FINDING POPULAR SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES
Facebook (www.facebook.com)
Facebook is the most popular social networking site, with approximately 300 million users. The site is known for providing a wide variety of features as well as an on site advertising mechanism. You can create a personal profile, brand page (your blog could be your brand), business page, organization page, or celebrity page, as well as groups through your Facebook account.
Additionally, you can upload photos and videos and update your wall with short posts, similar to the way microblogging updates via a site like Twitter would work. Other users can leave comments on your wall posts, and those comments can include pictures, videos, and so on. You can also send private messages to other users.
However, you can’t interact with other users on Facebook until you connect with them by sending a friend request, which the other person can either accept or decline. That’s because Facebook is a closed site, meaning you can only view other user’s profiles if you’re a registered member. If a member chooses to hide their profile, you cannot view it unless you friend that person via Facebook first. If your friend request is accepted, you can view that person’s profile, pictures, posts, and more.
To create your own profile in Facebook, simply visit www.facbook.com and begin the sign up process. It’s free.
When your account is active, take some time to create a complete profile and then start searching for people you know on Facebook. When you find someone you know, send them a friend request and start sharing, conversing, and networking via the social web.
FACEBOOK GROUPS VS PAGES
In most cases, businesses should create a Page to represent their company on Facebook. In a few cases, however, it may make sense to create a Facebook group instead in addition. The key distinction between groups and pages is that a group is for a community of people with a common interest, while a page represent a brand or entity of which there are “fans”.
HOW TO SET UP A GROUP
Go to: http://www.facebook.com/groups.php and click “Create a New Group” in the top right hand corner of the webpage.
Fill out the basic group information, including name, network (best to choose “Globa” to make your group available to all Facebook users, and group type.
Once you have your group, you can edit your group, add/remove functionality (links, photos, etc), create events, designate administrators, or invite your friends to join.
NEW WAYS TO SPREAD THE WORD
Social networking sites are the modern-day equivalent of the town square. When you go to a social networking site, you again strike up a personal relationship with a merchant, after you do, you’re that much more likely to buy something from that person. Social networking sites give potential customers another place where they can find you and get to know you. The best-known are:
. Twitter
. Facebook
. MySpace
. Friendster
. LinkedIn
If you sell services that depend on personal contact with a customer, such as a group of musicians that plays for weddings or a wedding planner, people sometimes hire you as much for your personality and personal approach as for your actual work. In these kinds of fields, social networking sites are even more important.
CREATING A FACEBOOK GROUP
Creating a Facebook group is another way for you to market your page and your company. When you set up a Facebook group, people who are interested in the topic can join the group. Someone who hasn’t clicked the Like button on your business page, or a customer, may become one after seeing your words of wisdom on your group page.
When you create a group, you create another Facebook entity, another way for people to find you. Facebook users might not find your business page, but if you find a niche about a popular subject that hasn’t been filled and you then fill that niche by creating a group, you have a powerful tool to attract people to your business page and perhaps become paying clients. Setting up a Facebook group is easy. All you have to do is find a niche and create a group for that niche, and then start posting interesting material.
To create a Facebook group, follow these steps:
1. Log into Facebook and navigate to your Facebook page.
2. In the Search text field at the top of the page, enter the name of the group you want to create and then click Search. A list appears, showing all
results for your search query.
3. Click Groups. If you see a page with no results, you can create a group with the name you want.
4. Click Home. Your news feed appears.
5. Scroll down to the Groups section and click See All. All groups of which you’re a member are listed.
1. Click Create Group. The Create a Group page appears.
2. Enter a name and description for the Group. You already researched the name – now all you need to do is enter a description of what the
group is all about and give people a reason to join it.
3. Choose an option from the Group Type drop-down menu, and then choose a subgroup from the second drop-down menu. If no type fits the group
you want to create, choose the closest match for the group you envision.
4. Enter any other information you feel is imperative. This step is entirely at your discretion. Include a link to your web site, rather than an email address.
If your group takes off, filling in an email address might not be a good idea because your inbox may over flow.
5. Click Create Group. The page labeled step 2: Customize appears.
6. Choose Options to customize your group. You have more options than the law allows – almost. You can choose whether to allow anybody to write
on the wall, allow people to upload videos, allow members to post links, and much more.
7. Click Save. The Publish to Your Wall and Your Friend’s Home Pages? box appears. Accept this option and the news is posted on your friend’s news feed.
8. Click Publish. A message box indicates that your group is created. At this stage, you can invite friends to join your group.
They can, of course, invite their friends to join your group, and soon you have a homogeneous family of friends interacting together in the group of their choice.
9. Click the Invite People to Join link on the left side of your group page. The Invite Friends dialog box opens.
10. Choose which friends you want to invite. You can start exchanging information with other members when they join. At this stage, the page is
sparse. You have to change your Avatar picture, write something on the wall, or add a description.
Click the links on the left side of the page to send a message to all members. You can also promote the group with an ad, and edit group settings to determine whether members have certain rights such as posting photos to the group page or leaving messages on the page. You can also create a group event.
