The FaceBook Revolution

As a self-confessed Facebook addict I think and feel I’m in a privileged position to comment on the effect that FaceBook in particular has had on the badminton world. Initially I was one of the ‘that will never catch on’ brigade but having seen its growth, especially over the past year, it has become patently clear that FaceBook is probably the most powerful marketing tool available to one and all with a global market that has extended to over 400 million active users with a staggering 35 million updated profiles daily.

What has it done for Badminton you may ask? Well all you have to do is look at the number of players who now use the social networking tool as a step onto the Internet marketing ladder and to take it one step further look at how clever the Danish Badminton Federation have been in the use of Facebook over the past number of months. It really has to be seen to be believed!

It is obvious to me, as a FaceBook user, that the main attraction to this particular social networking site is that it is now with you everywhere you go. On the train, in the car, at the airport, even out for a walk on a lazy Sunday afternoon you can now access and upload to your heart’s content via the never-ending barrage of Internet-ready mobile phones.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing you may ask?  As a marketing tool it is obviously, and dare I say it, utterly essential as a third party in a relationship well now that’s another story for another discussion board.

When I speak to people and players who use FaceBook they all say to me that it is just so easy to use and update and when at a tournament with time to spare between matches it becomes a ‘no brainer’ to use FaceBook to inform fans, relatives, the next door neighbour and his dog about where you are and what you’re up to. On a more serious note it also portrays a very professional side to a players off-court life which and when taken to the extreme is both attractive and viable for any potential sponsor.

And before my MSN, Skype and email starts hopping with emails about the downfalls of Facebook, I am acutely aware, as are some players I know, that Facebook must be treated as professionally as possible as there are many head coaches out there who are only too keen to find out about their players’ adventures (or mis-adventures) when out of sight…. Dead is the phrase ‘Out of sight out of mind’.

With that in mind, many players have embraced the idea of separating their online professional life from their private one so to speak. Enter the FaceBook ‘Fan Page’.  Now this to me  is an amazing service offered by FaceBook whereby an individual, organisation or whoever can effectively set up, and again free of charge, a dedicated page dedicated solely to their professional life as a badminton player.

What more can a badminton fan want? Now from anywhere in the world you can get direct access to your favourite badminton professional and find out not only about today’s match but how that particular player is feeling. As a fan you can get that feeling of being present and all from just a few lines of a profile update on Facebook. Many of the active facebooking players add images and video as well giving a more personal insight to life on tour.

So what are you waiting for?  Badminton professionals and fans alike, get active and get marketing yourself in a way that is not only free but ultimately easy and to fans get searching for the players and organisations that are currently using FaceBook.

To get you started I have compiled just a short list of the users I know of to date. If there are anymore please let me know via my FaceBook page (I might as well practise what I preach) and I will be glad to update this list.