Facebook Lists & Close Friends

If you’ve spent some time playing around on Facebook, you’ve probably come across a few dilemmas regarding the information you upload on your page. You may not want your boss to see those photos from Friday night’s happy hour, for example!

Thankfully, Facebook allows you to filter your information via the “Lists” feature, which functions similarly to “Circles” on Google+. Creating lists enables you to categorize your Facebook friends into distinct groups, such as “coworkers,” “family,” etc. (note that this feature is only intended for use on your personal page, and not your brand page, as you cannot divide your brand page fans into lists).

One of the benefits of lists is that you can target specific status updates (or other information uploaded to your personal page) towards a specific group of friends. For example, if you’re posting about your weekend plans, you can select “friends,” and “family” as the lists that will see the status update, but leave out “coworkers” or “acquaintances.”

To manage your lists, simply visit the “Lists” link on the left hand side of your Facebook home page.

At the top of this page, you’ll see a button entitled “Create List.” You can choose whichever title you want for your list, and then begin adding friends by clicking the names of the people you’d like to include in that specific list. Once you’ve created your lists, you can change your privacy settings to reflect which lists will see which types of posts.

You may have noticed that Facebook occasionally suggests certain friends for a “Close Friends” list, a feature that is relatively new. Note that if you add your friends to this list, by default you will receive notifications every time one of these friends posts a status, photo, video, etc. These settings can be altered, however. Simply click on the “Close Friends” list, click on the “Notifications” dropdown menu in the top right corner, and choose whether you want to receive these extra alerts or not.

What do you think of Facebook lists? Are they helpful? Do you think that this feature is as successful as Google+ “Circles”? Sound off in the comments or leave us your thoughts on Facebook!

“Sharing” on Facebook

You know about re-tweeting on Twitter, but did you know that there is a similar function on Facebook called “sharing”?

Facebook sharing is a useful tool for spreading the word about events, promotions, or simply passing along a status update you find particularly noteworthy. Similar to the Twitter RT (retweet), the share feature allows you to send an exact replica of a friend’s/brand page’s status update, photo, video, etc. to all of your personal friends or fans.

Keep in mind that there is a difference between a “share” and a “like,” although both of these features affect the total “reach” for brand pages, as measured by Facebook Insights (we will be going into detail about Facebook Insights – the way that Facebook measures engagement on your fan page – in future posts). Essentially, a “like” appears on an individual status update or photo, while a “share” will automatically appear on your/your brand page Timeline, as well.

To utilize the share feature, simply click the link above the status or image you wish to share and follow the prompts.

Note the handy text box that pops up above the status you are sharing.

This enables you to add your own description or comment, in addition to the original message.

You can share videos, photos and status updates through your personal page, or while using Facebook as your brand page. As a brand page, sharing can be extremely useful for cross promotions or spreading industry-relevant information. Is there a fun event going on in your community, right next door to your local business? Find the event or organization on Facebook and “share” the status on your page in order to help promote the occasion (and potentially encourage customers to stop by your business along the way!).

Questions about how to/what content to share? Feel free to comment below or find us on Facebook to ask us your social media questions.

 

 

 

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Using Facebook As Your Brand Page

Have you ever seen a brand page commenting or posting on another fan page’s status, or “liking” pages, etc.?

Within Facebook, one normally navigates and comments on pages as themselves (the person in your personal profile).  But in case you didn’t know, Facebook also allows you to navigate and comment as your brand page. This can be a useful way to connect with other businesses you’d like to support, as you are able to “like” a page through your brand page, as well as write on their wall in your “brand mode.”

To enable this feature, click the “Manage” button at the top of your Admin panel. When the drop down menu appears, click the link “Use Facebook as ‘Your Brand Page.’” (screen shot). If you’d like to switch back to personal mode, re-visit this link and click “Use Facebook as ‘Your Personal Page.”

It is a good idea to “like” (as your brand page) some pages that provide content that may be valuable to your business. For example, if your business is a local gym, it may be a good idea to “like” some local health food stores, healthy restaurants, fitness magazines, etc. This is a great way to get involved in cross promotions as well as support other local businesses! You may even gain a fan or two, yourself.

