Last summer, I got HelloTxt; a tool that allows me to update my statuses in different social channels on the same time via MSN. Cool, I thought, and added Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Then I changed my mind. I only wanted to use LinkedIn and Twitter for business purposes, via HelloTxt, and Facebook for private stuff. It’s embarrassing, but I have to admit it, I didn’t succeed in removing Facebook from HelloTxt, so all my business status posts were shown in all 3 channels. However, I made a very valuable discovery. People were more active and responsive to my status updates, even business related ones, on Facebook then on Twitter and LinkedIn.
With over 350 million active users and growing, especially in the age group 35-65, as well as 3.5 million people becoming fans of a Facebook page every day (the business equivalent to a profile), Facebook is a marketing force to reckon with. And not only for B2C products targeting young people.
Possibilities for your company to ba active on Facebook:
- Start a page; connect with your customers, start discussions, keep up the dialogue
- Use event postings to promote off-line activities
- Use discussions as on-line customer service or recruitment
- Get photos and films from fans, and keep their interest by letting tag themselves in the photos.
- Entertain with apps, especially sticky ones that make your customers want to come back.
- Advertise – Facebook gives you a unique possibility to be very narrow and specific in communicating with your target group.
- Use social ads, they are very powerful (X is now a fan of Cordovan. Would you like to become a fan to?)
- Create a marketplace and sell your products
- Be mobile
Here are 3 great blog post from Social Media Examiner with different aspects on corporate presence on Facebook:
- Five Facebook-Only Strategies For Business Success
- Facebook marketing: everything you need to know
- 5 ways to promote your Facebook fan page
Sometimes,not succeeding in doing something (like removing Facebook from HelloTxt) can be a very valuable lesson. 
/ylva.
Related post: What are you doing right now?
Comment at January 11th, 2010 at 4:43 pm
Great post Ylva!
Comment at January 11th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Totally agree I have personally noticed the same but there might be a difference when the sender is a company not a person?
I have seen so many negative responses regarding companies that try to be friends. I do not want to be friend with Apple, maybe a fan. Most companies have realized this but there might be other stuff like this when you mix personal and nonpersonal senders.
Which leads to another interessting discussion. Who are representing a company online? I saw the Social media policy for staff from Swedens Radio the other day. One of the worst pieces of crap I have seen. Trying to controle the staff and at the same time not.
How do you make usefull SM policy that actually helps??
Comment at January 11th, 2010 at 6:43 pm
Thanks, Anton
Johan, you’re absolutely right - companies, shouldn’t try to be friends, especially not pretending to be someone else.
I’ve started to write a proposal for an SM policy for us. Maybe we can take a look at it together? My approach is more encoraging than prohibiting.