their profile where messages can be posted, and the ability to post / upload photos and tag the photos. Tagging is basically an invite to view the photos that is sent to those people identified by the person who posted the photo. Vast amounts of other features have been developed and added over time to allow all manner of interaction including instant messaging, Notes (for blogging), video sharing, and Gifts (for sending virtual gifts to other chosen users). Facebook Connect also allows users to even use their Facebook login for affiliated websites.

Examples of Business / Commercial Opportunities on Facebook
The virtual world so often mirrors the ‘real’ world, and this is no different with Facebook, in fact some would argue that Facebook’s provision of a relatively easy and low cost way for anybody with a computer and internet connection to interact and network globally is an improvement on the real life situation. The opportunities for building and managing relationships within Facebook are huge because of the focus on direct, active, participative and focused communication.

‘Brands’ are already networking and engaging with consumers via Facebook for leverage, a strengthening and generating a better understanding of the brand itself and customer relationships with it, and for participation and valuable feedback. Commercial strengths and opportunities of and within Facebook are actually many.

These include: Users own (public) profiles / multiple profiles
Being very specific about your expertise and your interests in your Facebook profiles and by providing links to them e.g. from any articles, can bring commercial benefits. There’s nothing to stop you having a personal and a business profile on Facebook. Your profiles therefore can generate interest and contacts if written in the right way.

Marketplace
This is the part of Facebook where you can place classified adverts in a number of categories. Obviously the reach provided by Facebook and the fact that it’s free makes this a powerful and valuable feature.

Events
The ‘events’ feature of Facebook means that you can publicize all the details of any upcoming events you have personally, as part of an organisation or company.

Facebook Platform
If you’re a software developer, this is the feature for you. Platform gives you the opportunity to develop applications for use within Facebook. These applications in themselves can be used to advertise you / your business and skills, and can bring more valuable interest, leads and business your way.

Networks and Groups
This is an area for real commercial opportunities. As a Facebook user you can set up or join a group or network on a potentially limitless amount of subjects. In doing so you can view news, discussions, photos, and posts related to the subject of interest, interact, contribute to and build potentially valuable relationships with other members of the groups and networks. It’s likely that there are at least some groups and networks related to, if not specifically about your commercial interests. It is also possible to increase your reach, visibility, and influence by sponsoring a Facebook group.

Polls
This paid for feature allows you to conduct your own poll with Facebook users. Polls lets you set the questions, provide answer choices, select the target market details, the sample size, and the time limit. If you take the Facebook audience as a whole, it’s a pretty impressive ‘sample’ to segment gather your market research information from, with some potentially valuable results and insights.

Beacon
This is a way of generating interest and business for you via a kind of recommendation. Code inserted by your previous customers into their profile page can direct people to products they have bought from you. Social adverts, perhaps promoting your business activities can therefore be posted via profiles.

Newsfeed
This is feature that keeps a record of, and broadcasts your activities to your friends, or to the groups you’ve specified to receive information. For commercially-based profiles, this can act just like newsletter / email features. As anyone conducting marketing activity knows, frequent points of contact with potential customers / customers / interested parties and be very valuable on building and maintaining relationships which can bring long term profits.

A Combination This is essentially what Facebook has evolved into – your personal, commercial, recreational and other interests and needs can be met and served all in one place. Facebook therefore isn’t just a site focused on what people are doing with their recreational time, and within their own group of friends.

It can also provide a huge potential global marketplace that can be researched and communicated with frequently and effectively at low cost. For more - signup to my newsletter here...

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