Users Spend More Time on Facebook, So You Should Too

ComScore reports that Facebook has surpassed Google as the online destination where users spend the most time. Google may lead in the volume of visits or visitors, but Facebook users take off their coat and stay awhile, while Google users are just passing through.

According to comScore, users spent 41.1 million minutes on Facebook during the month of August. That time accounts for nearly ten percent of the total time spent online, and beats out Google which captured only 9.6 percent of the total time even though it has an array of online properties to draw in users including Google Search, Gmail, YouTube, Google News and others.

If Facebook is the online destination where your customers are spending the majority of their time on the Web, then that is where you should be investing your time and marketing dollars as well. Don’t expect your customers to come and find your business Web site, set up camp where your customers are already spending their time–Facebook.

Some users want to chat with friends, or send messages. Some users want to watch video clips or share photos and videos with friends and family. Some users want to monitor status updates and location-based check-ins of their social network just to stay in touch with what is going on. Some users want to stay on top of breaking news. Facebook has emerged as the destination of choice because it offers all of the above in a single site.

Does your organization have a Facebook Page? It should. Posting status updates, links to relevant news, discussions about products and services, and other information on Facebook Page can replace the old-fashioned blog. The Facebook Page fosters a sense among users that they are more than just customers–they are a part of a community enabling them to engage and participate.

Has your organization set up or embraced its Facebook Place? If your business is the type of business that customers can physically visit, then why not? Customers may already have “checked in” at your location, so the Facebook Place might already exist. You should claim ownership of the Facebook Place so you can configure and manage it and provide a means for customers to share their experiences with your business with the rest of their social network.

If your organization hasn’t connected with Facebook yet, it is definitely time to take another look at the benefits and consider the fact that the customers your business needs to reach and attract are hanging out on Facebook.