Facebook (FB) is widely known to be the world’s largest social networking platform. On the other hand, LinkedIn (LNKD), which was recently acquired by Microsoft Corporation (MSFT), bears the tag of being the world’s largest professional networking platform. While LinkedIn markets itself as a professional network, Facebook has always kept its focus on maintaining its social tag. However, based on developments over the last few years, it appears Facebook’s social tag is pretty much in the balance.

Analysts have always questioned Facebook’s ability to create a professional setting for its wide business clientele. Businesses want to capitalise on Facebook’s massive user-base in a bid to boosting sales, and they do not want to just focus on the platforms ad network. They want to use other channels as well. Financial trading companies are looking to convert their Facebook and other social networking platforms’ followers into customers. For instance, on the Stern Options Facebook page you will find daily analysis so instead of browsing through tons of financial websites and learning everything on your own, you just watch their short video and learn about everything that’s happening today. Of course, further research is always a good idea, but this is a great place to start.

Over the last few years, Facebook has seen increased activity in professional interactions as compared to the last decade when most people were using the platform for social purposes only. The company’s subsidiary platform Instagram is also now highly targeted by professionals who intend to use it for business purposes. It’s no longer about sharing status updates for the sake of it.

Companies and individuals have analysed the profiles in such a way that they can easily target a specific group of followers at certain times of the day. Others seek to maximise post viewership, which in turn results in increased click-through rates to their websites.

As such, Facebook is no longer just the social platform that used to identify with personal status updates, family and friends photo sharing, and good will messages to colleagues. Instead, professionals are turning Facebook into an information mine, where they can learn different aspects of their targeted customers and develop customised products.

On the other hand, there are those that are straight with their followers. Financial trading companies now provide auxiliary services via social networking platforms. Some of the services, as the case of Stern Options, include daily and weekly market analysis, as well as, trading tips. Trading signal service providers have also leveraged the use of social media platforms to reach out to their customers. They provide daily trading signals to those subscribed to their products at a fee.

There is nothing camouflaged about their intentions, which is to sell more products through social media, as well as, widen their customer base.

With Facebook’s innovative social networking platform, it is easy to expand product offering by targeting those that are already subscribed to other company products. Some businesses and individuals have taken advantage of the platform to result to sending their connections spam messages with the intention of redirecting them to other websites.

How many times have you come across a post by a renowned celebrity that redirects to one of those wired sites? It is what companies are calling brand marketing. They simply signup a popular figure in social media to get the word out for them. Yet as a loyal follower of a certain celebrity, you are probably looking for posts that are more intimate and less capitalist. This has now spread to close friends and families who have a couple of thousand connections/friends.

In general, a few years ago, people were worried of whom they connect with on social media platforms like Facebook. However, right now, most are open for as many connections as possible because Facebook is now turning into more of a professional network than it is a social network.

Conclusion

In summary, the world’s largest social media platform appears to be losing its social tag. While the company has partly played its part in its attempt to monetizing its massive user-base, businesses and individuals have taken the shift to the next level.

In fact, if you are not careful these days, you could easily end up in a dangerous site if you follow any link redirect you come across on Facebook. Nonetheless, there are several Facebook users who are genuine about their intentions.

A good example has been highlighted here in the form of financial trading brands that provide analysis and advice to traders. But overall, Facebook’s social status tag appears to be hanging in the balance.