Around The Corner Blog

Let's face it...

3.5 billion.  That’s the number of pieces of content shared by Facebook users every week, around the world.  Even more staggering is the 2.5 billion photos uploaded and the 3.5 million events created monthly on Facebook*

It’s hard to imagine that this social media juggernaut didn’t even exist six years ago.  And, from what I can tell, it’s only going to get bigger.  On this month’s cover of Fast Company, one of my favorite magazines is Facebook’s Founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and he says the company is just getting started. (Really?!)

No doubt, Facebook has changed the way we live.  It’s allowed us to keep in touch with friends from afar, catch up with old acquaintances, reignite old friendships, and –for some---increase market share and brand awareness. 

It’s likewise changed the way campaigns operate, and is a dominate force for political and issue advocacy campaigns---especially with the ease to access the platform using your mobile phone.  

What I really like about Facebook is it’s incredible ability to spread a candidate’s or organization’s message so easily---not to mention its innate ability to organize an event or meeting.   Throw in the capacity to add custom applications, to collect critical data or harvest emails, and advertise to gain more fans, and you have an instant recipe for social media success---all for pennies on the dollar.

In short, Facebook is an excellent tool for campaigns to take online action and easily translate it to offline “boots on the ground” action.  Witness what Bob McDonnell  in Virginia---and most recently Scott Brown in Massachusetts---did with Facebook.  

With 2010 shaping up to be a monumental election year, and campaigns and candidates looking for economical ---value add---ways to organize and spread their message, you can bet the Facebook will play a key---and strategic---part of every campaign, from Congress to county commissioner. 

So what do you think?  Is Facebook the dominant political social networking tool?  Is there a better tool out their or campaigns? 

*Source:  Facebook