This article is about a week old but still helpful for anyone considering a Facebook ad campaign. I'm not a big fan of pay-per-click campaigns but I've heard a lot of good buzz about Facebook as an ad platform. The biggest benefit over Google Adwords is the ability to super target a demographic beyond just keywords. If your best customer is 25 to 35 year old females in Phoenix, AZ then you can choose to show your ads only to FB members meeting that criteria. Check out this post before proceeding. Online advertising is still a great way to throw money out the window and you need to smart about any campaign.

Currently Facebook boasts somewhere in excess of 400 million users and growing. You've probably heard this line by now, but If it were a country it would be the third largest in the world behind China and India only. There's a pretty good bet that some members of your ideal target customer reside in and visit Facebook land, but the trick is to find them.

Facebook's advertising platform is a vehicle worth exploring. The tool allows you to place small display type ads in the right sidebar of Facebook pages and profiles. At this point it's not as effective in pure response as well targeted Google AdWords campaigns, but it's not really the same kind of vehicle and you won't find AdWords in Facebook, at least for now.

Like many things Facebook, setting up and running successful campaigns isn't as straightforward as it could be. There are five steps to consider as you explore Facebook advertising: target, attract and engage, budget, test, and analyze.

Don't forget to Bookmark the Facebook Ad Help Center for more help.

This is the first post in a new series that I am starting to share the marketing emerging marketing trends. How do I decide what is a trend? There's no scientific formula, but it based the things that I hear being talked about. Though there is not a lot of factual data involved, I do spend a lot of time researching what's new in marketing and networking with business owners. I use my real world interactions to filter the info I get from the experts and whatever is left is what everyone's talking about.

This month I have heard a ton of chatter about using Facebook and video as a marketing tools and how the Gilbert Small Business Alliance is helping grow businesses in the East Valley.

Trend 1: Facebook

This is the biggest no brainer of the three. Not only are the experts talking about how powerful Facebook is as a marketing tool, so are the business owners. This is the best kind of trend—it marries the experts' theories with practical application. Not only are the experts talking about how much you can do with Facebook, but also real business owners are actually using it. Look for my post next week detailing how you can max out your fan page and grow your following. In the meantime, here are a few facts and resources:

1. Facebook is the fastest growing social network. If it were a country, it would have the fourth largest population in the world, behind India and China.
2. The fastest growing demographic on Facebook is women in their 50's and 60's. Overall, more boomers are joining Facebook than any other group.
3. Fan Pages can be so customized that they could serve as a your primary online presence. But as one expert put it, you wouldn't build your house on rented land—why do it with your website? Check out the Digital Marketer Podcast "How to Enhance Your Facebook Page" for more information.
4. Facebook has such solid demographics on their users that you can create super targeted ads, which give you a much bigger bang for your buck than using Google Adwords. Running an occasional ad for a small budget can be an economical way to increase your number of fans.

Trend 2: Video

Let me start out by saying, I am not a huge fan of video on the internet. I don't have the time or attention span to sit and watch something for much longer than ten seconds and I am so camera shy it borders on being a phobia. With that said, I am definitely in the minority. In general, people love video content as long as it entertains, educates, or otherwise engages them. In an impersonal world, seeing a person's face and hearing their voice goes a long way towards creating a relationship. Not to mention that it is ridiculously easy and inexpensive to create and distribute. If you're thinking about diving into the world of video marketing or just want to know more check out:

1. The book Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion by Gary Vaynerchuk don't think I can accurately capture the power of this book in a few sentences. If you are want to get fired up about using video or living your passion, then read this book.
2. Follow @JeffUnderwwodTV on Twitter. Jeff is a client and a friend, but I have never met anyone as excited about the possibilities of video and social media. He's going to do great things and is happy to share his secrets.

Trend 3: Gilbert Small Business Alliance

At least five business people have mentioned or asked me about the Gilbert Small Business Alliance in the last two weeks. That's huge! The GilbertSBA is a lot like a traditional chamber of commerce. They host networking events and promote their member businesses. What makes them great is the low cost of membership, $45 per year vs. $300 for a chamber, and the sheer number of members. It a fast growing organization and a resource for any business owner in Gilbert or the greater East Valley. Visit their website for details www.gilbertsba.com.

These are the trends that I am seeing right now. I would like to hear your thoughts or reactions and any trends that you are hearing everyone talking about.

Only 5 days left to promote your favorite business and possibly put $250 in your own pocket. Nominating your local business puts them in a drawing for a grant worth $35,000. I know EXACTLY how I'd spend in on 910 West if I won. Here's how you can join in:

Step 1 - Nominate THREE or more businesses on LoveALocalBusiness.com before midnight on January 31, 2010.

Step 2 - Encourage others to make this resolution too.  The more people who nominate 3 or more businesses, the more $250 Visa Gift Cards we’ll award.  For every 100 people that nominate at least 3 businesses, we’ll award another gift card.  You must nominate three or more businesses using the same email address to qualify for inclusion in the random drawings for the gift cards.

Step 3 - Wait until the first week of February to find out if you’ve been selected a winner.