Facebook is growing by leaps and bounds, for the first time surpassing Google in popularity this spring, according to the web analytics company, Hitwise.  More than 400,000 users log into their Facebook accounts daily to post updates and photos, play games and interact with social and business contacts.

With the popularity of Facebook continuing to surge, Facebook ads have become a uniquely effective way to advertise online.  The ad appears on the sidebar of user’s Facebook page, and includes a headline which is hyper-linked to your website or Facebook page, an image, 135-character message, and a spot that displays Facebook connections who “like” the ad as well as a “like” button for those who view the ads to weigh in as advocates.

Facebook ads can be targeted in a number of different ways: age, gender, marital status, geographic area by country, state or city; education level and even selected schools, and interests.  So if you were opening a fitness center in Phoenix with a target market of busy corporate executives, you could select men aged 30-55 within 25 miles of Phoenix who are college graduates and have listed fitness as an interest in their Facebook profile.

Facebook is now offering a beta version of ad tracking, which reports on the number of views and the number of click-throughs on your ad.  Not getting the results you want?  You can edit your ad at any time to tweak it and improve results. The cost of the ads is based on bidding for either cost per click (CPC) or cost per thousand impressions (CPM).  CPC is recommended when your goal is actual purchases or registrations, while CPM is great for just increasing exposure and awareness of your company.

One powerful benefit of Facebook ads is the “like” feature in the ads. In a study on Facebook ads done by Nielsen, purchase intent increased from 2% to 8% when a Facebook user advocated for an ad – so users are four times more likely to purchase.  The study also showed that ad recall increased from 10% to 16% and awareness doubled from 4% to 8% by including this form of social advocacy.

If you are not capitalizing on the popularity of Facebook, you may just be missing out on one of the most effective ways to advertise in the online age.

Facebook offers a great resource for testing ads: http://ads.ak.facebook.com/ads/FacebookAds/FB_Ads_A_B_Testing.pdf

Public Relations is almost always a key factor in building a successful business, especially in today’s competitive marketplace. Whether you’re just starting up a new company or working to expand an old one, using PR can be especially beneficial in constructing credibility and spreading awareness in the most economic way possible.

Having well-written material that is relevant to your business can not only be used to draw new customers in, but can help establish your company’s credibility. Choosing appropriate and interesting topics for your target market will give you a leg up in attracting new clients. Also, by producing articles that have informative and professional content and sending them through the media, your company will be deemed the expert. This will allow you to better create the image that you want for your business.

PR can also give the perception that your company is active and constantly moving forward. Occasional press releases are a great way to spread public awareness on any related events happening with your business. They can also be helpful if ever needing to manage a crisis happening within your industry. PR tends to be much more effective than other forms of marketing communications like advertising, especially when trying to relay an important message.

As a new, up-and-coming form of communication, PR is a fast and effective way to reach large audiences. You’ll have a much easier time reaching your target market through extensive media coverage, and with different, but relevant, content you’ll be able to better reach out to new clientele. Circulating new blog posts and articles each week or month is a relatively easy way to socialize with new and old clients and business connections.

Online PR can be especially helpful in spreading awareness. By using key words in your website content and a strong site structure, you’ll be able to heighten your search engine rankings and improve your online presence. Having authority content online can also better connect you with other websites associated with relevant and quality businesses. It’s a great way to increase the flow of traffic to your company or keep it at an all time high.

Though you may have to work with a PR specialist to get your desired results, the amount of media coverage you’ll get is well worth the dollars spent. You’ll have a flexible and efficient way of communicating with different markets that other forms of advertising have a hard time accomplishing. Different media like newspapers, magazines, and online databases don’t charge for publishing your articles, so you’ll be gaining mass coverage for next to nothing.

Overall, Public Relations is a less expensive form of paid communication that can leave you with a controlled image of your company and a positive public perception. Companies that rely on PR for getting their message across often reach their initial goals quickly and without complaint. If you’re looking to give your business a boost, consider taking a dive into the world of PR, and discover a new market of opportunity.