Facebook has hit another incredible milestone yesterday; the social network now has over a billion active monthly users. Did you read that right? That’s a BILLION with a B. Every single month. Marketing using Facebookcan potentially reach more people than any other media outlet ever.

Zuckerberg kept it low key, simply publishing the following on his Facebook Newsroom:

“This morning, there are more than one billion people using Facebook actively each month. If you’re reading this: thank you for giving me and my little team the honor of serving you. Helping a billion people connect is amazing, humbling and by far the thing I am most proud of in my life. I am committed to working every day to make Facebook better for you, and hopefully together one day we will be able to connect the rest of the world too.”

With one billion users a month, can we finally ALL agree that Facebook is a marketing necessity? At this point, if you’re not on Facebook, it’s not because you don’t see the worth.

It’s because you’re lazy…and maybe a little afraid.

You’re lazy because it’s another thing to add to your plate. You’ve been safely ignoring it, telling yourself it wasn’t important enough to merit some of your precious time. That’s simply not true. If you don’t want to handle it, then hire someone to do it for you, but don’t tell yourself it’s not important. A billion monthly users say differently.

You’re scared, because we’re all afraid of the unknown. Facebook represents a brand new age in marketing–the social age–and for all of us who didn’t grow up with it, it’s going to take some getting used to. All I’m asking is that you give it a chance. Many (maybe most) of you already have, but I’m talking to the holdouts here. Don’t be intimidated by social marketing on sites like Facebook. You’ve faced incredible marketing challenges in your life and you have overcome them.

Don’t be left behind by the one your 12-year-old niece checks before breakfast.

Original article about Facebook's milestone posted on Wikimotive's blog under the title Facebook Hits A Billion Monthly Users.