Facebook matures and it's a good thing

There have been a number of stories out recently suggesting that Facebook is reaching maturity. They seem to be suggesting that this is bad news for Facebook (in particular recent stories about Facebook's growth slowing down in its key markets (eg.)); I on the other hand think that it's good.

Brands + Silver Surfers

One story, "Older Facebook Users Catching on to 'Liking' Brands", was particulary interesting. Not so much for it's main point, that the 55+ Silver Surfers were catching up with their more youthful counter-parts and had taken to Liking brands was interesting, but because of the reasons why they were doing it and what they mean.

Silver Surfers are engaging with Facebook, so they get into Liking stuff - at the end of the day that's what Facebook is about. But the reason they are Liking more brands in particular is that brands are on Facebook and are doing things that they like!

We've been here before

There is an interesting parallel here between Facebook and the www itself. Think back 10 years to the time when the web was broadly accepted as mainstream. 2 key pieces of evidence for this were that brands were beginning to take it seriously and that silver surfers were online in big numbers and were increasingly active. Add to this the rate the f-commerce is starting to take off (more) and claims that companies are increasingly using social media to win customers and you see a complete picture.

Take it seriously or you could miss out

On this evidence, Facebook is now a mainstream channel too. Can any consumer business ignore a channel that businesses using as a marketing channel and that even the high-diposable-income silver surfers are actively using?

Facebook isn't about to fade away, it's just arrived!

Published by: Mr Tom Barnes

Published 16th June, 2011

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