Facebook Vs LinkedIn - And The Winner Is…
About the same time I started using Facebook I also joined LinkedIn. If you read my post, Is Facebook a Time Suck…?, you already know that I am not very impressed with that particular social network’s ability to allow people to … well… network. On the other hand, LinkedIn has been a much better experience for us. So I got to thinking … What is it about LinkedIn that I feel provides us with solid opportunities to get more business, build mutually beneficial business relationships, and increase brand awareness while I feel that Facebook does not? Well let’s see…
- LinkedIn allows you to send an Introduction to someone so that two people might do business together. This helps both parties being introduced by bringing 2 businesses together that might not otherwise have made a connection.
Facebook allows you to send someone a teddy bear. - LinkedIn allows you to share your expertise by answering questions posted by other users. This can contribute to your brand awareness and establish yourself as an expert willing to help. It also obviously contributes to the LinkedIn community as a whole by pooling the collective knowledge so that users can get the best answers to their questions.
Facebook allows you to share how you are feeling by adding applications like Dutch Oven (send your friends flatulence of varying sounds), My Personal Weather (display whether you are feeling cloudy or sunny today on your profile), or Care Bears because sharing is caring. - LinkedIn allows you to recommend people that you have worked with. This contributes to the entire network’s effectiveness. Everyone benefits: the person giving the recommendation, the person receiving the recommendation and the person looking for someone in that recommended person’s field.
Facebook allows you to SuperPoke peoplein which you can do any number of actions to them including but not limited to bite, hug, throw a sheep at, embrace in a venus thigh trap, and of course b**ch slap. - LinkedIn allows you to connect with other peoplewith your same interests through groups. This allows for great opportunities to network and build partnerships.
Facebook allows you to buy other people through applications such as Owned!
You could easily find 101 people right now that would say that Facebook is a great way to market your business but I would have to say that Facebook is a great way for some to market their business. The best way to market using Facebook is to develop apps or to create a Facebook page that encourages people to return and spend time there. Those endeavors can take a large investment in time and money. I am more of the mind that I would prefer to do that on my own website. It has been said that Facebook users do not like to leave Facebook. So if it is going to be difficult to get those users to click from my Facebook page to my website, I would rather focus my marketing on efforts that will lead people to my site directly. As well, there is a lot of other peripheral noise on Facebook that interferes with doing business and marketing (such as the applications that I mentioned above.)
On the other hand, LinkedIn is all about doing business. There is a lot less noise that interferes with actual networking getting accomplished. The atmosphere is professional and everyone is there for the same reason. This makes it much easier to make meaningful connections and establish yourself and your brand within the network.
As a small business owner my time and budget are both limited. That being the case I need to make sure that everything I do is going to bring me the best return on investment (whether it is time or money). So in my book LinkedIn wins over Facebook hands down.
Reader Comments
I am having the same issues with Facebook for my marketing strategy for the website I work at (Salesconx). I still check in on our Facebook account to accept friends/see what’s new, but I spend most of my time on LinkedIn because we get valuable members/partners through it.
I’ll continue to stay active on Facebook in case things go more pro on there, but for now, I’m LinkedIn all the way!
-Gina
http://www.salesconx.com
@Peter-
Thanks for stopping by. I didn’t mean to imply that you had to choose one over the other so I apologize for that. Like Gina stated above, I intend to stay active in Facebook but will spend most of my time on LinkedIn.
While the comparison of the apps was intended to be somewhat humorous, I do feel that those things have gotten in my way of using Facebook for business networking purposes and taking advantage of the more useful apps such as “introduce me”. They simply take too much time and I find it difficult to make a business connection with someone who just bought me.
That being said, I do see your point about not participating in the apps that don’t help you, such as sheep throwing. However, if this is how your network of connections on Facebook is interacting and you do not reciprocate with similar gifts and actions will you soon be labeled as a non-participator?
I look at at Facebook as a cocktail party. If some people are having a food fight in the corner and I don’t feel like it then I’ll move over to the lounge area and see what’s being discussed.
This could mean join some groups, help people with questions, build trust and credibility, maybe start a group of my own, post photos, tag people, etc.
My point is that there’s more to Facebook than the apps. People are getting tired of them and it’s so ‘07 to throw a sheep.
I simply ignore most app invites, try keep my own profile clean and have never been told I’m being a bore 
Instead I’ve connected with some great people who are early adopters and building their networks through FB. Those connections can be just as valuable as a Linkedin connection.
So come over to the lounge area and say Hi I put in my link to my FB profile above.
Peter, thanks for your insightful comments. I’ll take you up on your offer and join you in the lounge.
Agreed Brandi!
Most of the FaceBook users are immature fratboys and frat girls — not serious, towel slapping, beer drinking guzzlers–sure there are some execs in FaceBook, but they play there.
Conversely, multi-million dollar deals are done each day via Linked-In. The movers & shakers that make the “trains run on time” operate in Linked-IN’s business atmosphere. Plus by paying $20 or $100 a month it weeds out the losers/highschool/college pinheads that sloth around FaceBook!
If you are serious about business and want to meet high networth entrepreneurs and executives — Linked-IN is light years ahead of FaceBook!
Hi
I am new to small business marketing online and your comments are quite helpful. I have not yet done any marketing on Linked in or Facebook. I do have an account on Linked in however I have not used it since the day I signed up for it.
I will be more aggressive in working towards enhancing my profiles on the two sites.
@ Raj-
I’m glad you have found our posts and comments helpful. Interacting with the groups and communities within social networks is essential to having them be successful for you. Once you get involved and become more active in the networks, you should get an idea which will be best for you and your goals. Best of luck to you!
Great Article and feedback. I actually work at a professional networking site, Konnects.com. I do understand the value promoting your business on facebook, but what I do not understand is why? I feel that facebook is for friends and social interests. Keeping your social life should be done outside of work which facebook does a great job at. I guess if you are trying to market your business to a certain demographic then facebook is a good place to be. But using professional networks like linked in or konnects, I feel is way more beneficial for your professional life and for your business.
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Tim is Co-Founder and CEO of About Brandi Cummings
Brandi is Co-Founder and CCO of Telecentrex, LLC and brings over 3 years of expertise related to article marketing and various content-related Internet marketing strategies.
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Hi Brandi,
I don’t see why it has to be so all or nothing.
Sure there’s some silly apps on FB but most people get past it.
Your post is making the presumption that people need to decide one over the other.
I’ve been on LinkedIn for over 4 years and Facebook for about a year now and both have their strengths and weaknesses. I’ve gotten 5 figure contracts via LinkedIn but also made contact with people on Facebook that I never would have been able to conect with so personally on LinkedIn.
I agree the recommendation feature on LinkedIn is unique, but you’re also making it look like LinkedIn has other features that FB doesn’t have. For example, Facebook has the “introduce me” application.
Facebook is more social but it’s being used by thousands of entrepreneurs to market themselves and their businesses. I know because I’ve interviewed several of them.
So if you want the best return on your investment, I suggest you use both…. and stop wasting time throwing sheep