What is the most-debated question in social media today?  One candidate is,  “Should my company have a Facebook page?” The company has whacked-out expectations about how sales will increase once they have a Facebook page. Their social media guru, Timmy from Accounting, has set their marketing strategy. So how do you decide if a Facebook page should be a priority for your company? Here is the business value proposition for Facebook in one sentence: “Come waste time with me.” Your life does not depend on Facebook. MORE >>

There is probably nothing more debated, despised, and dissected on the social web than Facebook’s ever-changing scheme to monetize its vast audience. My Facebook mobile stream is now dominated by banner ads. Facebook, you’re just p **g off people every day. can’t think of a reason why Facebook would not create this option … other than perhaps they have done a calculation showing the potential to constantly annoy people and stir controversy will be more profitable over time than being good to its customers. Sounds like an enviable plan to me! MORE >>

My friend Mark Schaefer wrote a provocative piece in this very space yesterday about why Facebook will become the most dangerous company on earth. One of Mark’s central observations — that a public company must find ways to grow, and Facebook’s only path to do that is through you and me — was particularly insightful and, for some, alarming. I’ve been studying Facebook for five years as a researcher, and after seeing our most recent data on social media behaviors I can tell you this:  It’s scarier than you think. And by Facebook. MORE >>

When marketers think about social media, they tend to focus on Facebook and Twitter. Like most good social media consultants, I evaluate each client’s needs to determine where they should engage their audience. In most cases, even if I recommend a Facebook page, Twitter account, or creating a LinkedIn group, I recommend engaging in other communities , as well. Research is suggesting that Facebook and Twitter are often NOT the best places to do that. When you create a Facebook page or a Twitter account, you’re asking people to come to you. MORE >>

A very frequent question I am asked is “What will be the next Facebook?” ” For many people, the logical assumption is that a better product will come along to replace Facebook because MySpace bumped AOL and Facebook bumped MySpace and so it is inevitable something will bump Facebook in the foreseeable future. However I do think Facebook has a seam of vulnerability and could be trounced, and I will riff on that too. But before we get to that, let’s first explore why Facebook is seemingly invincible, despite rumors to the contrary. MORE >>