What is Facebook?
Facebook+ is the largest social networking Web site, with nearly 200 million users to date. Individuals can join networks organized by city, workplace, school and region to interact with people they know ("friends") by sharing information about themselves via a profile+.
Facebook users represent a broad range of individuals, with the majority of its recent growth occurring internationally. MySpace+ may still be the place for musicians, and to a large extent, teens and the 18-24 crowd, but Facebook is the respectable place to be seen for the majority of social networkers.
Why should you use Facebook?
For marketers, the Facebook+ platform provides several tools to help you effectively communicate with large numbers of people. Broadcast a message to member inboxes with Groups. Create Google-friendly "about us" microsites with Pages. Engage users for hours with easy-to-share Applications. Or, connect your existing Web site with Facebook Connect. Each intuitively-named feature provides specialized tools to help you build and maintain your brand.
Who uses Facebook?
- Students who want to connect with new classmates or maintain contact with old friends
- Professionals looking to expand their network and connect with others in their industry
- Marketers who aim to reach customers directly, or through display ads, applications and widgets
- Celebrities who want to grow and galvanize their fan base in the online medium
