Facebook Questions launched, good for viral marketing research

Posted by Bradley Wint on 28/03/2011

Facebook has launched a proper version of their Questions app, which allows both users and Page owners to ask their peers questions about pretty much anything.

The new app allows a user to create a question with any amount of choices, so his friends or fans can choose one or multiple options. The great thing about the question is that it can be passed down to friends of friends once the user answers the question or follows it. Also, a user can allow others to add custom answers to the question, so if the initial options don’t have a desired answer, then a user can add extra options, which can then be seen by others as well.

From a marketing stand point, the poll seems like a very easy way to gather some needed information from the social web community. Since Page owners are allowed to ask questions, they can quickly gather information from their fans about new product ideas, sales strategies and what not. With the option to add answers, they can also find out new information not yet available to their marketing/PR department.

Here is one we just created about mobile Operating Systems.  A link will be generated on the profile feed of anyone who answers or follows this question, thus passing it on to their friends who can in turn answer or follow it.

Within just a couple days, I’ve seen over 100 questions already created by my friends alone, so it’s pretty safe to say the app is doing pretty well.

Will it be a fad though, is the big question? For more information about Questions, check out the new page here.