You may have noticed a string of unusual posts proclaiming that your friends have claimed offers of some kind in your Facebook newsfeed over the last few months. This is the result of a new feature that Facebook have rolled out for use by companies who are looking to add something extra to their online marketing campaigns. But what exactly are these Facebook offers, and how do they affect our marketing strategies?
Basically, you post an offer in the same way that you would a regular status update. This offer will then appear in the newsfeeds of people who have liked your fan page on Facebook, encouraging them to redeem the offer. The post will also let others know how many people have actually taken up the offer, which can be helpful for online marketing statistics.
Whilst giving your fans and followers special offers is a great way to boost your online presence and to drive sales to your business, it is important that you tackle it as a serious strategy, otherwise you may run into a few problems. Once you have posted the offer that’s it, it cannot be changed. This means that you need to thoroughly read and re-read your content before posting, because mistakes could be costly.
Ultimately, it is yet to be seen what sort of effect Facebook offers will have on online marketing. It is hoped that they will only do good things for the promotion of a business online (by rewarding loyal fans with special offers that only they can redeem), but caution must be taken to ensure that the offers are not misused or abused. At the end of the day, only time will tell.