We’d love to connect with your pages on Facebook, too! Give us a “like” with your brand page, and we’ll return the favor. Find us at www.facebook.com/InstantSocialMediaCo.

Advertising on Twitter: Promoted Tweets for Medium to Small Businesses

If you spend some time on Twitter (read about the benefits of Twitter for your business here), you may come across tweets in your Twitter feed from users you have never followed. These “Promoted Tweets” are one of the three methods of Twitter advertising. Twitter also offers “Promoted Trends” and “Promoted Accounts.”

Promoted Tweets are simply regular tweets, which appear on the walls of relevant Twitter users who are not currently following your business. Based on user interests, other users they follow, etc., Twitter determines which users are most likely to follow you, and they then embed your tweets in the targeted user’s Twitter feed. Twitter offers Promoted Tweets on a CPE (cost-per-engagement) basis, similar to the Facebook “cost-per-click” method of pricing. Businesses who wish to advertise place a “bid price,” which is likely to be somewhere between $0.20 and $5.00, each time a user clicks on, retweets, replies to or favorites your tweet. Users never pay for a tweet unless other users are actively engaging.

Promoted Trends appear with the other trending topics, at the top of the list on the left-hand side of user’s home page. They are indicated as advertisements by an arrow and the word “Promoted” directly next to the hashtag or phrase. These ads are available for a flat fee.

Lastly, Promoted Accounts are part of the “Who to Follow” feature on Twitter. Accounts that pay for this service will be “suggested” to other Twitter users based on the user’s interests. These accounts are offered on a CPF (cost-per-follow) basis.

In the past, Promoted Tweets and other forms of advertising were only available to large corporations and brands, such as Coca Cola or McDonald’s. In addition, Promoted Trends have been extremely costly – as much as hundreds of thousands of dollars per day. However, Twitter recently began offering the option for small businesses to promote themselves on Twitter. At the moment, this feature is only available to a select group of businesses. In the coming weeks, however, Twitter will be expanding the offering to more and more small businesses. To keep up to date, and to learn more about promoting your small business on Twitter, visit https://business.twitter.com/en/smallbiz/. To learn more about Promoted Tweets, Trends and Accounts, visit the Twitter help center here: https://support.twitter.com/articles/142101.

Changes to Facebook Advertising

In the past, we have covered some of the basics of how Facebook advertisements function (see blog post  #13). Recently, Facebook announced some changes to their ads, including unveiling some new methods of advertising and “Premium” ads.

So what has changed?

There are officially five different forms of Facebook ads: News Feed ads, the ads that run on the right-hand side of your homepage (now called “Premium” ads), ads that run exclusively on mobile devices, ads that appear when you log out, and offers.

(image courtesy of mashable.com)

The Premium ads on the right-hand side of your home page may now originate from brand pages and will often include a status update or video, rather than the standard banner. The old version of ads with the image and banner is still available, as well.

It is now more common that you will see ads (and that your ads will be viewed) by pages that your friends have already “liked.” Facebook has optimized ads in this way so that users with similar/related interests are more likely to view your advertisements and content.

The “click-through” method of tracking and charging for Facebook ads is different for Premium ads. Now, brands will have to pay for their ads based on the number of “impressions” and reach (similar to television advertisements). Facebook has partnered with Nielsen to generate a system of “gross rating points” that will determine the effectiveness of ad campaigns, as well as de-emphasize click-throughs.  This method is intended to have a more widespread reach, upon a more engaged audience.

All in all, while these are not major changes, they will affect the way your Facebook ads function and how they appear to your fan base. You can learn more about the new Facebook advertising platforms here: www.facebook.com/Ads.

Timeline Changes Continued: The New Admin Panel

We know what you’re thinking… more changes to my fan page? When will the madness end? Here’s the good news: The new Admin Panel is actually designed to make managing your page much easier and more efficient.

This panel is the first thing you’ll see when you access your fan page, as it sits above your cover photo. ONLY page administrators can view this panel, so none of your non-admin fans will have access to any of this information.

