Is it time for a two-tier relationship on Facebook?

My biggest dilemma at present with Facebook is that a selection of my friends are refusing to join Facebook scared off by the media stories around “identify theft”, or worrying that what they do on Facebook will end up biting them in the butt (as it were) at some future point. It really gets in the way of being able to share and interact in a consistent way with all my extended friends.

There is, though, a much bigger issue then this about how to improve the offer from Facebook, in my view.

There is an opportunity for a “two-tier” Facebook. And it would be great if they more actively developed tools for this as the next wave of product improvement versus focusing on the churning out of these applications to super poke and what not.

Let me explain.

I had, and have still, a dilemma over whom to accept as “friends”. On the one hand I really want to build a network and connect with a broader group, which would include work mates that I like, find interesting and get along with not just on a strictly work based level. It would also include people from agencies, or suppliers, that I get along with and want to keep in touch with, maybe to work with them in the future. It even includes people I found interesting from groups I have joined.

On the other hand I also want to really be able to keep in touch with my close friends all over the country and world.

However, with the first set (the more networking type of friends) I know that in the real world I will never have show them pictures of me partying at my best mate’s 40th birthday or other bits and pieces. My startled nephew started madly reviewing and deleting photos and details when his mother popped up on Facebook with a friend request spoiling his fun on the site. But you can’t really reject your mother’s request, can you?

The way I deal with this now is using the Facebook “privacy” feature. Few people seem to know about this, but it is the best way I can find of managing two sets of relationships: work/ professional/ networking based friends and “personal” friends.

In the “privacy” feature you can set a “limited” profile of the core Facebook applications (but not the all of the add-ons so you need to watch what you are adding). You then add in by name the people who see your “limited” and your full profile with all your silly bits and pieces. So, for example, you can keep the photos of your kids, your granny or you dancing until dawn at some wedding to your closest circle who were probably there anyway.

The problem of course is that you risk offending with this approach, as people may find it insulting or odd that you are treating them as “limited”. The only other options are (1) to be like the comedian Stephen Fry who only let personal friends into his profile and set up a group for fans and interested parties, but that would be a bit too pompous for most of us to do; (2) decide to use Facebook for only one use and stick to it or (3) have 2 profiles (one with a work email and one with a work email). But that seems all a bit hard.

So my marketing tip to Facebook is: focus your development on letting people manage two types of equally important relationships on the site better. Eventually you could be sending or accepting a “Networking Friend” and a “Personal friend” request?

Saying all that, you can visit the Unleashed on Marketing Blog/ Podcast Group on Facebook by clicking here, and my profile by clicking here.

What do you think? Leave a comment below!