Facebook Etiquette: Keeping Your Fans

Now that we have provided some tips on how to grow your Facebook fan base, it’s time to cover some of the ways you can ensure that you keep your fans! That’s right, just as there are “rules of the road” and table manners, there is such a thing as Facebook etiquette.

First and foremost, solicitation of your fan page should be done tastefully. Repeatedly posting on others’ fan pages or on your friends’ walls without their permission, for the express purpose of promoting your page, may actually dissuade others from “liking” your page. Nobody likes to be spammed! If you are planning on asking your friends to “like” you on Facebook, consider a status update from your personal profile or be sure to ask their permission before you begin your promotions on their pages.

Posting too frequently or too repetitively on your fan page is another way to risk losing fans. We recommend posting once daily, or twice if there is a special event or occasion. More than that and you risk annoying your fans by appearing too frequently in their newsfeed. Remember, as we mentioned in Blog Post #7: Your fans can mark their “Top Stories” in their newsfeeds. Posting too frequently may actually backfire if your fans choose to ignore your updates, or hide them altogether.

Another tip for keeping your fans happy is to ensure that you respond to any questions or comments in a timely manner. Not only is this a good way to build loyalty from your fans, but you may also find that many of the questions or comments on your page can lead to potential clients or customers!

These guidelines are a great starting point to ensure that your fans continue visiting your page. Have any more tips for proper Facebook etiquette? Feel free to comment on our blog with your ideas or suggestions!  Instantsocialmedia.wordpress.com.

New (New) Twitter

Have you recently logged into Twitter and noticed some changes?

If you’re a seasoned Twitter user, you probably know that Twitter rolled out their new profile design/layout, appropriately dubbed “New Twitter,” about a year ago. This layout did not change anything in terms of content (your tweets, retweets, mentions, etc. all remained untouched), but it did switch around a lot of the components and implement some new features. If you are new to Twitter, you will have started off with the “New Twitter” design.

Now introducing: New (New) Twitter. This new design is somewhat simpler to use and the changes are not quite so dramatic, however, some useful tools have shifted around.

Note that your “Mentions” have moved to the top left hand corner. You can access them by clicking on the “@Connect” button.

There is also a new icon that contains access to all of your settings, direct messages, lists, and the logout option in the upper right hand corner of your home screen.

To access your previous tweets and profile page, simply click on your Twitter handle on the left hand side (right above the words “View my profile page”). Also note that there is now a “Discover” icon (the hashtag next to your mentions) that lists the trending topics as well as a brief synopsis of why these events are trending.

The good news is that Twitter does not move or add new features as frequently as Facebook, so this is likely the last round of changes we will see for some time. Not all accounts have been converted to this new layout yet, either, so you may still be using the older version. In the coming weeks, Twitter will automatically update you to the new design.

If you’ve got any questions about the New (New) Twitter layout and how to access any of your information, feel free to leave us a comment on our blog or respond to this email. Until next time, happy tweeting!

Foursquare: Not Just For Recess Anymore

We know you loved it when you were six!  Foursquare, another social media platform that has taken off in recent years, allows users to “check-in” (i.e., visit) to their favorite places around town. Foursquare is a great way to get people in the door of your store, restaurant, bar or business, especially if you set up a special deal or offer that accompanies a customer’s check-in.

You’ll need to create an account in order to begin using Foursquare and to claim your business venue. Simply visit www.foursquare.com/business, choose between a Brand or Venue Owner (whichever is applicable for your business) and then follow the prompts for setting up your account.

People may already be checking in without your knowledge! Do a quick search on foursquare.com to see if your specific location is already live. You may be surprised! A quick tip about account set-up: In order to claim your business venue, you will be required to provide a landline or phone number connected to your business. After you have successfully claimed your venue, you can begin setting up your specials.

To take full advantage of Foursquare, be sure to put up some kind of incentive for new or returning customers. You can set up a deal or promotion for the first check-in (for example: Receive 10% off the first time you check-in on Foursquare!), or for any number of check-ins afterwards (Get a complimentary prize with every 10th check-in). The latter option is a great way to reward your most loyal customers! The customer with the most check-ins is automatically dubbed “the mayor” for your venue.

Keep in mind that Foursquare is more appropriate for certain types of businesses. You may not get many check-ins at the dentist’s office or the vet. Even so, claiming business may still yield results! You never know who is dying to tell the world they just had a root canal.

QR Codes

You may have noticed the black and white bar codes that have recently popped up on business cards, flyers, or in stores and restaurants. These bar codes are called “QR codes” – Quick Response codes  – and they can be a valuable resource for quickly directing customers to your website, Facebook fan page, online promotion, online resume, etc.

