Want to make facebook updates without business friends seeing?

Facebook Tip - you have business friends on Facebook, but you don't want them to see all of your status updates.  Here's a useful tip many people don't know.

When you post a status, before you click the "Share" button below it go to the left of that button, there is an icon that looks like a "Lock" with a down arrow beside it.  If you click the down arrow, it gives you the choices :

• Everyone - which literally means that anyone anywhere can see your status update
• Friends of Friends - pretty self explanatory
• Friends
• Custom edit

The last one is the most interesting option.  If you click on it, it allows you to sent the status update just to certain people or to all of your friends except certain people.  This is even more powerful if you create "Friend lists" and put your business friends in a list like "Business friends".
 
If you are going to send a status update saying
 
"Hate my boss"
 
make sure you send it to "Friends" except for those in your "Business friends" list.
 
Note also that in the lower left hand corner, you can check the box that will make this the default value for all future updates that you make.
 
You should still be careful about anything you post on Facebook, because messages like this could get to your business friends if you make a mistake setting up the lists, there is a bug in Facebook (and there are a lot of them). 

One of your friends tells your boss somehow so it's a good policy in general to never post anything on the internet that you wouldn't be comfortable putting on the front page of the New York Times.
 

The Web Evolution – What is Web 3.0 and what does it mean to Social Media

Over the last few years social networking sites have become a prominent communication tool; this popularity has seen it labelled as an addiction. The various social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Digg are the most popular amongst the many out there. People have been so glued to the social networking sites that they feel its mandatory to log on to them at least once a day.  The traditional morning routine of a cuppa and the morning paper has morphed into a cuppa and logging onto facebook.  I know you can relate to that!

It is for these reason marketers and businesses are quickly jumping on the Social Media bandwagon as they use this medium for online marketing and it is here to stay for a long time to come. As businesses we must be aware that for most people being on more than one social networking site is very time consuming. This means that as we get more connected globally one site will emerge dominant in the social networking worldwide. Right now in Australia it seems that this site will be Facebook.

As social media grows up so does the technology behind it, due to consumers wanting even more bang for their buck while online.  As we head towards 2012 we will see Web 3.0 come of age. Where we are seeing a lot of updates are being flashed on the users mobile screens by means of SMS, or they log on to these sites via mobile phone.  To understand how we got to this point so quickly, here is how the web has evolved:

1996 we had Web 1.0, pre-Google days, Internet users had to know the URLs of websites they wished to visit. Only large corporate brands would have a web presence and information would be skewed toward their brands.

2006 Web 2.0 consumers searched Google and all website were listed from all over the world. This was the start of user reviews, expert opinions, blogs, You Tube videos, and a huge amount of shambolic information...some of it meaningful to the search, some of it not.

2011 In Web 3.0 consumers text or message a friend from mobile devices asking their network things like "do you know a good accountant...can you recommend anybody?" Search engines would pick up on the text and deliver, with the consumers permission, a list of local Accountants and contact info, and testimonials.

In other words, Web 3.0 is intelligent messaging, search or email to anticipate your next thoughts and next steps. It will then attempt to guide you to relevant, highly targeted information in case you decide to move on to next steps. The various shops, banks and other commercial enterprises will be presented according to the web's assessment of how relative their messaging is to your particular situation and, or course, how much they spend with the search engines.

The tricky part in all this is that it must be permission-based marketing. Getting a bunch of annoying pop-ups while you're texting, Facebook-ing or Twitter-ing will likely turn consumers  away from those vendors.

Many, many companies are barely investing in the most basic social media strategies and lead generation tools offered by Web 2.0. Marketing departments, or what's left of them, at mid-size and larger companies, are struggling just to learn about using social media for marketing. Most marketing people working for companies are stretched way too thin to even think about the implications of Web 3.0 and are setting their companies up to get blindsided competitors who get it and invests the time and effort to wield it effectively.

The big difference between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0, that I can see, is that in Web 2.0 the user must exert effort to customize the information needed for his/her particular purchase criteria. We now have personalisation with Web 3.0 meaning information is automatically customised for the user's purchase criteria, while connecting using mobile phones or devices.

New Facebook Business Pages

Facebook have made several major improvements to Facebook Pages, making it better for people to connect and communicate with your Page(s). Changes include:

• a redesigned layout to make Pages look more like user Profiles
• more admin control settings
• the ability to interact on Facebook as your Page, and other helpful new features that make managing a Page easier and also improve the Pages experience for your fans.

Your Page will not be changed to the new design until March 10th, 2011 unless you or any of the admins of your Pages choose to upgrade early. Starting today, you will have four weeks to preview the new format and transition your Pages.

There is also a site tour for all admins that will walk you through the new changes,  http://www.facebook.com/pages/status/.  Please note that once you or any of the admins of your Pages opt-in to upgrade your Pages to the new design, there is no way to revert back to the old design.

We are excited about the new opportunities these features will offer to better communicate with your fans, express your brand and make your Page more relevant to your audience.

"Your brand is only as strong as your last contact"

One of the most common hesitations that I see with clients looking to engage in social media is the realisation that conversations are happening all around and that they have no control. 