Use the Events tab to post information about an event that will be of interest to the members of your group.
CREATING A FACEBOOK EVENT
If your Facebook group or company is holding an event, you can announce it on your Facebook group or business page. A group can be an internet event such as a webinar or an event at a live location.
To create an event on your Facebook page follow these steps:
1. Log into Facebook and navigate to your fan page.
2. Add an Events tab, if you don’t already have one.
3. Click the Events tab. Your events are listed, or you have a clean slate if you have no events.
4. Click Create Event. The step 1 Create Event Page appears.
5. Enter the event information. The minimum required information is the event title. Add a street address or a URL if the event is online. Enter the
starting and ending time as well
6. Click Create Event. The step 2 Add Details Page appears.
7. Fill in the event details. You can upload a picture, choose an event category, add a description, choose event options, and more.
8. Click Save and Continue. The dialog box labeled Publish To This Page’s Wall and Fan’s Home Pages? Appears. From this dialog box, you
publish the event information to your fan’s wall feed.
9. Click Publish. The step 3 Invite Friends Page appears. Choose the friends you want to invite to the event and add a personal message.
10. Click Send Invitations. Your invitations are sent, and the event is published.
USING THE FACEBOOK BLOG
If you’re interested in seeing what’s new on Facebook, fire up your favorite web browser and navigate to http://blog.facebook.com.
CREATING A FACEBOOK POLL
To create a Facebook poll, follow these steps:
1. Log into Facebook poll, follow these steps:
2. Navigate to the following URL : www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=138079047824&ref=ts.
The Poll Daddy Polls page appears. If you haven’t added this application to your profile, you see an option to do so. Choose the Applicate button before advancing to step 3.
3. Click the Create a New Poll tab. The Create a New Poll page appears.
4. Enter a question for your poll. Create a question that suits your business.
5. (Optional) Select the Add Image check box. Selecting this option reveals a text field and a Browse button. Click the button to upload an image from
your hard drive.
6. Enter the answers for your poll. The default number of answers is three, but you can add additional answers by clicking Add Answer.
7. In the Poll Language section, choose a language from the drop-down menu.
8. From the drop-down menu, choose an option in the Just For Friends or Everyone? Section. Accept the default answer and make your poll public.
9. Choose an option in the section Where Do You Want to Post This Poll? You can post the poll to your wall, which is your private profile, to a Facebook
group to which you belong, or to a Facebook page you’ve created. If you choose the second or third option, a drop-down menu appears, from which
you make a choice. The following steps show you how to publish the page to your wall.
10. Click Next Step. The Post To Wall box appears. You also have the option to add a link on your page profile wall. The information you enter in the text
field shows up on your wall as the poll title.
11. Click Publish. Your poll is published.
You can follow up on your poll at any time by logging into Facebook and navigating to the Poll Daddy Polls page. Click the My Polls link to see how people who took your poll voted.
ADDING YOUR BLOG TO FACEBOOK
To import your blog into Facebook, follow these steps:
1. Log into Facebook and navigate to your business page. Your business page appears in your web browser.
2. Navigate to the Notes application. It’s at: www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=23474718568.
The Notes page opens. Your blog appears by way of the notes application.
3. Click the Add to My Page link. A dialog box appears asking you the page to which you want to add the application to.
4. Click Add to My Page next to the Avatar for your fan page, and then click Close. The application is added to your page, and the dialog box
disappears into deep cyberspace.
5. Navigate back to your fan page.
6. Click Edit page and then scroll until you see the Notes app.
7. Click Edit. The Notes Settings appear.
8. Click the Import a Blog link. The Import a Blog dialog box appears.
9. Enter the URL to your blog’s RSS feed in the website link field. You can find this information by clicking the orange RSS feed icon on your blog page.
10. Select the check box that tells Facebook you have the right to post the content and that the content isn’t illegal or obscene.
11. Click the Start Importing link. A preview of your latest blog post appears.
12. Click the Confirm Import button. You blog is imported, and the Notes Application is ready to grace your page.
To display your blog directly on your page, add a Notes Tab. Click the plus sign (+) next to the last tab and then choose Notes from the drop-down menu. Your blog posts appear on the Notes tab on your wall, with the newest posts appearing at the top of the page.
You can use the Networked Blogs application (apps.facebook.com/blognetworks) to follow syndicated blogs. This app can be added as a tab on your Facebook business page. You can follow as many as five blogs. You can also add your blog to the network and follow it with the application. The application doesn’t post the feeds of blogs you follow – it shows buttons for each blog you follow. Visitors to your page click the button, which opens the feed on the networked Blogs page.
USING FACEBOOK TO PROMOTE YOUR BLOG
Following are suggestions for using Facebook to promote your blog:
. Status updates : Post status updates to your wall that mention your new blog posts and include links to those posts. You can also publish requests for
guest posts. Don’t be afraid to get creative.
. Making friends : Send friend requests to other bloggers and people you want to connect with who can help you promote your blog in the future.