Admin Panel Features:

You’ll have all of your page notifications in the top left hand corner of your screen. Any time you have new activity on your page such as new wall posts, “likes” on your statuses or links, etc., a notification will pop up in this section. Click “see all” to view more than the four most recent notifications.

Another new feature of the Admin Panel is the “New Likes” section, directly below your notifications. This section simply lists all of the people who have recently liked your page.

Next to the “New Likes” section, you’ve got “Page Insights” and “Page Tips.” These useful features enable you to see what kind of an impression your individual posts have upon your fan base. You can view your individual posts, the number of fans reached, the number of engaged users, people “talking about this,” and virality. “Page Tips” gives you some helpful information about managing your page and the different features Facebook offers for brands.

As mentioned in some of our previous posts, the new fan page profile design also allows brand pages to contact their fans individually through a private message feature. This has always been a possibility through personal profiles, but it is new to fan pages. Your messages will appear in the top right hand corner of the Admin Panel. Pay attention to these! You never know who is trying to contact you: You may find a great customer testimonial, new business, or collaboration with like-minded businesses.

Note that you can still access the old “Edit Page” information to change your basic permissions, manage page administrators, and set your page preferences. To access this, click “Manage” at the top right hand tool bar. “Edit Page” is the first option in the drop down menu.

Got questions? We’ve got you covered. Remember that Facebook will be converting ALL brand pages over to the Timeline format on March 30^th, so make sure that you are well prepared! Shoot us a comment on our blog or contact us online with any questions, or if you need help transitioning over to the new profile design. Happy Timelining!

A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words: Facebook Cover Photos

Never underestimate the power of visual appeal! With the new Timeline format coming to all fan pages on March 30th, the cover photo feature presents a fantastic opportunity for a professional, customized look for your page.

To upload your cover photo, you must first upgrade your page to the new Timeline format (see our last few weeks’ blog posts for information on how to do this) and click “Add A Cover” in the top center of your page.

Once you’ve uploaded an image, you can reposition it so that everything lines up correctly. Click “Save Changes” when you’ve finished positioning your image. If you are upgrading to Timline for the first time, you must click “Publish Page’ to make your Timeline and cover photo live.

To change your cover, hover over the image and a “Change Cover” button will appear. Click to open the drop down menu, and you can reposition your current photo or add an entirely new one.

Some tips: If you are uploading your own image, be sure to use a high resolution photo so that the appearance is crisp and not blurry or pixilated. Note that the size specifications for cover photos are 850 pixels by 315.

Be aware that there are some fairly specific regulations regarding cover photos and what is/is not permitted. Facebook requires that all photos conform to the following rules:

1. No price or purchase information, such as “40% off” or “Download it at our website”.
2. No contact information, such as web address, email, mailing address or other information intended for your page’s “About” or “Contact Us” sections.
3. No references to user interface elements, such as “Like” or “Share,” or any other Facebook site features.
4. No calls to action, such as “Get it now” or “Tell your friends”.

The cover photo is a great opportunity to get creative and draw in your audience! Check out some examples of cool pages here.

At ISM, we offer customized Cover Photo design and implementation. Feel free to contact us if you’d like to learn more!

Timeline for Brand Pages: What You Need to Know

Last week, Facebook announced to businesses the world over that, within the month, fan pages are changing to an updated format called Facebook Timeline. While we get your company ready for the new Timeline format, here are six important changes to keep in mind.

1. Updated Look and Feel

What’s new: The format of Timeline for businesses is quite similar to Timeline for personal profiles. It employs a cover photo at the top of the page, and the rest of the page is separated into two main columns by a dividing line, which represents the passage of time. This format provides businesses with new options for self-expression and they can outline their company’s history with milestones (such as product launches, store openings, etc.) to construct a narrative for their audience.

