On February 4th, Facebook celebrated its 6th anniversary. And, with over 400 million active users, next to Google, Facebook is now the second most used “search engine” on the Internet.

How many people do you know who AREN’T using Facebook? Most people are.  Not only are they connecting with friends and family but they are also connecting with businesses and brands.

One of the benefits Social Media brings to small businesses is that it levels the “playing field”. Small businesses can now compete with big businesses. In fact, small businesses may have a bigger advantage if they are using these platforms to connect. 

From operations to marketing, to sales and customer service, these different departments should be working together to optimize the Social Media experience. And, as we’ve seen recently with Kevin Smith’s experience with Southwest Airlines, how one employee treats a customer can reach millions of people (and the media).

With fewer “cooks in the kitchen”, small businesses can have more control with messaging and can also provide a more intimate relationship with their clients. Customers want to be heard. They want their needs met. The new way of marketing is to provide relevancy and relationships. The goal is to build a client list of lifetime loyal raving fans. 

If your clients are using Facebook, go to where they are instead of  waiting for them to come to you.  

One great way to leverage the viral nature of Social Media is the Facebook “Wall”. When your clients engage on your Fan page, it’s posted on their “Wall” where all their Friends can see – providing excellent visibility and exposure for your business.

So when you consider that*

-there are over 100 million active MOBILE users each month and mobile users are twice as active on the site than non-mobile users 

-the average user spends more than 55 minutes per day on Facebook

-the average user has 130 friends on the site

-There are over 13,228,380 Canadian users on Facebook, which ranks us in 5th place behind the U.S., the U.K., Turkey and France

If you’re not already connecting to your clients on Facebook, it should be on your “to-do” list for next week. Let me know how it goes!

If you have any questions or need any help getting set up with a Fan page, send me an email at leslie@punchmedia.ca 

(*Source: According to Checkfacebook.com, Nov 3, 2009)

Posted in Facebook Tips, Uncategorized

About Leslie Hughes

Leslie Hughes is a LinkedIn Optimization Specialist, LinkedIn Top Voice, and Corporate Trainer with over 25 years of experience in digital marketing and LinkedIn profile writing. As the Principal of PUNCH!media and author of "CREATE. CONNECT. CONVERT," Leslie helps executives and professionals optimize their LinkedIn profiles, generate leads, and attract higher-paying clients. Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice—an exclusive honor from LinkedIn—Leslie is a trusted authority on LinkedIn profile optimization, AI-driven marketing strategies, and digital identity management. Her expertise has been featured on CBC Radio, where she was called a "Social Media Guru," and on CTV’s "The Social," where she shared strategies for managing digital identity. Leslie empowers professionals to leverage generative AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance marketing strategies, boost efficiency, and create impactful content that converts. She helps businesses understand how to use LinkedIn for lead generation and how AI can revolutionize their digital marketing efforts. Leslie has worked with top organizations like Investment Planning Counsel, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, JLL, and Franklin Templeton, optimizing LinkedIn profiles and providing corporate training that delivers measurable results. Leslie is a former college professor and co-lead instructor for Ontario Tech University’s Social Media Marketing and Digital Management Certificate. Whether you need a LinkedIn profile writer, corporate trainer, or AI marketing specialist, Leslie Hughes can help you elevate your digital presence and transform your marketing strategy. Ready to take your LinkedIn profile and corporate training to the next level? Learn more at www.punchmedia.ca.

2 Comments

  1. Jason Keath on February 21, 2010 at 12:06 am

    What is the source for the “Facebook is now the second most used ‘search engine'” stat? Just curious.

    I think Facebook can be a great tool or a waste of time depending on the business. For B2B I see less opportunity. But of course everyone should test the waters for their own specific audience. There are just too many folks spending a lot of time on Facebook. To not test it is silly.



    • punchmedia on February 21, 2010 at 1:25 am

      Thanks Jason, for your feedback and for asking me about the source of my vague quotation. I really ought to have included that in the post. The citation is specific to U.S. statistics from Compete.com and according to Mashable:

      “In December 2009, Yahoo garnered 133.45 million visitors in the U.S. Facebook wasn’t far behind with 132.13 million uniques. In the first month of 2010 though, there was a role reversal: Facebook’s traffic rose to 133.62 million visitors, while Yahoo shrunk down to 132.00 million”
      Source: http://mashable.com/2010/02/17/facebook-unseats-yahoo/

      In my humble opinion, if small businesses aren’t on Facebook, they could be missing the boat. Because Facebook is so widely used, the chances many decision-makers are using it in some capacity and at the very least it extends brand recognition and presence. I think both B2Bs and B2Cs should strongly consider using the most popular Social Media platforms to their overall marketing mix.

      Don’t you think it’s better to have some presence on Facebook, than none at all?