It started as a social network for college students, and over time it has grown into a social media monster. As 500 million plus people have flocked to the online community (small country) to keep in touch with old friends, new friends, share news, ideas, videos and photos, it was only a matter of time before smart business folk saw opportunity. Opportunity to get the attention of real people, some even with real friends 
. But with some people rarely updating their personal profile with personal information, are these people making Facebook fake?
Anyone who has seen the film “The Social Network” will get a real feeling of why Facebook began, and how and why it began to grow. If you can overlook the dramatised-for-film aspect, you may see some part truths, especially from the creator Mark Zuckerberg.
Facebook Origins
Mark was not looking to make some quick money, or make friends with lots of people and start inviting them to webinars every week. He wanted to create a place, where people could be themselves, and keep in touch with their friends, and even meet friends-of-friends. It was all about relationships. And this was made obvious when a suggestion from a friend, led him to add “relationship status” to the personal profiles.
Clearly Facebook was meeting a need, that previous social networks were unable to meet – like MySpace or Friendster. And this service, which spread rapidly around the world, and has become the largest social network so far.
With so many people, it was only a matter of time before businesses took notice, and started to rack their brains to think of ways to tap into this new “country”. And what an amazing country it appeared to be – a place where you share things you’re doing, and things you “like” with your friends. It’s a kind of word-of-mouth opportunity that most businesses dream of.
But this of course created a dilemma, as business people were thinking of how to attract new customers in this new world – a world with its own rules, unlike any marketplace before. A world where directly selling and harassing people to buy, is a big no-no.
Facebook for Business
We can see the evolution of businesses on Facebook through:
- Facebook Groups
- Facebook Pages
- Facebook Apps/ Applications
- Facebook Sidebar Ads
- Using your Facebook account to create an account on other websites/ communities
- Easy meshing of Facebook with other popular Social Networks (eg Twitter)
There has even been a more sinister evolution, as desperate businesses have tried to set up their business as a “personal” profile, to make it easy for them to gain friends/ connections. I really don’t like this.
However, each of these avenues provides an opportunity to engage customers and potential customers, and since closing a sale is still very shaky ground in Facebook, most businesses are driving their followers towards their Facebook goal – the Holy Grail….. they want you to “like” them!
The Facebook Business Holy Grail
As in marketing any business, it’s all about the numbers – the number of potential customers you can reach, the number of leads you get, the number of sales you make. So the obvious benchmark for success in a network like Facebook, is the number of “fans” or “likes” you have.
Whether this translates into real business success is another matter. A great blog on this topic is by Augie Ray called What Is The Value Of A Facebook Fan? Zero!
This desire to achieve this ultimate goal, has turned some personal profiles very cold – almost to the point of feeling “fake”.
The Fake Profile
You know about these profiles, and they may even be friends of yours. They are happy, smiley, power-networkers whose profiles are all shine and gloss, and all businesses. Their wall is full of business posts, tweets, videos, and little or no personal information.
I expect this on LinkedIn, and I don’t mind it on Twitter, but somehow on Facebook, it just looks wrong.
Should Facebook Be for Business?
I’m curious to know other people’s opinions. In terms of generating revenue or income from this huge fish pond, it can be split into 2 areas:
- Those who create a product or service to enhance people’s experience of Facebook (an add-on), and sell that product for a fee
- Those who ARE their product or service on Facebook, and use it to drive traffic to into their desired funnel.
The good thing about Facebook, is the power each person has to choose to interact with businesses or cold, professional personal profiles, or not. This is a huge benefit.
A Business Dilemma
Your close friends and family are on Facebook, and want to keep in touch. But also your customers and business colleagues are on Facebook and want to keep in touch. It is the dilemma which has evolved in Facebook.
Luckily the privacy settings on Facebook, can be managed to split your personal and private life, with your business and professional life.