Recommendation: Milestones present an important and dramatic opportunity to educate your fans and personalize your business. For example, depicting behind-the-scenes activities and giving fans details on exclusive updates or promotions will encourage user interaction, resulting in higher engagement rates. Using interesting milestones to craft the story of your company over time (and updating the Timeline with new milestones as they happen) can help to stimulate conversations around major achievements. We will shortly begin a series on how to best utilize the new Timeline format. Be on the lookout for our Weekly ISU Post.

2. Tab Visibility

What’s new: The new Timeline format does not have the left-side panel of links, which previously displayed the custom tabs we built for your company. These tabs (Facebook now calls them applications or apps) still exist; however, they are displayed differently, in rectangular panels underneath the cover photo. Given the width of the Timeline and the space allocated for the apps, only three of the 12 app panels are viewable at any given time. To see the other apps, users can click a drop-down box. Each page has up to 12 apps.

Recommendation: This change in layout means that the three visible apps need to be considered carefully, as they will be one of the first things users see when interacting with your brand on Facebook. Given a particular brand’s campaign or marketing efforts, from time to time, the brand will likely want to change the position of their apps. To move the apps is simple and early next week, we will send a post explaining the steps.

Each app icon is customizable and should be designed to make it easier for your fans to find the information they need. We will assist you with this during the initial migration process.

3. No Automatic Default Landing Page

What’s new: With the new Timeline format, you can no longer set a default landing page. The default landing page was one of the primary ways to control the first (branded) impression a user encountered. By using specific URL’s in your marketing collateral, you can direct users to the app of your choice. For example, the Facebook icon on your website can direct the user to your fan gate, welcome page, coupon offer, etc. Likewise, a QR code, Google Adword or Facebook ad can be directed to a specific app.

Recommendation: Careful attention should be given to the top messages in the Timeline, as they will be the first objects seen on your page. ISM will work with you to create a cover photo for your brand that is attention-getting and appealing. Some examples of our custom cover photos are included below. We will have more on custom cover photos early next week.

4. New Way to Feature Content

What’s new:  A new feature for Timeline that is sure to be a hit is the ability to “pin” certain posts to the top of the page. Similar to marking a blog post “sticky,” so that it remains at the top of a blog for a specified period of time, pinning a post to the top of Timeline gives it precedence over other content. A pinned post is distinguished by a small, orange flag. Businesses can pin only one item at a time, and the pinned item then exists in two locations — as the top item on the Timeline, as well as in its chronological order within the Timeline. Once unpinned (which happens automatically when a new item gets pinned, or the item has been pinned for more than seven days), the post remains in the chronology of Timeline posts, but there is no visual history that it was pinned in the past.

Recommendation:  Pinning items to the top of the Timeline will become a go-to strategy for highlighting new and interesting content. We will begin to see savvy businesses design posts specifically to be pinned, whether images, a well-designed call-to-action, a statement about brand value, or a message calling for the user to click one of the tab panels under the cover photo.

5. Current Tab/App Content and Applications

What’s new: Facebook’s current tabs/apps are set at a width of 520-pixels. This is being replaced with Timeline’s new, 810-pixel layout. Upon migration, the current tab/app icon will be centered in the 810-pixel layout without any adjustments, but you will have additional room to customize the tabs/apps within the Timeline configuration.

Recommendation:  In the transition to Timeline, the most pressing issues will be to design the cover image and to design and ensure app functionality. It is critical that the apps on the top row have some level of customization, as they will likely be the first to be interacted with, or entirely ignored if not optimized for the new experience. Please feel free to contact us if you would like your apps to be designed to fit within the appropriate space (the new dimensions for icons are 111×74).

6. Private Messages Between Companies and Users

What’s new: Businesses will be able to send and receive private messages with fans. This allows for direct interaction with your fanbase, and will also enable page administrators to take extended customer inquiries off the Timeline and into a private message scenario.

Recommendation: Be mindful of noise on the Timeline. Since the real estate allocated to each post depends on how engaging it is or how much interaction it has received, your Timeline can quickly become cluttered with customer inquiries. When these inquiries can be better serviced in a one-on-one manner, reach out to the fan with a private message and resolve her issue. It’s a good opportunity to yield both a happy user and a clean Timeline.

