Facebook Connect was actually released back in 2008 but is definitely worthy knowledge. Facebook Connect allows users to "connect" the website they are currently on to their Facebook identity. How does this help? Well Facebook Connect has 4 major features.
Trusted Authentication – Anytime a user is required to authenticate or log in to their Facebook account on a website, they are never sending their login credentials to the individual website. Instead, an overlay or "LightBox" containing the Facebook Connect login page is displayed over top of the website. This allows the user the ability to login and thus connect the current website to their Facebook account without worrying about the individual website having access to the username and password. Once this step is complete the visitor will continue browsing the website while connected to Facebook.
Real Identity – Users can bring their real identity information with them wherever they go on the open Web, including: basic profile information, profile picture, name, friends, photos, events, groups, and more.
Friends Access – Users will be able to take their friends with them wherever they go on the open Web. Developers will be able to add rich social context to their websites, and will be able to show which of their Facebook friends already have accounts on their sites.
Dynamic Privacy – As a user moves around the open Web, their privacy settings will follow, ensuring that users' information and privacy rules are always up-to-date. That all sounds pretty neat, but what kind of business opportunities does this open? Let's say you're visiting a site like CitySearch, one of Connect's early adopters. Rather than having to create an account, you just click the Facebook logo at the top of the page. If you're already signed into Facebook in another window, it picks up your ID, asks for your privacy preferences, and you're in. Your Facebook profile is then basically in front of you. Your name and photo automatically appear, and you can see your friends' activity, too.
But the real power for the social web user comes in the interactive action. You can, for example, review a restaurant on CitySearch, and have the review sent back over to your Facebook Wall at the same time it's posted on CitySearch.
The content shows up on Facebook as if it were any other Wall posting. The full extent of your activity is listed, along with a link for people to follow.
The fact that actions taking place by users on a website which can also be reflected on their Facebook profile is exponentially valuable. In my opinion this will change the way social media tactics will deployed within overall website strategies.
