According to eMarketer’s “Community and Social Media Study,” a combined 99 percent of online retailers who were surveyed currently employ (86%) or plan to employ (13%) Facebook fan pages as part of their consumer marketing. This news follows the release of a recent study from the Association Associated of National Advertisers (ABA), which found that two-thirds of marketers utilized social media in 2009, as compared to 20 percent in 2007.
I remember when I first joined Facebook. It was in 2005, and I was a senior in college. The social network, which was strictly for students at that time, was rolled out on a college by college basis. Back then, there were no advertisements, fan pages and product pages. It wasn’t long after that brands realized Facebook was an untapped marketing opportunity with an ever-growing network of consumers at their fingertips. It’s interesting to see just how much the Facebook landscape has changed in the four-plus years that I’ve been a member.
For brands like the drugstore beauty and health brands RL&A represents, Facebook is a manageable and cost-effective way to connect with consumers – one that allows us to learn about their product likes/dislikes, to answer questions that might not normally be asked or answered, and to reward them for being fans in an effort to reinforce their brand loyalty. More and more brands continue to realize that Facebook is now more than just a network of college students. It’s a melting pot of parents, sports fanatics, product lovers, gamers, beauty junkies, health nuts, and everyone in between. In fact, the fastest growing segment of Facebook users is 35-54-year olds, with those 55-plus following right behind.
It’s been said that “Facebook is now the epicenter of all things social,” surpassing even e-mail in the quantity of messages shared. As PR professionals, Facebook and social media allow us to get a handle on our target demographic in a way that is much more immediate and personal than through traditional media channels, such as print and TV. We can find our clients’ niche, develop and nurture relationships and really show consumers that they’re important to the brand. Facebook can no longer be ignored.