At 24.17 minutes into the presentation. I let out a
“You’ve GOT to be F#$#$#$#$ kidding me”
So I rewound it.
No – they’re not kidding.
My little marketers heart leapt with joy.
First, A question.
“When was the last time you updated your Facebook Profile”
NO NO NO NO – not status updates, or photos or Farmville.
Your ACTUAL profile – you know your favourite movies, books, likes, hobbies etc
Yes – you’ve done this – you’ve probably forgotten about it, I mean with all those fields to tend in Farmville.
You see, most people did this when they joined up and have not updated it since.
I know I haven’t in ages – (I haven’t added in Justin Beiber for example in my favourite artists section… KIDDING!)
Next question (sorry I’m making you work hard but trust me – it’s worth it)
“How does Facebook make their cash?“
Hint, it’s exactly the same way that google does…
Pay per click advertising.
But it’s VERY different pay per click advertising.
It’s not based on a phrase that you type ala Google
Facebook PPC based on your demographics, your likes, your favourite movie…
You know – the data you’ve not updated SINCE YOU JOINED!!!!!!
(Are you smelling the coffee…..)
So today, Facebook announce, with the addition of a single line of code, you can “like” a news story, a movie on imdb, a music track on pandora…
IN AN ACT OF SHEER PSYCHOLOGICAL BRILLIANCE – the little line of code puts up a little picture of YOUR friends who’ve also “liked” that thing on the web. Robert Cialdini (author of Influence, the definitive guide to decision making triggers) must have weeped with joy at the social engineering (Note – I love this, I’m not sure others will…)
Facebook point out – liking something up untill today or tweeting or foursquaring was a temporary blip, if your friends happened to log in the last three hours they MIGHT have seen it. Let’s face it, if you tweeted it’s a crapshoot on a numbers basis if your friends actually see anything.
(Stay with me – this story has a FREIGHT train ending)
So when you click the new “Like” Facebook button, being very helpful and all, Facebook will update your permanent profile with your new like.
WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HEEEEEEEELLLLLLLOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THEY UPDATE YOUR PROFILE (your news feed to – but forget that -as of today it’s irrelevant) – the PROFILE of your LIKES!
To Quote myself…
“You know – the data you’ve not updated SINCE YOU JOINED!!!!!!”
The same data facebook and people like me use to TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC PAY PER CLICK ADVERTISING ON FACEBOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FRESH UP-TO-DATE DATA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a smart marketers wet dream. Seriously it’s the marketing equivalent of Hedi Klum walking into my study right now and saying (In that awesome German tingend English) “you know vhat tubby balding short guys are… now…in – let’s get bos….”
If Facebook implement as described, marketers will have completely up-to-date data to craft their advertisements.
I’m a marketer and proud of it. This is brilliant, I want to give you a directly targeted marketing experience. With fresh demographic data based on likes -I can do that. SWEEEET.
(SIDE NOTE – This also drops Facebook in the middle of the local advertising game – you YELP, you update your facebook PROFILE automatically, I can then create an Ad based on the fact that you “liked” KFC -someone pinch me, I’m still in the dream with Hedi)
People are going to freak out about this and it’s a shame – Facebook does not expose YOUR data specifically – only people who you’ve given permission to as a friend will actually see your profile and I can see this being fantastic way of really keeping in touch – how many of my friends liked “Hurt Locker” for example – that’s the next step of Facebooks evolution, it makes sense. The lads at Facebook GET this.
BUT if “likes” gets significant take up – they may just rival google and perhaps be even more influential. Google knows about phrases, Facebook knows about you…
Ed
Really appreciate you retweeting this if you found it thought-provoking…
The Great Sadness
by Ed Dale on 08. Jan, 2011 in facebook
The Great Sadness,
The theory of “engaging with Fans” or your Tribe – heck, just providing places of discussion on the Internet is a core part of the whole , most excellent Internet new media thingy…
Power to the people and all that – Trouble is, in practice, it sucks.
**Sucks Big Time**
Now before the pitchforks are pulled out of prior heathens and hurled in my direction, let’s not debate this, let’s even pretend I’m completely wrong.
Just accept, that even though I do my best and I *think* I do alright…
I hate it.
What?
Is this man who has shouted Market Leadership from the hilltops for the past two years.
**You Hypocrite!**
Stay with me, I hate walking (almost) every day, I hate brushing my teeth, I hate eating vegetables, I hate wearing glasses and I hate going to the toilet, it’s such a time waster – but all are varying levels of important.
“You have something to hide”, you want to censor us, you book burner.
That’s truly not it, for example I just spent 45 minutes staring at this picture…
While listening to the Glee version of “Teenage Dream” by Kate Perry
Ipso facto – open book.
I’m truly don’t mind well-thought out criticism backed up by non-emotional well thought out arguments by someone who doesn’t hide behind a newly created Twitter account that has never posted before and has a twitter handle like @eddalelovestottenham
Hideous.
You know how long I’ve been an advocate for Twitter. But there is so much @spam, Trend Trashing and my personal hate #hashtagharshing. What’s #hashtagharshing I hear you say? You create a hashtag for an event to keep everyone informed and scumbags use it to push spam or throw insults from their newly minted twitter account @eddalechokesthechicken
The Dutch Courage Of The Anonymous Arse.
As you know, standard operating procdure is to ignore these tools “dont feed the trolls” – and it truly works. When someone is living in another dimension of rationality, real world logic and common sense go out the window.
You get my point or are thinking “You poor didums, let me set up the tent for the Pity Party Of The Decade and we’ll have the top 40 cry baby band “Tell It To Someone Who Cares” play their greatest hits…
I’ve been running a series of tests on my Facebook page and testing commentary. The Interaction has been fantastic.
The reason – you’re not anonymous on Facebook – you are your profile and if you want to go medieval on my ass… There are consequences.
It’s one thing to have anonymous Twitter account shutdown – but if you lose your profile, you’re going to have some explaining to do to friends and family when they try to “friend” you on the facebook.
I’ve got to say I’m loving it.
If you haven’t checked my Facebook page yet.
Head over to http://facebook.com/tubbynerd/
Hit the like button and then check out the discussions, there interesting, lively and best of all…civil.
Ed
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