Jumping On The Facebook Marketing Bandwagon The Right Way

Facebook. Facebook. Facebook. It is the most hyped social network that currently exists. With over 250 million users, it is both loved and hated by users, the media, and marketers. Facebook is a phenomenon in itself. But what is Facebook?

Invented at Harvard University by Mark Zuckerberg and his fellow students, Facebook is a free social networking site that enables users to connect with other users world over. Facebook offers its users the ability to build their own profile pages, join interest groups, fan clubs or networks, create events, distribute photos and take advantage of various applications. Some of the more quirky features of Facebook that proliferate its appeal include writing on 'walls', commenting or liking of messages, wall posts and user status updates, and tagging photos.

Facebook has consistently increased the number of users and was recently reported to have the highest number of active users out of any social networking site. This popularity and leading adoption rates have had many a savvy marketer go 'Facebook marketing, now there's a brilliant idea'.

Facebook Marketing - A Brilliant Idea?

Facebook Marketing - What's The Answer?

The problem thus far is that marketers are sticking to traditional tricks of the trade, when Facebook isn't a traditional medium. It's a whole different ball game.

To interact with consumers with Facebook, it is critical to get to their level and deliver what they want. How is that, you ask?

Build applications.

It's a guerrilla tactic, but hey, if it works, then do it!

Applications work well virally. As long as they are different, interactive and entertaining, they will be adopted quickly by users. When these users add the application to their profile or use the application, it gets published on their minified and on the newsfeed. This piques the interest of their friends, who will then add the application and use it, which will once again get published on the feeds...you get the idea. It's a simple case of 'I'll have what they're having' that creates such a buzz among users that you'll get giddy with excitement.

How do we know it works? Applications are part of what has kept Facebook alive for so long. There have been numerous other social networking sites such as Hi5 and Friendster that caught on for a short period but then died a painful death. Other than being extremely slow, they also only offered users static pages. Everyone had the same thing, and nothing new ever happened. Facebook applications make Facebook brand spanking new every time a new application is added.

Of course, that's not all you can do with Facebook marketing. You can also have your own profile page, group, and fan page. While you're at it, create exclusive events for your 'friends', share notes and random other fun titbits, and update your status. Facebook is your oyster, as long as you think guerrilla and aim to be viral.

To find out more about Facebook marketing for your business, contact us. You can also download our EBook or register for a free online analysis report.