The face of Facebook is slowly being chipped away.
I don’t mean Mark Zuckerberg’s face is deteriorating, nor do I mean that pixels are falling off your screen or that the site will stop growing. In all likelihood, its user interface will continue receiving regularly scheduled facelifts and its database of users will continue to expand at an incredible rate.
What I do mean is that the way people access Facebook.com – the face of Facebook, Inc. – is shifting under the company’s feet.
This chart might help explain what I’m talking about:
As illustrated by my non-scientific chart, Facebook users are clearly migrating to more (and sometimes better) means of access. These means take users away from the traditional Facebook.com interface and put them into an environment that they feel is more comfortable and in tune with their needs.
It’s great for Facebook users.
But it’s a challenge for marketers.
That’s because when people access Facebook outside of the Facebook.com environment, they aren’t exposed to Facebook ads. That leaves paid messages unseen by many, and a new challenge for marketers.
So here are three things you ABSOLUTELY, UNEQUIVOCALLY, WITHOUT A DOUBT HAVE TO know, in addition to Shama Hyder’s The Changing Face of Facebook Marketing – 5 Things you MUST Know:
1. Content is King – We’ve all heard this one before, I’m sure. That’s because it’s the truth. Create relevant and compelling content to keep your fans visiting your page and reading your status updates, no matter how they access Facebook.
2. Share and Share a “Like” – When you can’t create your own content, share someone else’s. And give your audience the opportunity to easily share and like your blog and website by including share and like buttons. A search on Google will result in many plug-ins and tools available for various blogging software and content management systems.
3. Remember your Goals – Social media can be a fun and effective marketing tool, as long as you don’t let the fun get in the way of the goal. Every time Facebook.com gets a facelift or new feature, and every time a new tool like Post Post comes about, it’s easier to lose track of your marketing goals. Have fun, but with a purpose and a strategy.
This, of course, isn’t the absolute and everlasting guide to Facebook marketing. As the site and its services change, so, too will the best practices. And you can count on us here at AdEase to stay on top of the changes and their impact on your marketing.