facebook messages overview by dls 2011 ned barrett
TRANSCRIPT
1
Capabilities Presentationfacebook messages overview
Ned Barrett - President
Database Marketing Services Presentation
2
DLS Overview || Social Media Trends: Facebook Messages
The new Facebook “Messages” system is Facebook’s attempt to integrate all of their user’s communications into their system to allow users an “easier” method of communication. SMS, e-mail, IM, and Facebook messages are all being addressed by the changes. Facebook’s premise is that different generations of online users gravitate towards different means of communication and that people need a way to see all of their communications in one portal – in this case, Facebook.
We see Facebook’s approach to this problem as being smart and realistic and we have been concerned for the last few years about the trend away from e-mail by young people. For instance, a recent Pew Internet study found that only 11% of teens say they use e-mail to communicate with friends, and even that figure seems a little high. As we have often said, young people don't use e-mail except when they're forced to in order to interact with parents, bosses or commerce.
Right now, the new message system will feature only Facebook e-mail addresses, as one might expect. Adoption and use statistics are TBD but only time will tell how many people will migrate to the new addresses. If young users flock to Facebook e-mail addresses this will serve to extend the life of e-mail as a messaging medium.
With Facebook allowing more communication channels that are integrated, this will allow marketers to have more and better means of reaching consumers with rich messaging. Furthermore, this integration should provide marketers with interesting new challenges in terms of how to present consumers with messages through multiple mediums. When all of an entities communications can be viewed side-by-side by Facebook users, commerce e-mailers will need to either cut back on some communication or present concurrent communications with different content.
In any event, the Facebook Messages initiative represents a positive new development for consumers who increasingly want ease of access to information and communications.
Database Marketing Services Presentation
3
DLS Overview || Social Media Trends: Facebook Messages
This is the new Facebook “Messages” interface. It can be accessed at http://www.facebook.com/about/messages/
You can see a Facebook video on this at:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150330530405484
Database Marketing Services Presentation
4
DLS Overview || Social Media Trends: Facebook Messages
You first need to ask for or receive an invitation from Facebook to receive an e-mail address. Then, as part of the process, you will be asked to select an e-mail address that is derived from your Facebook username.
Users are able to set up portions of their mailboxes where messages from friends and “others” will go.
Database Marketing Services Presentation
5
DLS Overview || Social Media Trends: Facebook Messages
With the Messages feature, Facebook will allow users to integrate their test messages as well.
Database Marketing Services Presentation
6
DLS Overview || Social Media Trends: Facebook Messages
Users will receive a message on their mobile device that shows how you they can update their Facebook statuses via text.
Database Marketing Services Presentation
7
DLS Overview || Social Media Trends: Facebook Messages
Facebook Messages will integrate the following 4 types of communications:
1)Facebook messaging
2)e-mail
3)Text
4)Chat
All messaging will be organized by person so you can see all of a friend’s (or company’s) various communications in one thread.
The screenshot at right shows how messages appear in both the main in box and in FB Chat. Users can reply from either interface:
Furthermore, there is an archival feature which will allow users to save all of their communications for future review, much like a conventional e-mail account.
Database Marketing Services Presentation
8
DLS Overview || Social Media Trends: Facebook Messages
Messages from recognized “friends” are classified as “messages”. Communications from any other source not classified as a friend are put into the “other” folder.
If you want to convert an e-mail sender to the Message category, simply move it as shown in the second graphic.
Database Marketing Services Presentation
9
DLS Overview || Social Media Trends: Facebook Messages
Privacy Issues:
By default, anyone on Facebook can still send you a message and, if you get a Facebook.com e-mail address, anyone else with an e-mail address can email you if they know your Facebook.com address. But you can change that via the privacy settings for your Facebook account; the options for who can send you messages are “everyone,” “friends,” and “friends of friends.”
One thing to note is that it will be easy for spammers and others to deduce a person’s Facebook e-mail address since it will be the same as a Facebook username.
Implications for GMail
Google’s current and future development and technologies that currently or will eventually tie into Gmail will allow them to possibly compete with Facebook Messages. If Google can integrate its IM and e-mail systems with Google Buzz, and then restart the social media platforms it has proposed with GoogleMe, which is the replacement for Google Wave, then Google could really compete with Facebook.
Google still has the upper hand in terms of revenue and commerce and therefore still has the capacity to effectively fight and win a battle with Facebook – if it can get it right!
Database Marketing Services Presentation
10
DLS Overview || Contact Information
We thank you for the opportunity to discuss your needs and business objectives. Whether you utilize our full-service offerings, or engage us a la carte, you will find enormous value in our services because we measure your progress at every step.
When you partner with Direct Logic you partner with a team that loves what it does and is passionate about your success..
Please contact Ned Barrett at:
P: (856) 222-0725
M: (856) 465-6300