Internet Marketing Blog

FaceBook, like many other Social Networking sites, is being used more and more by companies to promote their brand. Whether they have created a fans page or they are simply advertising, social networking is a very accessible platform that you can use to address your target audience.

FaceBook was created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg whilst he attended Harvard University. Originally intended for the use of the student body at Harvard, FaceBook went onto expand to the entire Ivy League, then any university student, then high school students and finally to anyone over the age of 13.

While we all kick ourselves for not coming up with the idea first (and please note that Zucherberg never finished Harvard, and it is estimated that his creation’s internal evaluation is set at £8 billion), we should turn our focus more to how FaceBook can be used by us ‘mere mortals’.

What you have to remember with Social Networking is that the web is no longer just a place for research or controlled and run by big companies sat in ivory towers. The web has grown into a place run by the consumer, for the consumer, giving everyone a voice, where freedom of speech is positively encouraged.

Blogs, podcasts, video sharing and Social Networking in general is growing at an astonishing rate, showing no signs of waning with FaceBook boasting a reported 250,000 new users on a daily basis. If you thought that Social Media was a fad, like Soda Streams, then you would be wrong. Social Media is here to stay.

But what makes FaceBook so special?

Not only is FaceBook the 6th most popular website in terms of traffic ranking, but it also embraces all aspects of Social Networking. You can upload photos (and if you have then you will have contributed to the 14 million that are uploaded on a daily basis), post videos, publish notes, join networks, create groups, play with applications, sell something and see what everyone else is up to (within their privacy terms, of course).

As far as a Marketing opportunity, FaceBook has it all, but you have to remember that this site is intended for conversation and the audience are not receptive to having your marketing rammed in their face, so you have to bring something to their party.

Here are some ideas for you on how you too can use FaceBook:

Create a group

Why not create a group around your company. It will give you a face and humanises what you do. Start a discussion, post news, share photos, videos and invite your friends, colleagues and clients to join.

Join a group

If you have something to add or share, then why not? Perhaps there is a relevant group of people who are looking for an answer and you have it – help them out!

Market Place - Sell something or give it away

You just never know who might be interested in the 3 day, paintballing extravaganza that someone has just pulled out of and you need to flog.

Make Friends

You can never have enough friends, so get social and tell people about you and what you do. You can be as open and honest as you want and if you aren’t ready for them to see the picture of you dancing at the Christmas Party, then you can adjust your privacy settings.

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