This isn't a choice ("We should really let go of control") it's a fact and it's been the case for a long time. But, until now they have been largely undocumented, un-indexed by search engines and not in any way facilitated by the company itself. The conversationalists were only as influential as their personal network allowed.

Now Micro influencers have the power to reach millions of people around the world. Blogs and other social media outlets are indexed in search results right alongside company websites and portals. The truth hurts, but it's not necessarily a bad thing. 

Where social media shines brighter than any other marketing vehicle is leveraging the truth to create stronger customer relationships and convert bad experiences into great ones. Companies who don't listen to people in the first place have no place in social media. 

There are only handful of businesses that see the value in customer input and take steps to make things better for them. They listen, when you call their 1800 number you talk to a person and, even if they don't solve your problem, you walk away with a positive feeling. 

Supporting customer service is a perfect fit for social media, but it takes planning and strategy to make it pay off. Here are steps that I see from listening through becoming a social customer service expert.

1. Listen - Go to Google and set up alert emails with your company keyword, your name and your URL.  Learn who is talking about you, what they're saying and create an action plan based on what you're reading.
   
2. Understand the different social media sites and tools - Every one is different, Blogging is not Twitter is not Flickr is not Facebook. The rules change from one to the other and you have to know what they are before engaging.
   
3. Start slow - Do NOT go out and sign up for a Facebook page, Twitter account, blog, flickr profile and MySpace page all in one day. Pick the most strategic medium to belong to and start slow. As you become more comfortable you can ramp up and add networks into the fold.
   
4. Be transparent - You cannot be too transparent here. More is better.
   
5. Don't stop - This is the killer. It's worse than not having started at all.

Have you heard the saying "your brand is only as strong as your last contact". By understanding these steps you will ensure that your online community will have a great experience all the time.

Are you considering a Social Media Consultant?

Any company, small or large, should staff itself with the people it needs to manage ordinary operations, allowing for normal growth. Carrying a bigger payroll, just in case of emergencies, is wasteful, ineffective, and costly.

That's why everyone has met situations in which there is a need for someone with a particular skill or field of expertise, but no one like that is on staff.  What can you do to meet the extraordinary? That's where an industrial consultant can prove his or her worth.

Both you and your company can benefit by becoming more familiar with the use of consulting services, so that you can be even more cost-effective and competitive in the future.

Consultants can be very useful as a "third arm" for managers. They are there when you need them, gone when you don't. They can provide needed domain expertise, a qualified team, objectivity, knowledge of the latest tools and methodologies, and wisdom. Their job is to deal with your problem when you don't have the resources to do it yourself.

The task of communicating effectively for someone who can't get the right message across on their own has been a booming industry since the beginning of time. Famous people “write” books using ghost writers, big brands use ad agencies to design their image across the board, and everyone has a PR Agency or Talent Agent to help promote their skills and services. Why should social media be any different? If a business hires me to handle their social media efforts, why is it different from them hiring a full time employee? It's not, if I do my job well. In fact, it's better, if I do my job well.

Social media only works effectively when built on transparency and honesty, which for me poses a conflict of interest when posting social media content for another business.  So is there room for outsourcing if it handled correctly? My short answer is: “yes”. My long answer is: “it's a necessity for some.”

What translates in face to face charm by inflection of voice, giant white smiles, and lots of showmanship does not necessarily translate in content through social media. Someone whose sole purpose is to close the deal does not always have the tools to converse with the community without accidentally attempting to sell something by force of habit. The need to just chat and listen is there, but the ability is not [always].

If you can’t find time for social media, don’t pass the task off to the first employee who knocks on your door. Social media is no place for the inexperienced. Consider consulting with a social media specialist to get strategic advice, or even outsource your campaign altogether. It’s your brand, so you’ll stay involved, keeping an eye on the message, suggesting topics, articles and industry trends, because no one knows your business better than you. But the specialist can make it all come together beautifully.

There's a lot of smoke and mirrors in the space at the moment, with everyone jumping on the social media bandwagon, but many 'experts' lack the understanding that POMO Creative has proved time and again.  That POMO’s strategic knowledge and ability to generate business-changing insights mean we are an integral part of, many businesses strategic growth in this area."

It all goes back to the common business advice given across the board. “Delegate what you don't do well or don't want to do. So you can focus on what you are passionate about.” What do you outsource that saves you time, energy, and money, while improving your business?

Claim your piece of Social Media Real Estate

Are you taking advantage of all the free social media real estate available to you? If used and used wisely it can made the difference between a successful campaign and a dud. By social media real estate I mean anywhere you can brand yourself or your business as part of you profile. 

For example the profile pic on your facebook business page allows you to have a long vertical jpeg which can be designed like something you would have traditionally used in print media. Design something which will entice your audience go and like your page - they need to be given a reason to click the like button.

Don't put up a profile pic of your backyard, that confuses the audience. Have something up there that visually communicates the message you want them to receive in a split second. 

Get this professionally done by a good designer, then get in touch with a good programmer who knows how to customise the facebook page with your graphics. Your return on investment will be worth it! We offer exactly these services at POMO so if you need a hand to do this just get in touch with me now.

Mobile Phone Use

Here’s a great infographic which gives you a fascinating visual into the use of mobile phones.

http://www.chrisbrogan.com/cellphones/ Via: Online IT Degree