Skype was already a great app, now Facebook Integration makes it a must have for any serious Social Media effort.

1) Skype is a serious player.

They have filed to go public this past August 2010 and have a number of ventures going on with companies like Facebook , Avaya, and Verizon.    More Skype news can be found here.  Skype has gone over  12% market share in International Calls by the end of 2009.  By then already the World’s largest provider of Long Distance, references here, here, and here.    After the IPO expect Skype to get even bigger and foster more partnerships and integration.

2) Skype with Facebook integration is a Killer App.

Killer.  As in Fatal.  Did you know that Facebook has over 100 Million Mobile users?  Yes, Facebook has over 500 Million users and 100 Million and counting registered Mobile Phones.  Everyone of those phones will be potentially available to Skype with the Skype / Facebook integration.   People use their mobile phones to interact with each other on Facebook.  Skype will quickly become a natural extension of this, especially with the news feed integration.  Skype will make it ridiculously easy to reach out and touch someone.  You need it to be you!  Get your Skype ID out into the Social Media world.  Else they will call your competition.

3) Skype’s advanced features work for any business and size.

For me, Skype was the best way to chat.  Forget phone calls, forget video, screen sharing, conferences, brainstorming or any of the other advanced features.  Skype covers the full range of Long Distance Communication.  The Video is not as good as dedicated Video Conference Facilities.  But, what are you paying for it?!?!?!  With new enhanced features in Version 5.0 Skype will support 5 and then 10 simultaneous video users.  Worth checking out.  Skype is big news!  Seriously, like in CNN, ABC, CBS and others use Skype for their newscasts!    More information here, and here.

4) Skype is the new cell phone!

Do you honestly want to not have a cell phone?  Can you remember the days of have / have nots?  Hell, even Tibetan Monks carry cell phones these days.  Skype is the new cell phone, get it!  Register your username(s) and start figuring it out.  You’ll be embarrassed if you do not.  Tryout the features by adding me as a contact passionating.biz as a Skype username.  The best news is that Skype is blending VOIP with your cell phone.  Skype is available as an App for the popular Android (Google) phones, the iPhone and others.  Check out your choices here.   Despite early noise that using Skype on your Droid drains your battery (call me & I’ll tell you how to get around that) it is a great way to make free international calls Skype to Skype.   Think about this, all of your contacts on Facebook, Skype, and your phone can seamlessly blend together, if you choose.  You do not have to know someone’s phone number to call them anymore.

5) Skype can combine with Google Voice — you heard it hear first!

Do you have a Google Voice account?  Read about that here.  If not then why not?  Here’s a killer idea…  Tie you new Skype ID to a Google Voice account.  You will get the best of all worlds.  Skype can be set up to Voice Out.  Instead of having to go to a PC your Skype account can ring into a “normal” phone line.  This feature is a paid service.  It is a very handy paid service.  You can have a Skype ID on Facebook that when “called” however it is called by whomever will ring through to your phone.  Make it a Google Voice phone and take advantage of call screening, or SMS notifications of messages, or transcripts of Voice Mail, or the ability to call forward or call pick up.

Need help or want more great ideas?  Skype me at passionating.biz or Google Voice me 484-639-9789!