Facebook’s preparation for the IPO ignited discussions on changes this might bring to what has become part of everyday life for millions of people around the world.

Mitch Joel, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Marketing Association and one of the top 100 online marketers in the world, shares his views in blog post “Expect Big Changes at Facebook”.

In his blog post, Mr. Joel suggests several directions for Facebook in the coming years: a change of Facebook’s team and culture, trend towards better compatibility with mobile devices, and integration into developing platforms like Apple television and Google TV.

More interesting is, though, how Facebook has revolutionized the world and how it continues to grow and impact the way that people interact. Although much of Facebook’s recent profits come from advertising, it creates new opportunities for marketers in a more significant way. Mr. Joel believes that Facebook is primarily a source of valuable information, that when used wisely becomes a powerful tool.

The level of detail of information that Facebook has is indeed unprecedented. Most importantly, information about people’s lifestyle and personality – factors that apparently affect consumers’ behavior the most. With more precise understanding of consumer’s needs and wants, marketers will be able to develop better products and services.

As Mark Zuckerberg wrote in his Letter to Shareholders, “a more open world is a better world because people with more information can make better decisions”