Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg has realized that his creation is straying away from what he initially created it for, people coming together. The website has been infiltrated by spam, and too many advertisements, Zuckerberg wants to bring back the community he intended to create. Part of this new push for the community is the relaunch of the Facebook events app, called Facebook Local.
Facebook events are something that most Facebook users are familiar with, a page dedicated to a sole event whether it be a neighborhood block party or a grand opening of a new boutique. These events allow people to discuss the details in a dedicated space and also allow for users to see who else is attending the event or who else may be interested in attending the event. Users can also share events onto their own social media pages, which only spreads the word further, getting their followers or friends interested in the event as well.
Facebook events have been so widely used by users that Facebook has decided to re-launch its separate app which is solely dedicated to events. The app was originally launched last October but didn’t do very well, the revamped version will aim to boost engagement by showing users what their friends are attending as well as offering users with a wider variety of events near them. The app also offers users the opportunity to filter their searches down to bars, restaurants or cafes.
Facebook events are a huge opportunity for businesses to get the word out about their company. These events create excitement about an event, which then snowballs through the social network that is Facebook. Facebook events are a great way to reach out to and engage with your customers or your audience. Event pages allow for postings to be made within the designated area where all event goers have clicked “going,” creating an entirely new, more personal platform for you to interact. Don’t let a Facebook event wither away after it’s over, instead of posts photos from the event, post a thank you to everyone who made it great, and perhaps even advertises your next event within this page.
Part of what is going to make this relaunch so successful is the ability of the app to pull information from a user’s Facebook page. This feature allows the app to suggest events to you that it thinks you may be interested in based on previous places you have checked in to or previous events that you have attended. This app will also showcase events that your Facebook friends are either attending or shown an interest in, in an attempt to boost engagement.
It’s important for social media marketers to know about this relaunch of Facebook Local because if the app takes off, Facebook events could become even more important for marketers. If the app is popular… you’re absolutely going to want your event to be listed on there. Those who doubt the new application’s success argue that it is another app for people to have to download and use, so this may hurt the success rates seeing as phone users already need a separate app for the messenger.
However, regardless of the relaunch’s success, Facebook events are a giant opportunity to get your company out there, to engage with your audience, and to create more traffic for your business. So what are you waiting for? Go to Facebook right this minute and plan an event!
