With Facebook traffic up 55%, owning 25% of all Internet page views, over 500 million users and only last week the site had 3% more visits than Google. In fact if Facebook were a country it would be the 3rd largest in the World!

It’s no wonder that many companies are eager to promote themselves on Facebook and tap into the marketing potential it offers. But before you go running off to set up a campaign of Facebook ads, build a Facebook app or even set up a Facebook page. Take time to think about the platform and how it is used, what do users go there for?

Typically they use Facebook to socialise, that means interacting with other people. Sure with the volume of traffic we are talking about and the high level of targeting on offer you’ll pick up some clicks, but volume sales? When you look carefully at those having success on Facebook, the one commonality is a high degree of engagement.

Gary Vaynerchuck for example chats on his Facebook page in a one to one style, Starbucks engage heavily with their audience as do the other Brand examples in this Mashable article. Marketing on Facebook is a commitment, those successful on Facebook are invariably successful outside this platform too. Do not expect to join Facebook and become an instant hit, there is a lot of ground work to be done. Much of that prior to even engaging on the platform.

For many this means that Facebook Marketing ROI is as far away as ever.