3 Key Points for Businesses considering using Facebook’s new Instant Personalisation features
Much has been written online about Facebook’s new ‘Instant Personalization’ features.
At its annual f8 developer conference, the world’s largest social network recently unveiled a raft of new features that aim to make the web inherently social.
The main headline grabber has been the ‘instant personalisation’ features enabled by the Facebook Open Graph API which allows any website to present information about a user’s friends actions on the site.
The idea is that website visitors can now view recommendations from their friends on websites integrating the free Social Plugins provided by Facebook.
The web has been a stir with the impact these new social plugins will have on how we consume content and do business online.
As par for the course with Facebook, privacy issues and questions about whether consumers will be up in arms about their friends receiving updates about their personal activity on third party websites prevail. Thankfully, there is now information on how to disable Facebook Instant Personalisation with step-by-setp instructions laid out for those concerned about protecting their privacy online. You can also discover what Facebook is sharing about you.
Having enabled a couple of Facebook Social Plugins on the Real Fresh TV website and on our social media powered round-the-world charity fundraising project website, 7 Wonders in 7 Days, I thought I’d write a short post highlighting the key issues businesses need to bear in mind.
3 Key Points for businesses considering using Facebook’s new Instant Personalisation features
1. Don’t be scared! You actually learn more about your (potential) customers through Facebook’s new Instant Personalisation features.
Observe the Facebook Recommendations information in the side bar to the right and at the end of this post for an example of how this works in practice.
2. The web is becoming more social, you can’t turn back the clock.
For businesses, it’s time to face the new reality: more of your customers are going to talk about you outside your corporate website.
Consider inviting your customers to talk to you on your website using Facebook’s Social Plugins or on Twitter. For tips on how to start: here’s 21 creative ways to increase your Facebook fanbase and a helpful list of Dos and Don’ts for Brands on Twitter.
3. Now is the time to develop a corporate social media strategy and policy.
Social media really does affect purchase decisions. Internet market research firm eMarketer recently reported that the majority of users seek peer info and advice across the social web.
Indeed, the trend is that customer service is going to be delivered through these social media platforms.
Some questions to consider in the light of this:
- Has your business or organisation made a start on a social media policy?
- Have you considered what kind of information is Twitterable within your business or organisation?
- Have you discussed how to respond to customer requests or complaints on Facebook?
Now is the time to start looking at how communication issues using social media can affect company policy. Need help? Contact us.
What One Company has found from using Facebook’s Instant Personalisation Features
In the few days since installing the Recommendations feature on the Real Fresh TV website alone, I’ve been impressed to discover that a number of articles from the site have been liked by people on Facebook, without my knowledge.
It’s early days yet but I predict that many sites will integrate features like Facebook’s Recommendations widget and the Like button if only because it provides information about the popularity of the website owner’s content on the web’s most popular social network.
I’ll go as far as saying that the adoption of the Facebook Like button will provide clear evidence of people’s willingness to share information about (some of) their actions online.
Think of it as a One-Click button for Online Word of Mouth, if you will.
What do you think? Would you add a Facebook Like button to your company website?
Is this all too scary? How prepared do you feel for a future dominated by social media?
Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Image Credit: NowPublic.com
Related posts:
- Real Fresh TV hosts the UK’s first Facebook Q&A tomorrow, Join Us!
- 75% of UK Facebook Users Would Not Purchase a Product or Service from a Brand’s Profile page
- 5 Questions Businesses Are Too Scared To Ask About Social Media Marketing
- A Fresh Beginning… and Facebook is worth $15bn and you know it.
- Hey Facebook! I’d Gladly Pay Not To See Any Social Ads