But it is a fine line, that few seem to truly master to create an ideal Facebook presence. And a fine line that many take advantage of. How can it really work? I guess only you can know what is right for you, and your Facebook connections.
How can a “fake” profile become more real without losing the professional edge? What do you think is a good balance of business and personal on Facebook?
Twitter: ResultsLady
November 18, 2010 at 7:40 pm | Permalink
Hey Fiona – Great article. It seems like I am always being asked about how to balance the personal and business aspects of Facebook. I always share with them how to choose who sees what types of information by segmentation and using groups. But I also think that your business clients and prospects want to know that you have a personal life – it makes you more real. Then there is always that problem of those people who go into every detail of their life – that is the other extreme. Although I would say that I seem to be seeing a lot less of that lately so I think the message might be getting through on that one.
Thanks for a thought provoking article. Michele
Michele Scism´s last [type] ..A Business Lesson From Martin Howey
Twitter: fionamceachran
November 19, 2010 at 12:42 pm | Permalink
@Michele Scism, Hi Michele, Thanks for your comment. Seems like you have experienced the same dilemma. Segmentation and using groups? Is the segmentation part of the privacy settings? Can groups balance personal and business aspects? I’m intrigued…
Yes, I do agree with you, I like a balance, especially on Facebook. I think this is the one social media platform where you can be more yourself, and give your personal profile a warmer feel.
whatever the social media, spammers will always be there. Facebook is of course more targeted since it has a huge number of users. from advertiser’s perspective, even with large number of possible fake users, majority of users are real and its them that they are targeting.
Twitter: fionamceachran
November 20, 2010 at 8:47 am | Permalink
@Roshan, Hi Roshan, Thanks for commenting. I think a place like Facebook is very difficult for REAL spammers to exist. Mainly because people can un-friend and even block future correspondence. (unlike in email, when you mark something as spam, and it comes through the next day anyway
)
Of course that won’t stop people trying, but, of course, I was not really referring to spammers, but just normal business people who don’t use their accounts properly, or just use it for business, and come across very “cold”.
Ah, the ongoing dilemma…
RT @abnormalmarket: Are People Too Fake on Facebook? http://www.abnormalmarketing.com/2010/11…
Love this post and loved the movie! At first, it was hard for me to balance my business and personal life on FB, but as time as gone on, my personal friends understand what I am doing online and it’s been OK. As far as being fake, I’m not really seeing that. Your post is SO informative. I would say it’s a “must read” for all FB users!!
Martha Giffen´s last [type] ..Is Your Online Business a Tortoise or a Hare
Twitter: fionamceachran
November 20, 2010 at 8:54 am | Permalink
@Martha Giffen, Hey Martha, Thanks so for much for your feedback. I liked so many things about the movie.
Yes, it was hard for me too, and I mainly stayed away from Facebook in the beginning. I’m not sure I have a completely happy medium now, but I’m working towards it.
You must be lucky if you have not come across anyone who feels a bit “fake”. I’ve had to unfriend a few recently. They seem normal and nice to meet, but then i start getting invites to their webinars every 2 days. It’s just not right.
Thanks for the “must read” label – I’m honoured Martha
RT @abnormalmarket: Are People Too Fake on Facebook? http://www.abnormalmarketing.com/2010/11… #facebook #socialmedia
Twitter: pams33
November 19, 2010 at 1:06 pm | Permalink
I have always had a nagging feeling to convert my face book group to a fan page. Which is a better option?
i have never been a face book fan until it became necessary due to business. but overall fb has got the good the bad and ugly part. lots of people are faking it and some are giving tomuch details.
thanks for the post
Pamela Evbota´s last [type] ..Defining The Term Mumpreneur
Twitter: fionamceachran
November 21, 2010 at 6:15 pm | Permalink
@Pamela Evbota, Hi Pamela, I haven’t personally used many “groups” so I don’t really know the benefits over a normal business page…
Yes, I started using Facebook for business first, but now my family like that they can keep in touch with me too.
