Is the New Facebook the Future of Social Networking?
17 September, 2008, 8:45 am
I have been writing a post on effective uses of facebook to promote yourself and your websites for some time now, but first I need to address the new facebook. This Mark kid really has out done himself this time.
I love the new facebook. Often I jump in with both feet when any updates or new technologies emerge. Almost as often, I am disappointed with the results. Not so with this impressive update.
Sure I have heard the slander and outrage from people who don’t like change (you know who you are). But this new design brings the best of all worlds to facebook.
Instant Access to Information is Revolutionary
First of all, when I log in, I immediately see the newest things that are going on. Comments, status updates, and wall posts from all my friends are easy to see and interact with. This was the case with the old facebook, but in a much less interactive and user friendly format.
Why is this important? Now I can quickly make a comment on someone’s status, wall post or note without taking the time to navigate to their profile, and the system invites me to do so right with a “comment” link.
If you use friendfeed, you know where the idea came from. It’s one of the things I like about friendfeed, but let’s be honest. Most people use friendfeed as a way to let others see their content, but they don’t really interact there a great deal. Facebook is different. It’s an easier place to stay in touch and communicate about what matters.
Another reason this is significant for your marketing is that the more active you are, the more people will see your name and profile link as soon as they log in. The newest content stays at the top of the home page.
If, like me, you use twitter to manage your facebook status, that means the more you use twitter, the more often your facebook friends will see your name.
The more you stay in front of potential clients and customers, the more they will remember you when they need you.
The Wall is Front and Center
Facebook was in danger of going the way of myspace. Becoming about ME. And we all know that no one really cares about you, they care about them. By making the wall the main ingredient of the facebook profile, more users are prone to interact on your wall.
Not only that, who the heck really updates their personal information that often? Why scroll all the way down to get to the stuff that changes? No, this way when you view a persons profile you immediately see the newest content.
The Publisher and Application Tabs
What a great idea! This makes it tons easier to post content! Share pictures, links, whatever you want, all from the publisher button!
And the tabs across the top keep your profile from getting so cumbersome that people can’t follow it.
Use it well and use it often!
Out with the old and in with the new!
Thank you Mark and the rest of the facebook team. You have improved upon an already great social media!
So What now?
Now for the real question for you. What are some ways we can utilize this new platform to engage in social media on a more effective level? What are you doing or what will you do to leverage the new facebook to improve your traffic and your sales?
- A Rant About the Improper use of Facebook
- The Whores of Social Networks
- Social Networking 101 – a new Social Networking Site
- Digg up some traffic on Digg
- A Quick Twitter Tip
I agree Jared. I really like the new facebook because of the news feed. I think those resisting the new facebook aren’t looking to be noticed as internet marketers are; they are only looking for their “friends”. It’s truly all about them.
Hey Jared! I am one of those new facebook naysayers!!! (Keep in mind that my comments are coming from someone who does NOT use my website for income purposes). The new Publisher is the one feature that I do like, you are absolutely right in that it makes it easier to post content, very cool! But the rest is, well, eh. I could go on and on about why I don’t like the new facebook, but I can sum most of it up by saying that the information I was most interested in was info about my friends, and now much of that info is relegated to tabs rather than featured on their main profile page. Also, to be perfectly honest, anyone trying to use facebook to try to market to me is risking that I will unfriend them. I am just throwing this out there to point out that people with a business need to be creative and careful not to irritate the audience they are trying to reach by invading a space where marketing may not be welcome.
Amy, I totally agree – anyone using face book to market to me will be deleted too! Thats the subtlety of new media marketing.
Facebook brought you to my blog and you even commented! and you were never marketed to.
And you know you really have a nice blog, I would be glad to help you monetize it a little bit. All that work SHOULD pay off!
But I am very glad you said what you said about the way some people use social networking to market. Lately I have been getting a lot of new followers at twitter who obviously have no interest in me, only as a way to market their wares.
So thanks for helping me prove and argue my point! I look forward to seeing much more of you around here!