Nehlsen Notebook

500 Million Facebook Fans: Business Application

By Brian Oster - Business Development

Facebook surpassed 500 million active users last month. But what does that mean for your business?

Facebook and all of the other social media – Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc. – are woven into the fabric of business today. They are, and will continue to be, a critical marketing tool. Let me provide you with some new school marketing thoughts with old school backing.  

Without any debate, the best place to market your business is where your target audience spends most of its time. Consumers spend more than 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook. That averages to 1,400 minutes, or nearly one full day per month alone on this one social media network. If I had a nickel for every person in America between the ages of 15 and 25 who didn't have at least one active social media account, I'd maybe have $100. 

Another Facebook fact to ponder is this: The average user has 130 friends. Enter word-of-mouth, viral marketing style. Word travels fast on social media. If your business saved the day or kept a project under-budget, you can bet the customer is going to post rave reviews about your business. The opposite is true too: a bad experience with your company also can go viral.

Coupons and ads in newspapers and phone books are one way to catch a customer’s eye. But a burgeoning number of people are using social media to look for store coupons, shopping advice, business referrals, jobs and product reviews.

Your business deservers the attention of social media. To test the waters, create a social media plan for your company, and put one person in charge of it. Once you start, the work required is quick and easy. One warning: Stay out of social media at your own risk. 


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