Facebook Announces 350 Million Users in Just 5 Years

Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, announced via an “open letter” banner at the top of every single users Facebook feed at 6:23 PM yesterday (December 1st) the big 350 million Facebook milestone.  The letter’s purpose was to announce the elimination of regional networks (such as China) so there can be  better privacy control.  What does this mean for your personal Facebook account?  Check out your privacy settings as they will be recommending new settings for you in the next couple of weeks.  What does this mean to the world of Social Media Marketing?  Let’s see.  Facebook has now surpassed the entire population of the United States by about 42 million.  At this rate the population of Facebook in 5 years will be over a billion which is close to the population of the United States and Europe (including Russia) combined.  

If Facebook is not part of your current marketing strategy, you have a gaping hole in your strategy.  If Facebook is a current part of your marketing strategy, think about how well integrated Facebookis in your strategy.   Some questions to ask yourself.  Does my profile reinforce my brand?  Is my Facebook URL and badge integrated throughout my business?  Are all of my social media tools integrated with my Facebook account?  Do I update daily to Facebook?    Have I offered a promotion or discount via Facebook?   How often do I analyze my Facebook fanpage insights?  Do I have measurable social media goals?  And most importantly, am I offering resources that offer value to my customers?   Take a moment to analyze how much you are spending on print advertising versus social media implementation.

Social Media marketing is centered around communities.  Communities are about common interests, relationships and trust.   Utilize Facebook to gain trust by offering valuable resources.  Take this approach at a multi-platform (print, web, mobile) level and ultimately become a leader in your industry.