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You’ve probably heard - Facebook isn’t just for college students anymore. No, the once exclusive domain of the college crowd has been adopted by parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and increasingly by business owners.
28% of small business owners have registered with at least one social networking site, according to a 2008 Warrillow & Co. survey. It also found that fast-growth companies were much more likely to participate in social networking than slower-growth companies. Could there be a correlation?
I’ve only recently begun to tap into Facebook. To be honest, my first impression was that it was a complete waste of time. After all, how seriously can you take an application where your “friends” throw sheep, send virtual drinks, plant virtual gardens, and newbies spam one another with bizarre videos and graffiti walls?
But with so much written about Facebook’s value to the business owner - and because I’ve been asked about it a few times, I decided to dig in and discover for myself if there was more to Facebook than met the eye. Is there a way to present a professional, yet casual profile and use this application to responsibly and enjoyably network with others? The answer is a resounding yes!
I’ve turned off the junk applications that allow me to be easily spammed or that I don’t care to associate with, and added applications that support causes I believe in. I don’t have it down to a science, but apparently nobody else does either. Facebook is a relaxed, casual, learn-as-you-go environment.
There’s far too much to cover about Facebook in one post, so stay tuned. In future posts we’re going to cover:
- Using Facebook responsibly
- Local networking with Facebook
- Setting up a business page
- Promoting your business or cause through groups and events
- Integrating Facebook – The KISS Principle
Are you already on Facebook, and if so, what are you gaining or contributing by being there? Do you use Facebook for business or personal use, or both?
Related Articles:
Event Marketing with Social Media
Social Networking: What’s In It For The Local Business?
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on Jun 28th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
I’d love to see how any business makes money with sopcial network sites. I have so far seen any evidence except maybe for 1 person businesses generating $100,000 a year (or less). Can anyone point to a business generating $5 million+ of revenue and using social networking as a significant element of their marketing startegy. The technologists will make a big deal out of a “new technology” and smart businesses will quickly check it out. But turning that new technology into revenue (social sites, RSS) I’d like to hear about.
on Jun 29th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Bob - That’s a great comment and a topic I’ve been studying. Rather than address it here in a comment, I’m working on a new blog post to answer your question. Thanks for writing!
on Jul 5th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Are you aware that the BBC have discovered that it’s easy to write a Facebook application that will, when loaded on a users profile, harvest all sorts of information about that person and their contacts?
Article: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/7375772.stm
In a warning message to users, Facebook has said that they will soon be discontinuing Network Pages. Network Pages is a feature which allows members of a particular network to view and interact with a variety of data, such as Wall postings, marketplace listings, statistics on the most popular things in their network, and popular groups. In the same message, Facebook then goes on to suggest that you should use Groups in order to connect with people around you.
http://www.webware.com/8301-1_109-9941089-2.html
Many members were glad to hear this because they wanted facebook to only be viewable by close friends and colleagues so they can confidently post contact info without being so paranoid by stalkers.
I think Kellybax made an important point in the other BC forum thread that many Facebook members may not think very deeply about:
” … everyone sees what everyone else is doing so if you have a “friend” then their “friends” can see your activity and so on. If you use Facebook Beacon, then everyone on your friends list is aware of every purchase you make through and Facebook Beacon collaborators.”
everyone = marketing specialists and sadly, spammers and identity thieves too
on Jul 8th, 2008 at 12:29 am
Hi Shari..
As you well know, I am a very active Facebook member. As I see it, there is a tremendous amount of potential for persons that create applications..All of Facebook has millions of users ready to explore something new and friendly..
If that potential could be extended into a process that leads the consumers (application partakers) to a larger pool of water..the marketers target..then it is well worth the effort of playing, making new friends, adding applications and socializing.
Yup..even if it means ‘throwing sheep’
Just a thought..
on Jul 8th, 2008 at 12:30 am
Afterthought..I enjoy throwing sheep, without the marketing piece. haha..So watch out!
on Jul 8th, 2008 at 8:26 am
@timethief - Thanks for your insight into Facebook privacy issues. You’ve provided a good reminder that “privacy” online isn’t really privacy at all. We all need to remember that whatever we post online can take on a life of its own.
@kimberly - You’re a good example of using Facebook responsibly and having fun with it. I’m so glad you chimed in here. I’ll keep my eyes open for flying sheep!
on Jul 11th, 2008 at 8:44 am
But with all the social networking sites around you could easily spend your days trying to get a reputation on them rather than doing work.
For larger businessess with marketing departments that’s ok, but for smaller businesses i think sites like facebook can be a red herring, distracting you from the real goal of getting more more business - especially when there’s a risk that you won’t get anything out of them.
Young brands like innocent smoothies (big in UK, don’t know if you get them over there) are the perfect users of facebook, but they’ve only got 1000 members, and it’s hard to see how they’ll get more business from it
Maybe on a small business level, facebook is better for networking with clients and suppliers, and friends of friends, rather than communicating with people en masse. What do you think?
Sarah
on Jul 11th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Sarah - As with any other day-to-day activity, the small business owner must pay attention to how much time is being spent social networking. It would be foolish to spend a large amount of time on Facebook and expect that to result in a huge rush of new clients. In the same way though, it would be foolish to cram your days full of local networking events. These are simply networking, relationship-building opportunities … not sales events. Yet we all know that new business often results from time spent networking. Thanks for your comment!
on Aug 3rd, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Hi Shari,
It’s amazing that I was able to use Facebook to find my old classmates, but also realized that I’ve been promoting my blog with it, in turn, making money.
It didn’t dawn on me that it could be such a powerful tool.
Thanks,
Richard Rinyai
http://www.theprofessionalassistant.net