This paper undertakes a systematic review to gain insight into existing studies on the application of Social Network Sites (SNS). Our systematic review of studies from 1995 to 2012 examines the background and trend of research in the area and provides critical factors that organizations should consider for effectively use social networking sites to communicate with their customers. We note a huge growth in the number of academic papers on the topic since 1998. Seventeen factors were identified as a result of review, which shaped two main themes: (i) A customercentric organizational culture, and (ii) SNS Know-How. The findings show that for a successful and effective use of SNSs, and in particular Facebook, a combination of good understanding of SNSs' tools and capabilities as well as a constant and transparent relationship with customers are essential. The findings show that for a successful and effective use of SNSs, and in particular Facebook, a combination of good understanding of SNSs' tools and capabilities as well as a constant and transparent relationship with customers are essential.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.