For example, text “fan Mashable” to 32665 (which spells out ‘FBOOK’ on your phone) and you become a Mashable Facebook fan.

Is there anyone who find this working? This could be very useful, but unfortunately it’s not working in Slovenia.

The article about this is from 2009. You can read it here http://mashable.com/2009/03/26/facebook-pages-text-messaging/

@leopoldpanovi @mike-stelzner

Interesting topic! There are a bunch of benefits to doing this if done right (that will mean something different to every company).

The key to me is they would have to opt-in. I recently wrote a blog article on this topic and learned that the gov’t is prosecuting companies who are spamming marketing text messages that are unsolicited and where people have not opted-in:

“According to a Business Law Center article in February 2011 (please click and read the article) texting that comes from a phone network falls under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act.”
Link to article if you would like to read more: http://www.theinternetconference.net/online-magazine/sms-text-advertising-not-a-good-idea/

In Mari’s case, people want her information. But just getting numbers randomly and doing this can get you in a lot of trouble.

Just want to throw that out there. We all need to know how great the technologies are, but also what can get us into trouble, even when we don’t know.

@leopoldpanovi

Exactly, it was a way for them to opt-in to Mari to get the messages. Great example of how to use it.

But a lot of small business owners and marketers are unaware of how it’s done. They just know if they get the numbers they can have fun, lol.

@donpurdum

There is no phone number ever sent to anyone but Facebook.  And updates are never sent back via the text messages.

Instead Facebook has integrated SMS messages with Facebook simply allowing someone who already has connected their mobile to their Facebook account to become a Fan of any page with a simple text message.

That is the end of the communication and it is fully handled by Facebook

did not know this guys, will be able to use this for a client who has 200,000 mobile numbers in CRM, they will be happy! 

knew there was a reason i came here!! 

@stevencole if your client will use this idea can you give us results I’m very curious how many people are using facebook over SMS status updated. In Slovenia I think there is many of those