There is no longer any room for skepticism when it comes to the influence social media is now exerting over everyday commerce.  The popularity of social media sites continues to grow exponentially, and online retailers are embracing that fact instead of fighting it.

Before too long, everyone may be accessing favorite online merchants exclusively through Facebook or MySpace.  The explosion of Facebook fan pages and the millions of daily hits they receive are helping companies that promote via social media to drive web traffic in unprecedented ways.

In a June, 2010 survey by SeeWhy, 67% of the online retailers that responded said they plan to use Facebook to promote web traffic.  Another 44% indicated that they plan to rely on Facebook applications instead of microsites for brand/product launches and specific promotions, and 26% plan to build ecommerce applications directly on Facebook itself.

That last one is a key statistic, because it means that merchants are starting to anticipate that Facebook is becoming a more reliable promotional platform than Google searches or even their own websites.

If your company is planning to jump on the same bandwagon, you may need a little help.  There are firms out there that are dedicated to creating Facebook apps designed to drive traffic and take full advantage of the 500 million-plus following that Facebook has these days.

Avenue Social (www.avenuesocial.com) is one such firm.  With over 150 designers specializing in Facebook and iPhone application conception, Avenue Social is one of the largest social media development companies in the world.  Like other firms that focus on this area, the company provides comprehensive help from initial concept through complete marketing campaign implementation.

With the ever-growing glut of Facebook applications (over 550,000 to date, more than twice as many as those available for the iPhone) originality may start to become a casualty.  That’s why a firm dedicated to creative application development is essential, and it’s also the reason that corporations like Disney or Toyota often rely on the Avenue Socials of the world instead of always trying to handle their promotional apps internally.

If your company is intent on optimizing what two-thirds of online retailers already know, you should strongly consider a professionally-developed Facebook app. A professional developer like Avenue Social will ensure you find the best seat on the fast moving social media locomotive.

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