QR codes are generally accessed through smart phone applications and can be easily scanned by iPhones, Androids or other smart phones, directing consumers to the intended site or information.

QR codes are useful because they take up minimal space on marketing collateral, business cards, etc. and can easily direct people to special offers, promotions, websites with long URLs, or other online resources.

 

To generate your own QR code, you can go to a number of websites that will encrypt your code free of charge. A quick Google search results in some of the more popular sites such as Kaywa, iCandy or Stickybits. These sites are simple to use and provide user-friendly instructions on how to generate your code.

Some ideas for QR codes and your business:
-Send people to “like” your Facebook fan page.
-Easily directs customers or clients to a how-to video, online photo album or landing page.
-Display in your store window to encourage Foursquare check-ins or Facebook “likes.”
-Directs customers to a discount or freebie offer. Codes that include some kind of value or savings for the consumer are more likely to be noticed and utilized.

Be sure that your customers or clients are aware of your QR code and know how to use them! Direct them to scanner apps (here is a helpful list of applications for QR code scanners) and be sure to draw their attention to your code.

Here are some great ideas for how your business can use QR codes creatively. Be sure to check them out!

Interacting on Twitter: The Ropes Course

Now that we’ve covered the basics of Twitter and given some insight on how to grow your following (see blog posts #3 and #9 for detailed information), it is worth mentioning some of the more advanced methods for Twitter interactions.

Twitter Trends
You’ve probably heard the phrase “trending” if you’ve spent any significant time on Twitter. Trends are the most popular topics that people are tweeting about in any given city, country, or worldwide. On your Twitter account, you can view the current trends on the right hand side of your home page. Click the “change” link if you would like to view the trends in a specific location. Trends tend to change quickly, but paying attention to and using the current trends in your own tweets can help build your following and grab attention.

#FollowFriday
Every Friday, many Twitter users participate in an event called “Follow Friday,” denoted by the hashtag “#FollowFriday,” or “#FF.” On Follow Friday, you give shout outs to other Twitter users with whom you interact with on a regular basis, or users you think provide valuable/relevant information. This is a great way to build relationships and take advantage of cross promotions with like-minded Twitter users. There are other similar days, such as “#MentionMonday,” but Follow Friday is the most popular and widely recognized.

Tips
Keep a close eye on your “Mentions” and “Direct Messages,” which can be easy to overlook. These two features are vital! You may have customers trying to contact you with questions or searching for additional information about your brand/product, or even other businesses hoping to engage in cross promotions or some other type of mutually beneficial activity. We recommend checking your mentions and direct messages on a daily basis.

Please follow us at @InstantSocialMe and, as always, feel free to contact us with any questions!

Google+ Brand Pages

As we mentioned in Blog Post #8 (our introduction to Google+), Google+ recently announced the launch of “brand pages.” These new brand pages are similar in function to Facebook’s fan pages, as Google+ users can add these organizations, brands and companies to their circles and can follow their updates.

Why should your brand or company join Google+? For one thing, it’s never a bad idea to keep up with the latest Google trend. After all, the search engine giant is estimated to process over one billion search requests every day. Additionally, adding your brand to as may social media sites as possible is a great way to improve your SEO (search engine optimization), as well as grab the attention of potential customers or clients who may be partial to one social media site over another.

Once you’ve got a Google+ personal page (refer back to Blog Post #8 for information on how to do this) or a Google account, setting up your brand page is simple. Visit www.google.com/+/business/ and follow the prompts to begin set-up.

You will need to choose a category for your business. Select this carefully, as it is difficult to change, once you have set up your page. You will have the choice of: Local Business or Place (appropriate for hotels, restaurants, stores or services), a Product or Brand (suitable for apparel, electronics, financial services), a Company, Institution or Organization (for non-profits, companies, etc.), Arts, Entertainment or Sports (for TV, music, athletes, books, films) or Other (if your business does not fit into any of the aforementioned categories).

Next, you will be prompted to enter some basic information about your business, such as name and website. You will be allowed to choose a sub-category for your brand, and you will get to add a tagline and photo. You are limited to 10 words for your tagline, so be selective! For the last step in the set-up process, you may announce your new brand page to your personal Google+ circles.

Once your page is set up, you can begin adding your connections to your “circles.” The default circles for your brand page include “Team Members,” “Customers,” and “VIPs.” Unfortunately, at the moment, there is no way to claim a “Vanity URL” (as per Facebook fan pages) for your brand page, so you will need to use the full link/URL to direct people to your page.

ISM is on Google+! Find us by searching “Instant Social Media” from your Google+ page or by visiting us at https://plus.google.com/106583857486747666915/posts.