What Do You "LIKE" on Facebook?

I sat on my couch munching the contents of a bag of regular Tostitos. Nothing better than hanging with my kids, tortilla chips and some homemade guacamole. My daughter makes the best. This day, however, there was no guac. Just some chips and a little Ghost Ship, one of our favorite flicks - there is a fantastic twist scene when all is revealed, you should check it out some time. Anyway...,

While snacking, I went to grab the bag of Tostitos and noticed the Facebook button on the bag. Yep, Tostitos expects consumers to login, look up their fan page and "like" it. Permission marketing. Bring the consumer to you. Compel the consumer to follow a trail of bread crumbs and convert curiosity into brand loyalty. If you "like" the product, you have consented to contact, you have consented to receipt of future coupons or emails or ads down the right-hand side of your Facebook page.

I have been talking about this for a couple years now, actually advocating for it. But I must admit, it's kind of scary to see it come to fruition. The potential was undeniable, it was exciting and different. It was new, it was contemporary and Corporate America seemed to shun the possibilities. That is until a few took the plunge. I remember a year ago seeing random companies adding Twitter and Facebook buttons to their advertising. Two years ago, I consulted smaller companies and convinced them to create fan pages and start engaging. They were eager to learn more, especially when I told them their competition wasn't doing it. Yet.

Currently, I like over 170 pages - translatable into a product, service, person or form of art. That's down about fifty from last Fall, as I recently went through my Facebook likes and deleted those that I didn't remember even liking, those I no longer liked, or those I saw no need to like and no longer wished to receive messages from. That number will continue to dwindle as I streamline more and "like" less.

Facebook is now considered a strong and necessary marketing strategy. With its rate of growth, it will not be long before the number of FB profiles reaches One Billion. That is a lot of consumers. Most companies are starting to get the picture of what that represents. Chance. Opportunity. Growth. Branding. But it also means maintenance. It isn't easy, it won't be easy. Make it worth the endeavor, not a wasted effort. The payoff will be a direct result of what is put in. It will require consistent work . That means exertion, which means it isn't free.

by rayannethorn

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jerry Albright on January 11, 2011 at 2:03pm

But Corporate Liking might lead to giving me a much better appreciation for their culture - and then their employment brand - which will then make me not only love their products but prepare me to fulfill my one true calling in life - to work for them......cuz I like their ice cream....or paper...or wide variety of lubricants.....

Alasdair Murray said:

Not just the fridge though Jerry. You can 'like' anything from a box of cornflakes to a whole company. Honestly, woudl you want to employ anyone who professed to liking an organisation? I'd say they had a screw loose! :-[)

Jerry Albright said:

What is the point again? Being a fan of everything in your fridge? I'm lost.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alasdair Murray on January 11, 2011 at 2:06pm

LOL. That's all folks!

Jerry Albright said:

But Corporate Liking might lead to giving me a much better appreciation for their culture - and then their employment brand - which will then make me not only love their products but prepare me to fulfill my one true calling in life - to work for them......cuz I like their ice cream....or paper...or wide variety of lubricants.....

Alasdair Murray said:

Not just the fridge though Jerry. You can 'like' anything from a box of cornflakes to a whole company. Honestly, woudl you want to employ anyone who professed to liking an organisation? I'd say they had a screw loose! :-[)

Jerry Albright said:

What is the point again? Being a fan of everything in your fridge? I'm lost.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Travis Yeager on January 11, 2011 at 2:24pm

I enjoy Facebook. I think it's very cool to have a space to engage relationships from 20 years ago. I'm more into the people than the games and such. It took awhile but I was able to eliminate every game (farmville, mafia wars and the like) so now all that I see are family and friends. I have some relatives out of state that are not in the best of shape so it's cool to stay connected. As far as Snack foods friending me, not interested. Being an inner city kid I look at Facebook kinda like front porch sitting back in the day. Your neighbors were a wave away and while you might not have enough material to carry a conversation, you still had the wave and the option for more. Facebook for me is the technological front porch. They don't put them on houses any longer.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Thomas Patrick Chuna on January 11, 2011 at 3:09pm

I think I would have bailed on FB a long time ago if I COULDN'T turn off the stupid games, or block the moonbats who annoy me.

"technological front porch" I like that.

To Sandra's point, I'd like an "I hate this crap button"..an STFU button would be welcome, of course I think it would be used against me a lot too, LOL.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sandra McCartt on January 11, 2011 at 3:52pm

I have seriously thought about posting, "Hope you and Jesus are having a good day, can he take care of you puking for three days?"

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Travis Yeager on January 11, 2011 at 5:39pm

HAHA thats very funny

Jerry Albright said:

But Corporate Liking might lead to giving me a much better appreciation for their culture - and then their employment brand - which will then make me not only love their products but prepare me to fulfill my one true calling in life - to work for them......cuz I like their ice cream....or paper...or wide variety of lubricants.....

Alasdair Murray said:

Not just the fridge though Jerry. You can 'like' anything from a box of cornflakes to a whole company. Honestly, woudl you want to employ anyone who professed to liking an organisation? I'd say they had a screw loose! :-[)

Jerry Albright said:

What is the point again? Being a fan of everything in your fridge? I'm lost.