Many employers probably still resent the time employees waste on Facebook during the day sharing videos and liking each other’s status updates, but now Facebook wants people to spend even more time on the platform with its dedicated Work app for businesses.
Facebook has unveiled the long rumoured Facebook for business product – Facebook Work – as it looks to grow its already massive audience and provide additional reasons for people to spend more of their time with the platform. At the end of last year Facebook revealed a Nielsen stat that claims a third of all time on mobile is already spent with Facebook.
The product, which has functions similar to other corporate chat platforms such as Microsoft’s Yammer, means that businesses cans set up internal micro-networks accessible only by employees.
Users set up a Work profile that is separate to their personal profile and information shared is only visible with others using a corporate email on the platform. So Clemenger Sydney could set up a network that only people working at Clemenger Sydney can access.
It is launching with a limited number of companies in the pilot, and has been running a beta with a handful of companies for several months. It is also already the platform that Facebook uses internally.
Part of the aim is to help teams communicate and collaborate more easily.
In line with recent launches like Messenger, Rooms and Groups, the platform will launch as a standalone app, and will be available on Apple, Android and a web platform imminently.
Initially it is running ad-free, but there are suggestions out of the US that down the line as with most of its product launches, Facebook will turn to ads, or a paid for service to monetise it.
As rumours circulated about the potential product, it has been labelled a “LinkedIn killer” but a Facebook Australia spokesperson shrugged this off, highlighting the differences between the two networks.
However, LinkedIn yesterday also announced that it plans to introduce a similar messenger service for businesses.
For more news:
Beyond Facebook: Step into dark social
Opinion: Social commerce is coming - are you ready?
Facebook: what marketers need to know in 2015
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Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop me a line at rosiebaker@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day. Need a job? Visit adnewsjobs.com.au.