there's no avoiding it these days. It was launched with the noble aim of reuniting old friends, but was quickly taken over by nosey students keen to catch up on the latest campus gossip. Over the years it has expanded on these humble beginnings to become the world's largest social network and today the iconic ‘f' with the blue backdrop pops up everywhere. It serves as a vehicle for entertainment, political activism and social welfare, and is a vital tool in any marketer's strategy. Yet just a few years back, business executives were deeply skeptical of advertising on social networking sites. Now, with the phenomenal success of Facebook, the site has emerged as the advertising tool of the 21st century. And Saudi Arabians marketers are using this tool as well as any other in the world. With almost half of Saudi Arabians regularly using the Internet, it is estimated an incredible one fifth of the Saudi population has a Facebook account. In the last six months an extra 600,000 Saudis have set up an account. Jassem Jamal, who is an account manager for a reputed Saudi advertising firm, explained how he views the site. “It is the second most powerful digital social media tool after Google for advertising nationally as well as worldwide. It has evolved considerably over the years and has given a new dimension to the business world.” In a recent study by a networking site, the Kingdom came 30 out of 200 countries for numbers of users. Users between the age group of 25-34 account for some 36% of the total demographic pie, but snapping at their heels are the 18-24 age bracket who make up 33% of the countries users. Together they account for 69 % which is a huge chunk of the online population. It is this that makes it so enticing for the savvy marketer. Jamal explains: “It is the youth which help in advertising and promoting a product or a brand more than any other generation.' The reason for Facebook's effectiveness in the corporate world is that it gives businesses an opportunity to reach a wide audience quickly. It allows them to interact with customers one on one and gives them a chance to provide feedback, complain and give suggestions to the company. Companies are using more and more novel ideas to get the edge up on their competitors. Recently Toyota created a page to educate it's fans about cars, and to gain their trust by various promotional campaigns. Not to be left behind, Ford took the unprecedented step of revealing it's new model on Facebook - instead of the traditional auto show. Mobily, STC, N2V, Hardee's Arabia, Ounousa.com, Kellogs, Baskin Robbins, Sony Ericsson are just a few others who are grabbing their consumers hearts, minds and – of course – wallets through jazzy Facebook campaigns. Every company in need of exposure and connectivity opts for Facebook, but whether they can exploit it properly is another question. But it is not just huge international companies who are using it, almost half of the Kingdom's home-based entrepreneurs are using the cost free advertising platform as well. Saudi women are advertising hand-crafted wares for weddings, baby showers and parties. Others who bake delicious delicacies are using Facebook to set mouths watering and stomachs rumbling in the four corners of the Kingdom. Still others are using the site to raise funds for their community and other noble causes. So how can one utilise this omnipresent force? Marketing executive Hisham Khalid answers the question. “A quiz, contest, an attractive feature, an interesting video, special offers, freebies, an attention-grabbing image or a single yet simple witty status update is enough to create a spur and attract a million fans to your page. The secret is to keep the page fresh by constant updates and interactions.' Now Saudi entrepreneurs are realizing the secret to generating a buzz internationally. All it takes is a knack for idea generation, a positive attitude, creative presentation, hard work and talent coupled with a few right clicks and knack. Follow this formula and your product could soon be as recognizable as that white ‘f' with the blue background. __
