JAZD Markets, Inc.

I was an early adopter of Facebook.

Actually – to date myself in Internet terms – I was an early adopter of Friendster. And then MySpace. And then, finally, once it opened up to more than just college students, Facebook.

Now, I’m not bragging about my Social Media savvy here. Rather, I’m admitting that I am an Internet Addict. And because of my addiction I’ve noticed a few things . . . a few things about how companies use Facebook to engage a wider client audience.

Here are a few practices I suggest avoiding.

Posting a Zillion Times a Day

No one is that interested in your company’s goings-on. Not even your mother.

For the most part people don’t use Facebook to find out what’s new with the corporate sites they’ve trusted enough to “Like.” In fact, they have little tolerance for too much interaction with companies.

It’s a personal tool, so when you use it for your company you’ve got to keep that in mind and respect that your fans have let your company into their inner circle.

I suggest updating once or twice a day in pre-determined and thoughtfully spaced out intervals. What does that mean? That means don’t post twice, right in row, at lunch time. It means post once around lunch and a second time as you’re leaving for the day.

Think about how you check your own personal Facebook and take your own habits into consideration. I check mine around lunch and then when I leave for the day. If your corporate Facebook follows suit then I’ll see both of your posts before they’re buried in my news stream. And I won’t be frustrated that I saw your company’s posts when I snuck on to Facebook on my iPhone around 10 a.m., and then again at 3 p.m. You get the idea.

Including a Link and Only a Link in Your Status Updates

Think about it. If you were in a business meeting and someone asked you about what your company has been up to lately, you wouldn’t write down a link to a recent Press Release and mutely pass it over to them, would you? If you would, then we’ve got more to discuss than Facebook practices.

When given a chance to show personality, passion and enthusiasm for your company, TAKE IT.

Sounds like a no-brainer, right? But you have no idea how many corporate Facebook pages I’ve seen that just throw links up, SMACK! in their status updates. No explanations, no engaging text. Just the ugly URL to whatever it is on which they want to direct their audience to click. Avoid this.

No Logo

Now I know internally everyone thinks the picture of a seedling depicts the potential growth your clients companies could see if they just sought out your services. But I can guarantee these potential clients with whom you’d like to engage – as well as a fair share of your current clients with whom you already engage – will have no idea who your company is or what it is your company does.

If you think your logo needs a bit of dressing up to attract Facebook fans, by all means (after discussing it with your marketing team) dress it up a bit. Just don’t forget it.

What are some Facebook tips you suggest?

Jaz’d! recently completed a study of 791 Oil and Gas executives that focus on buying the needed goods and services within their companies. Jaz’d! research clearly shows that the basic requirements for purchasing in the oil and gas vertical are not being met by current on-line and off-line company directories/buyers guides or oil and gas content portals and that buyers are being forced to turn to vendor websites, product specific directories and general search engines to bridge the gap.

Most Valuable Resources for Buyers – rated either valuable or extremely valuable

1. Vendor Websites – 78%
2. Product Specific Directories – 67%
3. General Search Engines – 65%

Least Valuable Resources for Buyers – rated either not valuable or do not use

1. Oil and Gas Trade Magazine Websites – 53%
2. Oil and Gas specific Search Engines – 53%
3. Oil and Gas content Portals – 49%

Buyers are expecting more than the 1,000 page book that sits on the desk ear marked for the listings of companies that they know and frequent. Buyers can’t understand why such a basic on-line capability continues to be unaddressed by current solutions. The lack of development and perceived low user value has driven sellers to alternatives to engage buyers in meaningful dialogue. The Jaz’d! study shows that while Oil and Gas trade publications and on-line content sites still have active and highly qualified readership they continue to fail to understand how to drive real value for users on-line other than presenting them with articles and display advertising that they are not interested in.

Key features that oil and gas buyers require from an on-line buying resource:

1. Complete listing of all companies and products – not just those that are paid advertisers!
2. Ability to sort options geographically – an alpha based listing of companies is not sufficient
3. Side by side product comparisons with meaningful features compared - I can do it on any B2C site
4. Downloadable product specifications and brochures – don’t make me pay or register to be a lead
5. Get a quote with valid pricing – now I am ready to speak with a vendor

As the on-line world starts to embrace social and community based capabilities buyers are starting to look for the same capabilities within their B2B on-line resources. Similar to the basic directory capabilities listed above traditional on-line resources in Oil and Gas have failed to keep pace. The Jaz’d! study shows that oil and gas is ready to apply the Myspace and Facebook era in purchasing. Al beit the pace of adoption will focus on basic buying related needs for the foreseable future.

Social Features that Oil and Gas executives are looking for and place great value on:

1. User generated ratings and reviews by company and product
2. Product related discussion forums for buyers
3. Ability to connect with other buyers and share ideas about products and vendors

At Jaz’d! we are listening hard to this very clear feedback. We will launch www.Jazdoilandgas.com in May in partnership with a leading Oil and Gas Publishing Group. It will be the first full functionality oil and gas directory in the market. The directory platform will include detailed directory functionality, complete company and product listings by taxonomy and georgraphy, audio and video media all coupled with detailed social community capabilities. The directory platform for oil and gas will finally offer both buyers and sellers in oil and gas a chance to meet all of their needs. Let us know what you think? It is going to be a great New Year in 2009 at Jaz’d!

We wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year in 2009.

Jamie Bedard