Facebook Cards - business or pleasure?
Facebook has taken a step to mix social networking and offline business networking – by making business cards from your timeline.
So-called Facebook Cards are made from a template using an individual’s Cover Photo and Profile information.
The social networking website partnered with company MOO Cards, which among other items, produce MiniCards - business cards the size of chewing gum sticks, to offer the cards.
Originally given away free to the first 200,000 users in early January – with the first 50,000 also receiving free delivery.
For those who don’t know, Facebook unveiled its Timeline feature, a total revamp of profile pages, at its September 2011 conference. Timeline allows users to make a visual history of everything you’ve ever done, even from when you were born, regenerating past Facebook content so it doesn’t just drop off your profile never to be seen again. You can even add past photos to fill your timeline in the ‘Way Back’ section.
The new profiles also include a map feature that lets you see which places you’ve been to through Facebook Places.
The cards are available to purchase on MOO’s website, with the minimum order at 50 cards and up to 200 maximum, It is possible for each Facebook Card to contain a different Cover Photo. Each card will show your name, company or college, where you live, your Facebook URL, phone number and e-mail address.
On the back of the card is space for you to add your own quotation or sentence about yourself. The first quote in your Favourite Quotations field will be automatically set, although it can be edited.
“MOO.com is very excited to announce this integration with Facebook to provide a revolutionary new customer experience that brings together Facebook Timeline with MOO’s high-quality printed products,” said MOO CEO and Founder Richard Moross in a press release.
Of course, any professional worth his or her salt will have a company business card. But is having a Facebook Card a worthy addition to your wallet or purse? Is it really necessary for someone you have just acquainted yourself with to know what your favourite quote is?
Depending on the sort of content on your Facebook Profile, it’s the age old adage of mixing business with pleasure. Personally, I’m not sure I would want to encourage people I meet in a professional capacity to add me on Facebook and trawl through my photos, see my friends’ posts to my wall and so on. On the other hand, I suppose it does show a different, more creative side to someone’s personality as opposed to a formal business card.
What would you prefer?
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