Make Money Online with Facebook

Get a Piece of the Social Media Marketing Pie
© Miranda Miller

Is it really possible to make money online using Facebook's social media site? The answer is a definite yes, but it's not the get-rich-quick plan you're led to believe.

The numbers are staggering. According to Facebook's Press Room - Statistics page, there are now over 200 million users on the world's largest social networking site, with over 100 million logging in at least once every day.
Advertising or selling products or services on Facebook used to be a big no-no, with penalties ranging from warnings to account suspension. However, Facebook is now competing with other networking sites like LinkedIn and Twitter for their share of the social media marketing trend. They've been forced to broaden their horizons and relax the rules; it's no longer just an online hangout for college kids.
As e-commerce and online business swell to new heights, smart entrepreneurs are taking advantage of networking opportunities to help brand their business, build targeted traffic, and increase sales. There are a few different ways to use Facebook to make money online.
Make Money Online by Displaying Affiliate Ads with a Facebook Application
Facebook offers an application simply entitled "Advertising" that allows users to display banner ads on their profiles. This displays any company's advertisements or promotions, but is most often used for affiliate links. Inexperienced affiliate marketers can find more information on choosing profitable programs by visiting affiliate review sites like AffiliateTips.com.
Another popular Facebook application, Big Photo, displays oversized pictures on the user's profile. This alternative banner ad option is especially useful when advertising products. Each profile visitor is treated to an in-your-face, full color preview of the product. The caption should link to the purchase page.



Facebook Money Maker: Sell Products Online
Several applications now feature the ability to advertise and sell products from a Facebook profile. Some even include PayPal integration.
• The "CafePress Listings" application allows users to list and promote CafePress stores on their Facebook profile. Another way to make money with CafePress is by enrolling in their affiliate program.
• e3buy's "Free Auction" and Ebay Auctions both allow users to advertise on their Facebook profile items they're selling on auction sites.
• The "My Merch Store" application by Zazzle lets users create product, set royalties and sell from Zazzle's website or the users Facebook profile.
Can You Really Use Social Media Marketing Sites Like Facebook to Make Money Online?
It is possible, but requires intermediate knowledge of affiliate/internet marketing, a large receptive network, and the ability to shamelessly approach new contacts without spamming. Creating applications was intentionally excluded from the money making Facebook ideas included in this article, as programming is not an option for many internet marketers. Researching and developing a new application is also a huge investment and usually fares better when undertaken by a big company with lots of funding.
Keep the following points in mind when building a revenue-generating Facebook campaign:
Facebook and Branding/Online Reputation- Company Profiles
Never mix business with pleasure. E-commerce companies should have a Facebook profile separate from that of the owner or staff. The goal of an e-commerce company's Facebook profile is that it is one component of the overall strategy to build a positive web presence across corporate sites, blogs, consumer review sites, networking sites and more.
Individual users who plan to use Facebook for professional networking, marketing, and making money online should also reconsider using their personal account. The entire page should be geared towards the type of marketing or business the user is engaged in. Inappropriate pictures and messages from college friends about how drunk they were on the weekend really hamper a professional's image.
Facebook Money Making and Networking on Social Media Marketing Sites
Whether the goal is to promote affiliate products or drive traffic to the user's own e-commerce website, networking is the critical missing link. Flashy applications and shiny banner ads do little to nothing if no one sees them (or no one who may be interested).
Join related groups; get involved in discussions and wall conversations. Know your niche and have something useful to say, lest you be blessed with the dreaded "spammer" label.
Is Facebook making millionaires? Founder Mark Zuckerberg has certainly made a fair chunk of change from this social media hub, but as for the Everyday Joe? Realistically, regular users can expect to use Facebook as another tool in their online money making arsenal; a small - but popular - piece of their internet marketing strategy.


The copyright of the article Make Money Online with Facebook in E-Commerce Marketing is owned by Miranda Miller. Permission to republish Make Money Online with Facebook in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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