From years of experience working as an account manager, product trainer and team leader for Facebook “Start to Success” and “FBgo” programs, where our job was teaching and coaching advertisers, community managers, brands, account managers, on-line marketing strategists, all types of SMB business owners and even an old Swedish granny, it became clear that if you want to help someone succeed on this multifaceted and multi-purposed platform called Facebook, you first have to understand it then explain what this on-line phenomenon is, and what benefits it offers. Above all this needs to be done in an easy enough way so that they can understand.
What is Facebook?
Let’s start with investigating the user’s perception of Facebook:
Start by trying to define Facebook: Is it an online social networking service? Is it a marketing platform? Is it a content sharing platform?
Or maybe is it all of the above? Confusing? It can get even more complicated..
Think about what Facebook is good for: Connecting with family and friends? Sharing photos? Finding friends? Getting laid? Building a reputation? Selling? Buying? Publishing media? Promoting an event? Customer service? PR? Getting famous? Getting a job? Offering jobs? Avoiding loneliness? Or all of the above?
… Hey, stop, please! This is a professional marketing Blog! What’s with all this personal emotional stuff?
Facebook is: Whatever it is, in the Eyes of the Beholder!
So Facebook is all of the above. which means that the intent, emotional state and mindset of the user at any given moment will decide what the Facebook platform really is.
Tip for marketers: And we, the online marketing strategists, need to know that. Take all of that into consideration and explain what Facebook is, how to take advantage of it and also explain how this unique platform differs from more traditional media and marketing platforms, such as TV, print, radio, Google, etc. (Yes, Google is a traditional media – not unlike online classifieds or yellow pages).
Evaluate Facebook from Different Points of View
Another important fact that we are lucky to enjoy is that we are both a Facebook marketer/Brand and a Facebook user.
Tip for marketers: We can and should always look at Facebook from these two very different points of view.
1. When planning any strategy or campaign, analyse it from your user eye and habits. When with clients, make sure to do so together.
2. Furthermore, the best results come when both you and the client look at it from the target audience perspective. Be as critical as you can. this is always the best way to honestly evaluate a product.
Next… How to Explain Facebook to Clients II: “Understanding the Complexity of an Easy Explanation”