The past two months have been busy at Facebook.

In September, it unveiled the largest set of new features since it launched the Facebook API platform in 2007, introducing a new ticker and new personal profiles among other features.  In October it extended the Facebook Platform to allow social media App developers to bring campaigns to the 350 million people (44% of Facebook’s user base) who use Facebook every month on a mobile device -- including iPad/iPhone, Android, as well as Facebook’s own mobile Web site -- using HTML5 mobile-web development tools.

These updates were designed to further improve the experience for Facebook users — but they also open up opportunities for media agencies and brands.

If you are a brand marketer, Facebook suddenly can do a lot more for you.  But it will take work -- and creativity.  Here are some ways in which you can capitalize on these Facebook changes:

1) Motivate Fans To Share Your Message

The goal is to turn a fan’s personal experience into an action directly related to your brand’s business goals. When a friend recommends something, friends listen.  What gets friends to “listen” to a brand?  Clever, tasteful humor; poignancy; and generally thoughtful content.  Seasonality and topicality help; is your brand appropriate for a holiday tie-in?  Can a campaign for your brand reflect current viral themes and memes?  Is a photo-sharing app relevant to your brand?   How about a cause-related campaign?

2) Engage, Engage, Engage...Wherever

Whatever the theme of the campaign, one thing is paramount: to be engaging. Engaging content gets shared. Engaging content gets commented on. And engaging content becomes more visible in the Newsfeed.  However, to engage users brand marketers have to have the right tools and technologies wherever their users choose to engage.

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