New technology coming to social media near you

Two recent stories in Advertising Age underscore the power of Facebook, and how companies need to stay vigilant about adapting and exploiting emerging technologies via social media platforms.

The first story focused on how Facebook was nearing a launch date for its location-based functionality. The second reported how magazines would be able to sell subscriptions within Facebook’s news feed.


Location-based services (LBS) are a hot topic this year in social media, much as 3D is for the television industry. So when a behemoth like Facebook -- with its more than 450 million users -- announces adoption of LBS, companies need to take note. The same is true for the system Facebook will try to introduce offering users the ability to purchase subscriptions without leaving their site. The key phrase there being “without leaving their site.”

How companies can best leverage either technology is obviously dependent on what business they’re in, but it is important to be aware of emerging technologies and start thinking about what they could mean for your organization. Not long ago, LBS was one in a sea of new ideas, but it has grown quickly into something Facebook wants to leverage. There are others on the horizon, like QR codes and augmented reality, which could work their way toward mainstream use as well.

Magazines to sell subscriptions within Facebook’s news feed {Advertising Age}
Mags look to Facebook to hawk print subscriptions {Paid Content}
What will Facebook’s upcoming location-based service look like? {Mobile Beat}
Facebook poised to take geo-networking mainstream {Advertising Age}
How Facebook's geo-netoworking plans will change everything {Advertising Age}