 Conclusion


Like anything new, it will take time to figure out the nuances of Timeline. We are trying to do so as quickly as possible and we will get the information to you in a timely manner.

One thing is certain: the way content is shared and viewed within a Timeline page is incredibly important. Companies that consistently create engaging updates and share important milestones will stay at the forefront of users’ attention. Brands who design and rotate new apps for engagement, pin relevant and timely content, and update the feed with user-friendly dialogues will stay relevant in this new space.

If you have any questions, please leave us a comment on our blog or contact us through Facebook. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Happy TImelining.

 

Alert: Facebook Timeline for Brands

Have you heard the big news??  On March 30, 2012, Timeline is coming to Facebook brand pages (fan pages).  Your business page is about to get a new look and feel, with lots of great, new applications that will make it even more fun and interesting and EASY to engage with your fans.

Please refer to Coca Cola’s new Timeline (they are one of the few brands whose Timeline page is up and running) for a visual on what’s to come for your own page: https://www.facebook.com/cocacola

What to expect:

1. Same tabs (or “apps”, in Facebook terminology).  Your welcome tab with links to your website, contact us tab, videos tab, etc. will all continue to exist and function.  You can now have up to 12 tabs, but only the top four will be in full view (the other eight open in a drop down menu).  The tabs are moveable, so be sure to put those that are most important at the top
2. Full functionality as per your previous fan page.
3. Your fan gate (if you have one) is still fully functional.
4. Your “cover, ” that new, large photo at the top of your Facebook page, will be customizable and is intended to draw attention to your brand, highlight your accomplishments or tell a story.
5. Significantly smaller profile picture, which should be your logo or other, relevant photo.
6. You can now “pin” your favorite posts to the top of your page, highlighting their importance or “star” the posts to make them larger on the page.
7. Expanded admin features that allow you to engage one-on-one with fans and respond directly to comments, etc.
8. Customizable pages are wider and we have more room to create fantastic designs for you.
9. We can direct people to any of your customized Facebook pages thru QR codes, plug-ins and URL’s.

Note that Timeline for brands will not be rolled out till March 30, 2012, so we have plenty of time to help you create a cover design that will shout out to your fans all those things that you want them to see and hear.   Or you can choose an image from your existing photos that you feel best represents your brand.

Check out what’s in store for you by visiting your Facebook business page and clicking “preview” in the new banner (visible only to admins) that is now at the top of your page.  You can then take a tour  (click the “start tour” button) for an explanation of the new features or you can jump right in and begin updating your page to Timeline.

We will be in touch again soon to walk you through the design changes and to provide you with additional assistance in migrating your page to the new Timeline format.  And if you have questions or concerns related to the new page design, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 1-877-236-8160 or post comment below.

Happy Facebook Timelining!!

Facebook Photos: New Features

Say cheese! Photos have always been one of Facebook’s most popular features. It’s worth noting that recently, Facebook made some changes to the way you upload, view and tag your photos on personal profiles as well as on business fan pages.

You may notice that when you click on your “photos” section and select a specific image, the image opens in a separate screen that pops up over the Facebook page you are viewing. This “Photo Viewer” is a nice feature as it enables you to hold your current place on Facebook instead of opening a whole new page. The images are also larger and the “comments” and “likes” fields have shifted to the right hand side of the screen, instead of below the image.

Additionally, you may have noticed that the photo upload process has changed. With this new format, you are able to name your album, list a location, tag photos and write captions in one single screen, instead of completing the process piecemeal, as in the older version.

This streamlines the photo uploading process and makes it a bit less arduous. Note that you can edit photos after the creation of an album, so don’t stress if you initially overlook a section or want to change your album title/captions later on.

Side note: It is important to mention that downloading photos directly from Facebook tends to result in lower resolution images. In other words, if you’re looking to enlarge or print high quality images, you will want to revert to the original source rather than a copy that has been pulled from Facebook.

As always, if you have questions about how to upload your photos to Facebook or inquiries about the new format, feel free to contact us or drop us a comment on our blog!