So you thought it would be as easy as putting an ad on Facebook with its massive user base, did you? Well, you may be right. The truth is that Facebook ads generally do get a great click through rate (according to marketing firm ForeSee, 8% of Facebook users have clicked on an ad). However, let's be clear. Users claim to hate Facebook Ads.

According to the 2010 American Customer Satisfaction Index's (ACSI) E-Business Report, Facebook scored only a 64 out of 100 on the ASCI ranking scale. That puts Facebook in the bottom five percent of all public companies that the survey looks at, and below the IRS. A big reason for the dissatisfaction? Ads.

In the ForeSee report, 21% of users said that Facebook ads interfered with their experience. That's actually not a bad number! 17% even said that some of the ads were relevant to their interest. That's a great number! And combined with the click through number above, Facebook looks like a heaven for marketers!

It's not! Social media is not a great sales converter. It's a great brand awareness builder, which can lead to sales down the road. But if your hope is that you're going to put up a Facebook ad and make millions, you would be the exception, not the rule. You need an amazing message and an amazing product, and a very active Facebook page doesn't hurt, either!

Facebook is a critical part of any marketing strategy these days, but you have to go in with realistic expectations. It's not a search engine (yet - give it time!). These are not people directly looking for your product or service. It's a social network, where people are hanging out with their friends. Keep your expectations real and you can build brand and community on there. Think of it as an AdWords substitution and you won't be happy with the results!