Why Facebook Is 2015 Not 2010: From Strictly Social to Business Casual

Facebook's platform landscape is beginning to change from strictly social to business casual. A corporate website was once the most important digital presence a company could own, but the new trend could reduce it to second - a choice branding source. Why? Because websites are now being replaced by social platforms such as Facebook, where you can easily be discovered, the platform and unique URL are free, and you can promote your brand more effectively.

Current digital research shows that Facebook has benefited from this social trend. Facebook receives approximately 41 percent of all social networking traffic (with over 500 million members worldwide), and the number of people joining Facebook in the United States grew by 145 percent in 2009. Facebook now produces more search results than Google.

Some of the largest corporations in the world have a Page on Facebook, and by doing so, increase their brands' awareness and audience engagement locally, nationally, and globally. For example, Barnes & Noble has recently developed over 600 Facebook "Pages" targeting niche markets in the United States. While this would seem overkill for some companies, it is a great engagement strategy for the large or small business because it is cost-effective (free); you can localize your message to specific niche audiences. The Facebook FHTML feature also provides you with the flexibility to design pages specific to your consumer and community. FHTML is easy to use, is browser-friendly, and has the search engine optimization of HTML.

Still not convinced that there is a shift away from corporate websites' exclusive hold on a brand's digital traffic? Then look at the following corporate web pages:

Pepsi on Facebook

Disney Facebook Page

Porsche Facebook Page

And the Pages of these small businesses:

Plush Facebook Page

Musicians Toys Facebook Page

In the future, the corporate website will either give way to the social platform, or become a referral page for a deeper audience experience on a social media site. It's a natural fit, because many of their customers are already on Facebook or LinkedIn, and a marketer's goal is to engage the customer. Further evidence of this trend is smart phone sales; they have now surpassed computer sales. Most consumers who own a smart phone are using apps more than the "phone" itself.

For an example, take a look at the Volkswagen Facebook Page. VW no longer uses its website to interact with consumers, they engage and listen on Facebook.

Once you have created a Facebook company Page you can engage with your customers in several ways. If approximately one third to a half of your ad budget is wasted because poor performance, then hypertargeting is the method you need. What is hypertargeting? Hypertargeting allows you to become very specific in your approach to targeting who sees your advertisements. For example, relationship interests, location, gender, age, education, employment, relationship status, and interest keywords are all variables with which to test your demographic.

Because search advertising produces your advertisement at the moment a person is looking to make a specific purchase, it can be very effective. What about those hard-to-reach passive buyers? They can also be reached by social advertisements even though they are not looking for your product or service. Have you ever purchased something in a store even though you did not intend to buy it on the way in?

Finally, for those niche and newly introduced (unknown) products and services, and even for startup companies looking to break into a market, Facebook hypertargeting can be the best advertising approach. Unlike AdWords, hypertargeting taps into latent interests by passive consumers and decreases spending on ad impressions.

Your small business or startup can target geography, college, and interest, and hone its messages going forward.

Online social engagement "staying in the real time conversation" and traditional outreach methods are both currently important engagement strategies, and will be going into 2011. The space between digital and traditional community outreach is also fading, as companies such as Groupon and Yelp help to bridge the technology gap between digital and traditional outreach.

While understanding the rules of social online engagement is important, marketers should also embrace iterative feedback, because good listening is a precursor to good marketing. The demand for ongoing audience engagement and listening by brands will prompt the release of new social monitoring and analytics tools in 2011 and beyond.

Global engagement is going to be an important feature in your marketing campaigns going forward; many large companies such as Pepsi and Yahoo have already built or are in the process of creating global digital "centers of excellence." So if you really want to get the most out of your digital marketing and PR practice, make sure you have your social engagement team armed with an experienced global digital strategist with real hands-on working knowledge for campaign localization purposes.

Why is global marketing experience important for today's digital strategy if you are not an international brand? For the following three reasons: 1) digital campaigns naturally connect with international audiences; 2) you can quickly increase your unique page views through PR and marketing campaigns; and 3) you can increase your company's SEO strength through link-backs and other optimization strategies.

While eyeballs are not enough in today's ROI-driven social media practice, the global strategist can also build an engagement strategy that is future-driven instead of shortsighted. They can also prevent or correct unwanted PR buzz through their understanding of foreign cultures even on a local basis.

Because social media engagement is an important basis of Google search ranking and optimization (SEO), your brand should be in the social game and you should learn to guide the conversion. This is demonstrated by the fact that 33% of top search results are consumer-generated by blogs, comments, links, and other digital processes.

Finally, many companies are actively using reward-based linking (a form of crowdsourcing) to expand a brand's audience awareness. The typical rewards are coupons and other discounts to consumers. Reward-based linking requires the consumer to do more of the company's marketing process, and is the result of consumer involvement and control over a brand. Consumers and brands know that there has been a shift in who controls the branding process: it is now in the hands of the consumer.

Defining the Work Uniform: Business Dress or Business Casual?

