We had a chance to talk with Dan and Alison Zarrella, the husband and wife authors of the book titled appropriately enough, The Facebook Marketing Book (not an affiliate link). Alison is a social media consultant and Dan is a social media scientist. Considering they were editing this book on their honeymoon it is safe to say that they are dedicated to their craft. Here’s what they had to say about Facebook and marketing.
(NOTE: If you would like to be one of 5 lucky people to win a copy of the book you can enter by following the instruction at the end of the interview. We will only be choosing winners from the States on this one so sorry to the folks at points elsewhere.)
MP: With the popularity of Facebook (some saying that there are 600 million accounts worldwide) is it a ‘must’ for marketers to be on Facebook?
Alison: In my opinion (and I think Dan agrees), it’s definitely a requirement. Younger generations especially expect brands to be on there, and there’s a huge disconnect when you can’t find them. If your competitors are on Facebook, as they are in most major industries, you’ve got to keep up. If they’re not on there yet, you have a chance to be the first and really set yourself apart as the most “with it” brand in your industry. Either way, it’s another way to connect with fans, try new things and secure another spot for your brand name in search results.
MP: If a business was making a decision for search marketing with Google v Facebook marketing how do they determine which is best for them? Is it necessary to be in both places rather than either or?
Alison: Facebook is indexed for search, so search marketing and social media marketing really go well together. Your Facebook Page doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel. Use what you’ve learned from writing and optimizing content for your website and apply it to Facebook. Turn blog posts or articles into smaller segments for status updates and drive to your site for the full post. Assets designed for your website can also be used on Facebook in an FBML tab. Your Page should have the same look and feel of your site, broken into more manageable bite-size, shareable chunks.
MP: What skills does an effective Facebook marketer need? How is this responsibility being handled by companies? Do you see dedicated staff? Is it another duty of the marketing department? Is it an outsourced responsibility?
Alison: A Facebook marketer needs to really understand the site from a user perspective. They need to know what the Newsfeed looks like when you “like” over 100 Pages, and what makes people click “like” on some Pages and not others. Companies handle this in many different ways, but the smartest plan is to have an in-house person or team who knows the business inside and out. They can answer questions confidently and quickly and make sure that everything stays on brand. Most importantly, they (hopefully) care about the company and what they’re doing on Facebook.
MP: Many businesses don’t have the resources to commit to Internet marketing for a variety of reasons. What do you recommend to companies that say “We would love to but just don’t have the time, money etc”?
Alison: I want to know what they are doing instead. Facebook is free. With the exception of advertising, you can do everything we outline in the book with absolutely no money. Yes, you need time and some skills, but if you start small and build your way up you’ll get the hang of it. People think Facebook has to take all day, but that’s not the case. The more familiar and comfortable you are with the site, the less time you’ll need to spend on it. You’ll learn how to multi-task and check in periodically without letting it takeover your whole day.
MP: In your research were there any surprises that you just didn’t see when you were thinking of writing the book?
Dan: Yes, in fact when you ask any publisher what days not to publish content, they’ll generally say Saturday and Sunday. But when I looked at Facebook sharing, I found that articles that were posted on the weekends tended to be shared more than articles that were posted during the week.
MP: Dan, you call yourself a social media scientist. What does that mean?
Dan: I go to a lot of social media conferences and read a lot of social media advice and most of it is what I call “unicorns and rainbows.” Stuff like “engage in the conversation” or “hug your followers.” It’s good sounding advice, and hard to disagree with—I’m not going to tell you to punch your customers in the face. The problem is that it’s not based on anything more substantial than what “feels right” typically. I like to get beyond the unicorns and rainbows into the real data, the real science about why people behave the way they do online and how we as marketers can leverage that behavior.
MP: Where does Facebook fit in the future landscape of marketing for businesses in general? Are there certain size companies or verticals that you believe are more well suited for Facebook marketing?
Alison: Facebook is going to continue to be a big part of marketing strategies, which is a good thing for small businesses. They can’t compete with the big name, big budget brands but there is a lot they can do to compete against competitors. If you’re willing to learn and think outside the box, the possibilities are endless. Facebook Pages work really well for fashion brands who can talk about trends and show how their designs fit in, and for news or content sites who have lots to talk about and aren’t afraid of opinions. Restaurants and other food companies also have tons of options. Doctors, lawyers and banks may have to get a little more creative, but that’s what makes Facebook so fun. Imagine being the tax attorney who made tax season fun on Facebook?
MP: On a personal note, tell our readers a little about being married and writing a Facebook marketing book. Most couples write about being a couple but you write about marketing. What are the plusses and minuses of being married to your co-author?
Alison: We wrote this book while we were in the middle of planning a wedding, and were actually editing on our honeymoon. But that’s just the way we are. We used to work together at an SEO and website design firm and began working more closely on Facebook marketing projects. We would hang out after work and talk shop. Our dinner conversations still inevitably turn to social media in some way or another. This book was definitely a labor of love. We probably sound boring to other people but we’re both genuinely interested in the nuances of Facebook and how it applies to marketing.
Alison Zarrella is a social media consultant who has worked with brands of all sizes, ranging from international companies to local businesses. A self-described Facebook fanatic, Alison has over 7 years of experience on the social network. She currently works as a copywriter and community manager at Zipcar and can be found on Twitter @Alison, or on her blog AlisonZarrella.com, where she talks about social media marketing, online shopping, and of course, Facebook.
Dan Zarrella, social media scientist at HubSpot, has written extensively about the science of viral marketing, memetics and social media for a variety of popular industry blogs. His work has been featured on news programs including CNN International, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and more. He can be found on Twitter @DanZarrella, or on his blog DanZarrella.com, where he talks about the science of social media.
Oh and the chance to win a copy of the book? We made it real easy. Just do like the button says!
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