I’m glad to see you’ve been seeing the same issues that I have. Maybe there’s a “guide” or blog out there with advice for how to exactly manage your whole Facebook set up – personal profile and business page…
Thanks for commenting.
This was fascinating. I was actually anti-Facebook for quite a while. Eventually I joined, but use it strictly to reconnect with people who I might not have otherwise been able to. I ignore all the stupid hug, sports and other similar requests. And I’ve been known to delete people who don’t interact (insert evil laugh here).
Some people want to have 1M friends. I just want to be able to chat and see what people are up to. LOL.
Happy Friday!
The Constant Complainer´s last [type] ..An Open Letter
Twitter: fionamceachran
November 21, 2010 at 6:20 pm | Permalink
@The Constant Complainer, Hi Constant, Thanks for your feedback. We seem to share similar opinions in the “Facebook” arena. I resisted Facebook for a while too, but now I kinda like it, and I use it to do what I need to do.
Luckily now, finally, I don’t receive “Farmville” or “Mafia” requests, and I avoid all the silly apps. I know some people like them, but I just don’t get them…
I know what you mean, some people I see are adding 20 friends every week, and I think – how can you really be networking with those people? that’s not relationship-building… or….is it?
I never knew that we could actually separate business and personal life in Facebook. Since there are so many people engaged themselves in internet marketing, this is a good thing to know.
Aaron Fuller´s last [type] ..Reverse Phone Number Lookup
Twitter: fionamceachran
November 21, 2010 at 6:23 pm | Permalink
@Aaron Fuller, Hi Aaron, I’m glad to hear you learned something new today
Yes, Facebook is becoming a powerful tool in internet marketing, but it needs to be handled very carefully.
Thanks for your comment.
RT @abnormalmarket: Are People Too Fake on Facebook? http://www.abnormalmarketing.com/2010/11…
Twitter: SheilaAtwood
November 23, 2010 at 6:28 pm | Permalink
Fiona,
I am still a Facebook hold out. It starts with the agreement you sign to be on Facebook.
Looks like it is like other social media….you are the one that determines what works for you and your business. As always you must test it out.
I often wonder about those “Fake” people. Who are they targeting? And does it actually work? They remind me of the “TV personalities” on stations like QVC. This program rakes in big bucks and people willing to pull out their credit card.
Sheila Atwood´s last [type] ..Your Product Site Done For You
Fiona, i feel the same way. I have both personal and business friends in my facebook profile ,now am not able to write something in my wall due to the two different people out there. I dont want to get any funny comments from my friends when i just promote something in my wall. Keeping two profiles in facebook also not seems to be good, hope we will find a solution for this soon.
James
James Fulton´s last [type] ..Deramaxx For Dogs Review
Twitter: wchingya
December 3, 2010 at 9:27 am | Permalink
Hi Fiona, first visit here (thanks to Kikolani’s post about women in blogging) and this post caught my eyes the very instant I saw it. The line between business and pleasure is blurred on facebook, there have been a lot of questions from clients about how to separate their business pages from personal profile? I must say that as long as fb is in control, there can never be a complete separation be done. From objection to accepting facebook is no longer what it is before, I knew I had to change and follow close so to better protect my contacts and myself; while maintaining a presence via fan page. It’s an on-going learning process.
@wchingya
Social/Blogging Tracker
Ching Ya´s last [type] ..7 Easy Ways to Add Clients Testimonials to your Blog
Twitter: roof_cleaning
December 14, 2010 at 2:49 am | Permalink
I am still learning about Facebook, but I think people can see what is real, and what is fake.
Apple Roof Cleaning Tampa Florida´s last [type] ..Roof Cleaning Tampa – No Walking
I had created a facebook A/c for marketing purpose and had added lots of people onto my list pretty quickly . I don’t always update my status with marketing stuff or some sort of promotion as then people will leave me. But I do have a photo of my company which then promotes it when I comment or make some changes.