Matt Giovanisci provides online links to the latest ads, sales, coupons and specials for Niagara Pools & Spas. He also offers advice on winterizing, and suggests solar pills and blankets to keep pool temperatures warm.

And Lynn White posts pictures of Water Works Pool & Spa employees, as well as informing customers of seasonal store hours and manufacturer rebates.

Welcome to the world of Facebook, retail-style.

“I just want to be on the cutting edge of things,” says White, whose store serves Tuscaloosa, Ala., and the surrounding area. “I don’t want to be the one that’s left behind. Plus the pool and hot tub industry is very visual, and this [medium] plays right into that.”

By fall 2009, Facebook, the online social networking phenomenon, had attracted upwards of 80 million users in the United States alone, with thousands more joining each day. Analysts believe nearly 25 percent of the American population currently subscribes to the free service.

And it’s not just the younger, computer-savvy generation — it’s seniors as well. Consider this: In the first six months of 2009, the number of Facebook users aged 55 and older grew by 513 percent, according to analytics company iStrategyLabs.

With millions of potential consumers accessing so much information in real time, the marketing possibilities are endless. And a small but growing group of pool and spa retailers already have embraced the mechanism. Whether it’s used to keep customers informed, share tips and advice, enhance an online presence, or simply foster a sense of community, Facebook has evolved into a powerful business tool. Read the rest of this entry »