Ask yourself
What if Facebook had different use from the one that social media experts spread? Have you ever wondered if Facebook fit into your professional social media picture? What is the relevance of Facebook into the business scene ? What if Facebook would it be just for fun?
Undoubtedly, it may have some controversy around this issue. I do think these are good questions about the use of Facebook beyond user’s knowledge, worth to be responded. I’ve been wondering all this time about the Facebook relevance in our business environments too. What’s more, I’ve been talking with lot of professionals that use Facebook to promote their business. In fact, I’m developing Facebook strategies for my clients, but if you ask for my opinion…Personally, I’m always trying to keep it private, at least in my professional career you might ask why? The answer is simple, because broadly speaking we’re people of flesh and blood, we behave emotionally, act impulsively, to a certain extent we tend to be egocentric, not to mention curious and open-minded. Apart from this, we have the need to get away from our daily life or jobs and escape from the routine that often surrounds our lives for engaging with our friends, relatives, former classmates or even our lover… Furthermore, we know how much we like to gossip about what others do (friends, relatives, neighbours, partner,etc.) whether they have gone on a trip, have bought a new house abroad or where they have been this weekend,…Unfortunately, it shows us one more time that everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives,but none about his or her own… 
Use Facebook (for fun)
Imagine you’ve left your country a few months ago to work abroad [as I hope I’ll do in a few months in the States…]Consequently, you start a new stage, but you miss what you left behind, again, friends, family, colleagues and so on. Question: What will be the easiest way to know what your folk is doing or stay in touch with your girlfriend, close friends or parents? I’d say Facebook (clearly, Skype will work too, but you’d need to focus on the conversation and twitter also, but it has some drawbacks in real-time conversations and it isn’t as popular in some countries as Facebook) absolutely Facebook will be the best tool.
How you see it?
I see Facebook as a powerful social media tool, though let’s have a place where just have fun and engage with your people. Frequently, I’d like to remind myself this thought, “sometimes you need to switch off to switch on”. Nevertheless, It doesn’t mean you don’t use Facebook appropriately;
- Segment your contacts
- Give them different levels of permission depending on how they get on with you
- Allow people to see what you want they to see
- Let the people you know write in your wall, comment your stuff or label your photos/videos
- Restrict your Facebook only for the people you already or may know.
But if you ‘wannabe’ professional…
What about people who use Facebook professionally? Well, I bet they also want to go deeper in the relationships, you know Relationship Marketing knowing your customer…Although, are you sure you want to show where you spend your weekend, with who and how? What about your privacy? What about your personal life? I think it’s our commitment putting it aside, don’t you think so?
And you? How do you use Facebook? Do you use it for fun or biz? What is your strategy for doing biz in Facebook?
I’d like to know your thoughts.