. Adding your blog feed : You can import your blog’s feed by using the Notes application in Facebook, so every time you publish a new blog post, the
title, a snippet, and a link to the post automatically publishes as a note on your Facebook wall for all your friends to see and follow. Simply log into your
Facebook account and open your Facebook Profile page. Along the top of your profile is a series of tabs where you can view your Wall, Info, Photos,
and more. You can add a Blog tab by selecting the + sign to the right of your existing tabs and selecting the Blog tab from the list. (You can search for
the tab in the search text box if it does not automatically display in the list of available tabs). After the Blog tab is added, just follow the steps
provided to add your blog to the tab.
. Creating a Facebook page : Although Facebook profiles are intended to be a place for individuals to create a presence on Facebook, Facebook pages
are intended to represent a business, brand, or celebrity. They’re meant to give those businesses, brands, and celebrities a presence on Facebook. Facebook
pages are a great way to provide information, links, photos, videos, and more related to your blog and build a separate community around your blog’s topic.
You can also join Facebook pages related to your blog that are created by other people, and then get involved by adding content to those pages and
joining the conversation. You can start Facebook page by logging into your Facebook profile and visiting http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php.
. Starting a group : Facebook groups don’t provide as many robust features as fan pages do, but they can be created for any reason. Facebook groups
are meant to create a place where people can discuss and share information about a specific topic. They provide one more way you can connect with
people and share information about your blog and related topics. You can either start your own Facebook group or join other groups related to your blog.
You can create a Facebook group by logging into your Facebook profile and visiting: www.facebook.com/groups/create.php.
. Advertising : Facebook users can place ads that can be very targeted. The cost is minimal, but your ad needs to be compelling to encourage clicks. You
can create your own Facebook ad by visiting www.face-book.com/ads/create.
LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com)
LinkedIn is a very popular social networking site, particularly among business people and people looking to further their careers. It’s an excellent site for sharing professional knowledge and career development networking.
You can create a free LinkedIn account at www.linkedIn.com. Take the time to create a comprehensive profile. Next, start searching for people you know on LinkedIn and send connection requests to them. As your network grows, you’ll find more and more people to connect with. You can update your LinkedIn profile with interesting information (such as links to your blog posts), join or create groups, and send private messages to other users.
LinkedIn is very much a closed social networking site. Unlike Facebook where users can send friend requests to anyone, LinkedIn users must identify a prior relationship with another user in order to send a connection request to that user. That means you must be able to identify a company you and the other person worked at together, the other person’s email address, or similar personally identifying information.
OPTIMIZING FACEBOOK
Take advantage of myriad opportunities to gain traffic for your Facebook pages by applying optimization techniques. Next to blogs, Facebook pages offer the highest number of opportunities to use SEO on social media to reach people who don’t already know you. Fortunately, Facebook search engines can index all shared content on Facebook.
Every social network has different rules for its account names and profiles. Though consistency is preferable for branding purposes, follow the rules carefully.
Try these techniques when you first create your business page:
. On the initial login page at www.facebook.com, click the Create a Page for a Celebrity, Band, or Business link. If you already have a personal account,
scroll down any of your pages all the way to the bottom and click the Create a Page for My Business link. Either option takes you to
www.facebook.com/pages/create.php. (If you create your business page from your personal page, you’re automatically listed as the Administrator
for the page).
. Use an easy-to-remember version of your business name alone or combined with a search term as your Facebook business page name. If possible, use
the same username on both Twitter and Facebook for branding reasons. Facebook doesn’t like generic names.
Once you have at least 25 people connected to your page, you can claim a username as your own at www.facebook.com/username, instead of seeing a long string of numbers in your Facebook URL. After you select a name, you cannot change it.
. Once your business page has been created, click on the Info tab and then on the Pencil icon to Edit Information. You will see two gray bars with triangle
icons : Basic Information and Detailed
Information. Click the triangle on Basic Information to enter the date of founding and save. Then click the triangle to expand Detailed Information. You’ll see four boxes : Website, Company Overview, Mission, and Products. All boxes expand so you can enter all essential information.
. Under Websites, list all your relevant domain names, including your blog and other social media pages. Later, you can also place links to your web site or
blog or another type of social media within your page stream. Generally, it’s easier to use the actual URL.
. Place keyword-loaded content in the first paragraph of each of the remaining boxes, all of which help with on-site product searches. Include your address
and contact information in the Company Overview box, address information also helps with local searches. Your page description metatag may work well in
the Mission box since it is already optimized for search terms. Be sure to include all your brand names and all the products or services that you offer in
the Products box.
. As with Twitter, popularity matters. The more Facebook fans you have, the more internal links you have to your own page. Even better, when fans
comment on or recommend your content, Google sees reciprocal links between your page and your fans’ pages, which may increase your PageRank.
. More search term opportunities abound in the static FBML Box application offered by Facebook. You can create additional boxes or tabs to display text,
images, and more links. Be sure to use a good search term in your box name (which is limited to ten characters) and include text links in your content.