Have you been assigned the job of selecting and purchasing corporate clothing for your employees, but don't quite understand the dress code? Don't worry. We have the information that will help you determine what kind of work uniform your employees need to comply with your current business dress code.

Business Traditional Dress Attire

Have you ever heard the term "dress for success"? This term expresses the need for individuals in business to create a great first and lasting impression in the business world with the correct attire. In other words, when your workers dress for success, they are dressing in such a way they can show their clients and the world they know what they are doing.

For many, the business traditional dress attire is confusing. It doesn't have to be. Business traditional work uniforms always include the following key elements:

• Suit jacket for both men and women
• Suit pants, coming in various styles such as straight legged or flare legged pants
• Mid-length and full length skirts, most often with a centre vent to allow for easy movement
• Crisp dress shirts
• Stylish corporate jackets

Employees often accessorize this business wear with leather, closed toe shoes, leather belts, and ties. When you purchase a work uniform for your employees and the dress code in your office calls for business traditional dress attire, make sure you choose the right corporate clothing.

Business Casual Attire

While it is still possible to "dress for success" in business casual, this type of work uniform generally refers to a form of attire that is much more relaxed than corporate attire. This does mean your employees will be showing up to work in jeans a t-shirt though. After all, there is still "business" in business casual attire.

Here are a few of the types of clothing this form of dress refers to:

• Khakis and chinos
• Suit pants
• Sport coats
• Fine knitted sweaters
• Casual but classy cotton blouses
• Polos and golf shirts

The majority of the time, no tie is needed with business casual. Closed toe and closed heel shoes are still required, and tennis shoes are strictly prohibited with most work uniforms.

Making the Choice

Determining what kind of dress code you want for your employees often depends on the nature of your office or business. Ask yourself these questions:

- Do your workers come into contact with customers on a daily basis?
- Do you want your clients to immediately be able to identify your employees?
- Which attire makes a better first impression on your clients?
- Do you want your employees to feel successful, confident, and perform their daily tasks with pride?

For many, the business casual dress code does not provide the best solution. The dress attire, for instance, would better suit companies such as hotels, restaurants, and offices, where contact with customers occurs on a daily basis. You want your employees to make a great first impression and show your clients how great your business is. This will help build your client's trust and, in the end, determine whether your client will purchase your product or service.

When you are looking to purchase a great work uniform for your employees, make sure you choose the one that will help them dress for success.

How to Use Your Personal Appearance As Part of Your Business Branding or a Marketing Tool

You've spent a ton of money on your marketing materials-your brochures, business cards, website. You want them to be just right. You fuss over every detail.

You put all your energy into your products or services including the planning, the design, the execution, the packaging.

And then, the big day comes. You're ready to present them to the public, and you show up in unbecoming attire. Your shoes are kind of scruffy. You haven't changed your hairstyle in over a decade. Or your hairstyle is up-to-date, but pretty far out there. You're not wearing any makeup, or you're wearing too much. Your fingernails are ragged from chewing on them.

Your product is ready to be presented, but you aren't.

Big mistake! In fact, your personal image may be your most important presentation to the public. If you don't look the part, you won't have the credibility you need to get the client or the sale.

Here are some things to think about before you go public:

1) Know what looks good on you. If you've gotten feedback that you might need some work in this area, spend some time figuring it out. Or get help. Does blue-red or orange-red look more flattering on you? What about paisley vs. stripes? Are pleated pants, or flat front better for your body type? Do you know which jacket length is your best bet? The idea is to create a harmonious relationship between yourself and what you wear. A discordant relationship screeches just like fingernails on a blackboard.

2) Be appropriate. Formal business wear isn't always required, but, if you're not sure what business casual dress is, find out. Business casual usually calls for at least a collar on your shirt, and is best in a woven fabric (what a dress shirt is made of) as opposed to a knit (what a t-shirt is made of), and something a step or two above jeans. Dress slacks are better than more casual khaki slacks. Leather shoes surpass the running variety.

3) Be neat and well-groomed. This seems obvious to me, but from what I've observed in public, it isn't obvious to everyone. So here are the basics. Keep a somewhat controlled hairstyle for work. No bed heads. No spiky hair styles or magenta streaks. No greasy locks. Keep the makeup moderate. Trim the nails and shaggy eyebrows. Remove the piercings and cover the tattoos. Keep your belly button covered too. Brush your teeth. Don't spare the deodorant. Polish your shoes, and don't wear them with rundown heels. Have clean, wrinkle-free clothes ready to go at all times. No seams coming undone. No missing buttons. No spots. No holes. No excuses.

Being oblivious of how you appear to others can affect your bottom line.

Think nobody will notice if you're slightly sloppy? Convinced it won't matter if you haven't paid attention to detail? Don't kid yourself. People DO notice the small things. And if you seem careless about your appearance, your clients can easily believe you'll be careless in dealing with them, too.

So plan, design, and package yourself as well as you have your products. Otherwise, all that effort you put into your business may have been in vain.