Trying not to do a faceplant on Facebook
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Someone I knew 20 years ago suggested I get myself a Facebook page. Chance to catch-up with a few of us, that kind of thing.
Golly, is it alot of work!
Emails come in at all hours, which isn’t unusual in the world of RIMs. But there’s the whole question of expectations – Facebook is much more like an IM environment. People seem to expect quick responses, whereas with email there’s always some slack allowed. So, live up I try.
In terms of who is on there, practically everyone I know the in advertising world has a page, but I doubt any of the i-bankers over the age of 30 do.
It also became quickly clear that Facebook is the Great White Shark in this space: Classmates.com can’t have much of an economic future, despite having a much higher penetration with the folks that went to high school prior than, say, 1990.
So, like most things you try at the urging of a teen friend, Facebook might be bad for your health. Another few minutes a day get consumed that you didn’t have to spend.
But as a business opportunity, it is sick (as the current high school crowd might say).
And those are always important to test drive.
MRM
I recommend using a separate email account. One that does not alert you every time a message shows up in your inbox.
Pete just feels guilty as this was all his idea
So I’m the teen friend? Since when did you start listening to me? And, since when have I ever felt guilty? 😉 Seriously, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Mark my words. (pun not intended) It reminds me of when the world wide web was just in its infancy. People poopooed it then. “Who wants to put pictures and text on the Internet,” they said, “how will they find my page?” Look at where we are today! Online trading, Internet banking, travel reservations, and yes, Facebook. The idea is simple, the interface is intuitive, the possibilities are endless. Wait a few years for the lopsided demographics to even out (after all, Facebook was originally designed with the college student in mind) and even grandma will be friend-hogging and friend-vulturing! New member registration growth is phenomenal and shows no sign of letting up. Most Facebook members visit the site every day and spend more than a few minutes there. I’m no expert, but I know this is going to be HUGE! Cheers!