Facebook’s new look is all about Twitter-envy.  So what does this mean to marketers?  Read on.

Fast Company’s Kyle Austin jumps right on the new twitter-like features launched by Facebook yesterday and how marketers can best leverage them.

#1 - Post Updates Frequently

#2 - Take Advantage of Facebook Advertising

#3 - Watch Coca-Cola

#4 - Use Video

#5 - Get Your Employees Involved in WOM (Word of Mouth) Marketing on the Page

Read more here about each tip here: Fast Company: 5 Tips for Marketing on Facebook’s New Pages

Personally, I believe the new ‘TwitBook’ feature is a very powerful weapon.  Just be very careful you don’t shoot yourself or your brand in the foot with this great new tool.

Twitter has proven itself very valuable and Facebook has validated that value by imitating Twitter in their new user interface.  The complaining has already started amongst the Facebook faithful, and I’m sure FB saw that coming, but they made a conscious choice.  The pain is worth the gain.  Twitter is too hot to let it gain a runaway lead.  The Facebook execs are making a huge bet here and Twitter benefits either way.

If you are drooling at the prospects of using these features to market to the 150 million Facebook users, remember modertation is key. So are the other hallmarks of social media like authenticty and transparency.  Marketing with social media is not about running around yelling “Buy Me!“.  It’s not about traditional advertising either.  Social media Marketing is about the essence of a good brand, trust. 

Back in the early web days we had a client who wanted to acquire an email list and spam the world.  I tried to explain why that wasn’t a good idea.  The same concepts apply here. 

Be friendly.  Be helpful.  Be honest.  Then they will trust your brand and they will not just buy when they have a need, they will tell their friends how great you are.  That’s the new social side of marketing.