FACEBOOK FAN PAGES GO TO THE MOVIES!

The lights go down, the curtains part, and now it’s time to see the “Coming Attractions” at your favorite movie theater. Until recently, the best place to find the latest movie trailers was at the theater itself or on TV if you happened to be watching during the right commercial break.

Then along came movie websites. These were great because if you missed seeing the movie trailer elsewhere, you could find it on a dedicated web page and watch it at your leisure. For awhile, these static sites were the most common way to promote films online and were popular because of their cool graphics and Flash effects.

Not anymore! There is a new trend with movie companies using Facebook Fan Pages instead of static websites to promote their new movies. One example is the Facebook Fan Page for the romantic comedy When in Rome just released in January. This is a highly interactive Fan Page where fans can view the movie trailer, participate in a Fan Board and Discussion Board, and respond to Wall Posts offering contests and surveys – a far cry from passively watching the movie previews flash by on the theater screen. The static website for When in Rome even provides links to its Social Media sites, encouraging visitors to join the conversation.

The power of this Social Media Marketing trend is not an illusion. In her blog post “Four Reasons You Should Setup a Facebook Fan Page” , Tomeeka Farrington relates how the small-budget movie Paranormal Activity became highly successful as a result of its Facebook Fan Page, where fans were able to purchase tickets, compare their reactions with each other and recommend the movie to their own social networks. According to Farrington, “following 2-weeks of nationwide midnight only sellouts and fan frenzy over the limited release hit thriller, Paranormal Activity earned Paramount $7.1 million in its opening weekend, showing in just 200 theaters.”

Radio stations are also beginning to recognize the powerful exposure they receive through Social Networking. The Message, a Sirius XM radio station, has created a Facebook Fan Page where fans can post comments on the Wall, see photos, participate in discussions and be notified of upcoming events hosted by the radio station itself.

This trend towards this type of Social Media promotion has created a fast-growing client base for those with Fan Page skills. In fact, many VAClassroom students who have taken our Facebook Fan Pages Program have seen rapid opportunities open up for their businesses after adding this new service to their businesses. It seems there is no end to the type of clients that will need Facebook Fanpage implementation services in 2010: hotels, local businesses, celebrities, non-profits, big events… the list goes on!

So the next time you want to see the Coming Attractions, you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home. Just log on to Facebook and pull up your desk chair… but you’ll have to make your own popcorn.