My Predictions for a Multichannel Marketing Evolution (re: Facebook)

Today’s Facebook universal messaging system announcement sheds light on a growing industry with an increase in opportunities for marketers.

Facebook messaging, which adds email to their system for the first time, will focus on four channels of communication: SMS, Facebook messaging, IM and email. Facebook users will have the ability to obtain @facebook.com email addresses as part of the new system.

Three Predictions for 2011 and Beyond:
#1: The Like Button Will Become a Universal Multichannel Opt-In
Rather than requiring individuals complete forms, the Facebook Like button will become a universal opt-in method. This will prove to be beneficial to marketers. Because Facebook’s system will automatically detect where the user is located (either at a computer, on their mobile device or completely offline), only one method of communication will be required to reach subscribers.

#2: Facebook Messaging Will Force a 2-Way Dialogue
With today’s announcement, businesses reaching out to Facebook users must be aware of the differences between current email clients and the modern messaging system. From now on, messaging experiences of users will gradually morph from formal, lengthy messages to shorter and more personal communications.

#3: A Decreased Need for Multichannel Solutions
Once Facebook messaging adopts traditional email protocols such as IMAP, marketers will no longer need to create separate messages for each channel. With a universal messaging system, the need for single-channel technologies (such as SMS-only or email-only messaging vendors) will fall by the wayside and only a single system will be necessary.