It looks like Mark Zuckerberg has more tricks up his sleeve. Facebook is launching a new initiative to educate small businesses on how to use their self-serve ad platform and retrieve better marketing results. Zuckerberg and his team of faithful web developers have partnered with the U.S Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business to launch a 3-phase strategic plan to help increase Facebook’s advertising revenue.

Phase 1: Information Sessions (This Week)

- This week, FB plans on releasing online webinars, case studies and other tips to help small businesses.

Phase 2: Road Tour (October 2011)

- Next month, FB will sponsor a series of road shows across the country to help promote small business growth.

Phase 3: Free Advertising (January 2012)

- In 2012, FB vows to give away $50.00 dollars advertising credit to 200,000 small businesses, totaling 10 million dollars in free advertising.

A new report from eMarketer shows that 44% of small- and medium-sized businesses used social media as a marketing tool in August, and 59% spent less than $100 on social-media marketing.

Facebook has yet to give out any specific information regarding the selected cities for the sponsored road shows or the selection process of the 200,000 lucky companies. I guess we will just have to sit and wait for more details.

To read the full Adage article, click on the link below:

http://adage.com/article/digital/facebook-launches-program-small-businesses-pages-ads/230038/

In the last week, Facebook and Netflix announced controversial changes in there business strategy that have both companies experiencing backlash from some of there favorite people, the end-users.

Some consumers would say that the changes the two successful companies made were unnecessary, arrogant and lack real benefits to their customers…And they would be right.

Netflix gave its customers a short ‘heads-up’ notice this summer when they announced a rise in pricing for its video renting service that would start in September. Later that month,  the leading video rental company immediately saw negative responses to there new business model and launched an emergency PR strategy to stop the bleeding from the self-inflected damage.

Netflix reported a $7.40 decline in their stock price and a severe drop in user-subscriptions that is said to be in the millions. And let’s not forget the rebirth of Blockbuster, who announced this week that they will start to offer live streaming and other home video rental services.

To make matters worse, CEO Reed Hastings sent all of his users an apologetic email that tried to atone for the poor communications and reasoning behind the company’s recent decision.  The first line of Mr. Hastings email, “I messed up. I owe you an explanation.”

Click here to read the full NETFLIX letter

Facebook users frustration is more deep-rooted and has more to-do with privacy issues & purpose. Simply put, consumers want an explanation for the frequent tweaks and overhauls that forces them to study up on how their personal information is shared.

Over the years, the leading social activity application has developed a reputation for making unannounced, secretive changes to its web platform without passing it by its core audience. What started as a pleasant distraction for college students has turned into a social communication dependency. How else do you plan on interacting with your thousands of friends at one-time?

Disgruntled Facebook users hope that Google can answer this question with their new social networking platform called, Google +. We’ll just have to wait and see if the new platform is strong enough to give Facebook a real competitor. Something Zuckerberg and friends haven’t seen in years.

To read more about  negative backlash , click on the link below:

http://adage.com/article/news/netflix-facebook-ignore-consumer-gripes-make/230032/