Facebook Can Be Spam Too

Facebook

Just a few years ago, MySpace found itself at the top of the social media totem pole. Showcasing a wide variety of music, a record-breaking base of users spanning the globe, and advertising power that made all the business’s flock to a MySpace feature, MySpace was the totality of social media marketing. Facebook is a bit different in the sense that it is stricter and more streamlined, deterring the spam-friendly of the masses. It is largely marketing reasons that made Myspace fail. And it is exactly what Facebook has moved away from to garner its success.

Businesses are flocking to Facebook for its widely distributed use, friendly user base, and cost of use. As a matter of fact, many businesses are devised entirely around the influx of social media, and specifically, Facebook. But many use it poorly. Many see it as an opportunity to exploit and make sales. This is poor thinking. Just because it is social media, does not mean it cannot directly come across as spam. There is a smart way to market, and a poor way to market. One methodology has wide benefits, the other will get you banned.

At its core, Facebook is about profiles and pages. A business can set-up a specific profile or fan page, but it still has to accumulate individuals who are interested in following. This is at the essence of Facebook. It is where and how you accumulate followers which will substantiate your success. Spamming every person manually is unproductive and unnecessary. Try importing your email contacts when you devise your profile. Try messaging people who may be interested and ask them if they would like a coupon for your product. This way you openly address them without asking for a friend request, and is a way to remove the barrier.

Announcing contests, sales, and coupon codes is only at the surface of what a successful Facebook marketing campaign can offer. Being able to speak directly with fans and potential customers through the means of the Facebook instant-access chat, offers a sort of connectivity that would have been unrealistic outside this social marketing medium. The problem occurs when businesses use facebook to spam their content. The idea with social media is to interact with fans. Supplying coupons and special exclusive information is wise. Spamming yourself with email generators and 5000 friend request in 7 days is simply not.

Facebook’s recent update spanned all users, and redesigned a profile layout. Now when you visit a profile, you are subject to a whole timeline of their history. This is good in that it refocused a lot of the attention from spam worthy comments and realigned it to the core history of the user you are visiting. This redesign is interesting and a little polarizing, but any change affecting 800 million people will have some sort of ramifications. It is wise for marketers to be aware of these changes, and how it effects their display.

The appeal of Facebook lies in its direct connectivity. It allows a medium of interaction that if properly harnessed, can explore social media to its full extent. With a user base of 800 million, users spanning virtually every country, and entry limited to making an account with an email, Facebook is the playground devised for marketers. The problem is that many marketers use Facebook as a means to an end, and it should be an extension of marketing. If used properly, Facebook’s structure and innovation will restructure and innovative YOU.