Archive for October, 2010

Personal Page vs. Business Page on Facebook

October 19th, 2010

likeA common question I hear is “What’s the difference between a personal page on Facebook and a business page?” The next question I get from business owners is “Do I really have to have a business page? It’s enough work to keep up with my personal page.”

The simple answer: Yes! The benefits outweigh the minimal time commitment it takes to keep your Facebook business page current and engaging.

The benefits include:

  • Visible to Non-Facebook Users – Your whole page will show up even if someone isn’t logged in to Facebook or doesn’t have an account at all. Personal pages only shows basic information and a few of your friends to unregistered visitors.
  • Search Engine Indexing – Google and other search engines will index all of your posts on your business page, meaning better search engine optimization for your company. Try it out by going to Google & searching for “site:facebook.com/gailnottsocialmedia blogging”.
  • Unlimited “Fans” & No Need to Confirm – Personal pages are limited to 5000 friends and each friend must be confirmed by clicking a button. There is no limit to how many people can “like” your business & you do not have to do confirm them. You still have control over removing fans or comments made on your wall.
  • Dual Relationships – Whether your profession or industry requires it or it’s a personal preference, having a Business page allows a separation between your personal & business life. It also gives your clients a choice; not every person you’ve done business with wants to be your Facebook friend. They might want to keep their personal lives private.
  • Easier to Advertise – The “Like” box and the targeted ads on Facebook can only be used for Business pages.
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Posted in Social Networking, Tips

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

October 12th, 2010

repurposeIt is a sad fact of blogging that over time, our older posts fall by the wayside and are hardly ever accessed by new readers. Why is it sad? Because it is a waste. Older content my be well-written and full of timeless, useful information that your readers would find just as juicy as newer content. They are missing out and you aren’t getting your readers deep enough into your blog.

So now you must be wondering, “How do I get my readers to go deeper and access those timeless treasures?”. One thing you might want to consider is a featured content slider, one that is set up to present readers with a doorway to your older, but still relevant posts. Content sliders are ideal for this purpose and there are many free sliders available for you to use on your blog.

What is a content slider you ask? Well, you’ve probably seen them around the web. A content slider is a script or widget that produces a slide show of linked images and/or text that presents the viewer with additional content that they can visit by clicking on the slide or text currently visible in the presentation window. Using the slider to feature older content is an excellent way to entice your blog visitors to go deeper into your blog and recycle older content that would otherwise be lying dormant in your blog archives.

Content sliders are highly configurable by the user and can be customized extensively. You choose images and/or text to include in the slide show and link them to content that might otherwise be overlooked. By regularly changing up the content in the slider, your readers get exposed to many more of the useful, but potentially forgotten posts on your blog. This is a very effective tool to help make your blog more interactive for your readers.

Here are a few places to find content sliders and information on how to set them up and use them:

In most cases, content slider scripts, require you to make changes to the code in order to customize the slideshow to your needs. Not everybody is comfortable doing this. If you would still like to include a content slider without having to touch the code, you might want to consider the Simple SlideShow Widget from Wowzio. This simple to set up widget will automatically display the last 50 images on your blog and link to the posts containing them. This alternative is only effective if you use images in your posts on a regular basis.

For WordPress users, upgrading your current theme to a new template that includes a content slider might just do the trick. Here are some WP themes that include content sliders:

You can find two such themes, QuenchMag and CorporateMag on the Top WP Themes site.
On the Themes2WP site you will find two more offerings, Fickle Celebrity and Blue Star Mag.

There is also a WP Featured Content Slider plugin available from WordPress.org, that can be added to existing WordPress blogs.

Whichever way you choose to implement it, a featured content slider can be a valuable addition to your blog. It’s a great way to engage your readers and draw them deeper into your posts. Once they discover how much great content you have, they will be compelled to delve deeper and visit often.

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Posted in Tips

The Truth About Social Media ROI

October 6th, 2010

mythbusters-shirtEleven Myths About Social Media ROI:

1.     Social Media is Free. While using social media seems free on the outset, it does require time, skill, and money. Remember your time is worth something. But it takes a lot of time and dedication to keep your content fresh.

2.     Getting Viral is Easy. Unless you are a star, becoming a web sensation with your content can only occur if your audience cares about your brand or if you have a truly original product or idea that would excite users to the extent that they would put their reputation on the line and be compelled to share it with their friends. But it takes a lot of time and dedication to keep your content fresh.

3.     It is all about the Popular Social Sites. Some social sites make more sense than others. Myspace for example has a strong music community following and would be more useful for artists than LinkedIn. However, if you are a businesses looking to hire talent, they would find LinkedIn more useful. Do not rely entirely on one social network, but choose the most relevant that would help you succeed.

4.     If it is Amazing, then Users will Find it. While viral content can spread very quickly, it is important to be the first to light the fire and help the virus to spread through better SEO, tweeting, blogs, commenting on other blogs and sharing it with your friends or followers. Do not expect magic to happen by itself. It needs initial momentum.

5.     You Can Not Build Meaningful Relationships Online. This is far from the truth. Social media can help you connect and interact directly with your target audience globally, not just locally. Even if they do not turn into revenue, they could provide you with valuable insight, reaction and constructive criticism that can help you significantly.

6.     Social Media is for Young People. While this might have been true in the initial stages of social networking, the demographics of a social media user varies and crosses all age ranges.

7.     It is a Trend Waiting to End. Social media is not a fad. It has become a part of life and will only grow with the increased use of smart phones that encourage social interactions online.

8.     Giving Products Away for Free means Zero Profits. Not necessarily. By giving products away for free you can gain subscribers, visitors and grow your email list. More importantly, by providing free content, you grow your brand and credibility. The more you give away through social media, the more you receive from your audience.

9.     It is Easy to Master Social Media. While social media can theoretically be easy to understand, there is a learning curve and expertise that only experience can bring. The best social media marketers have a track record in regards to social media activity and interactions on the web. They have a clear understanding of how social media, measurement and what your audience wants using the proper social etiquette to achieve desirable results.

10.  Social Media Does Not Help Branding. Social media can be useful for receiving feedback from customers as well as used as a tool to manage your brand’s reputations. It gives you the unique opportunity to listen to your audience and find out what people are saying about your brand.

11.  Social Media Can Not be Measured. This is the biggest misconception. You can monitor your social media efficiency using Key Performance Indicators that are tied with your overall organizational goals and strategy. Using tracking tools and analytics, all engagement using social media can be measured and be used to make decisions that would affect your organization positively in reaching its objectives.

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Posted in Social Networking, Web 2.0