Microsoft is premiering two social-network-enabled phones designed to appeal to younger users (aged 14-34) who already live on social networks. And they know just where to reach them—even before the product launch, Microsoft has set up Pages on Facebook for the Kin One and Kin Two.

Naturally, appealing to your audience where they already are is a great way to generate buzz for a new product. With more than a month to go before the official launch, according to MediaPost, “the Facebook page supports more than 100,000 Fans.” I’m not sure what they mean by “supports” (can support?), since I only see 210 fans (Likers?) among the three pages for the Kin (the Kin main page, the Kin One and the Kin Two), including any duplicates.

However, the overall point remains true—and the product itself is still weeks away from launch. Says MediaPost:

Facebook Fans are important — but Mich Mathews, chief marketing officer at Microsoft, told attendees at the exclusive 40-exec invitation-only PTTOW event in Dana Point, Calif. that when brands play in social, it’s just as important to follow the writing on the wall, whether it’s positive or nagative. [sic]

Marketing experts who gathered for the two-day event agree that it has become a continual learning process to integrate social media into campaigns. And it’s even tougher when the audience becomes consumers ranging in age between 14 and 34. This age group tends to discuss likes and dislikes online more freely. They talk about brands whether or not those brands have official sites and pages on Facebook or YouTube.

Drumming up early interest and making sure you have a place to host conversations about your product is always a good idea. Microsoft is using their Facebook page to tout reviews around the web as well—which also enables followers to bring the conversation onto the Kin’s Facebook page, instead of Gizmodo or Techcrunch, et al.

Meanwhile, as FB’s chief revenue officer, Mike Murphy, puts it, the fan pages offer another advantage: they’re “a sustainable asset even after the campaign ends.” The pages give the brand a home for their interactions with consumers. But it’s important that the brands don’t forget or neglect those interactions, too

What do you think? What other ways can brands host the conversations and find fans in social media?