Archive for the ‘Facebook’ Category

The Facebook vs MySpace debate is long running.  While many users have profiles on both, some people only utilize one or the other.  For a business, questioning which platform is worth your time and marketing budget is a valid question.

What are Your Customer Demographics?

The MySpace audience is a slightly younger group.  While the average age is 31, a full third of their users are under the age of 17.  Facebook’s average customer age is 36.  Facebook’s male to female ratio is almost even at 57% female, where MySpace is 64% female.

As MySpace has evolved, they have lured more high school users through their customizable pages and heavy focus on music and bands.  Facebook has gone out of their way to appeal to an older generation by being user friendly and looking professional.

Do More People Use Facebook or MySpace?

In early 2010, Facebook boasted more than twice the number of users than MySpace.  While Facebook has grown rapidly over the last few years, MySpace growth has stayed steady or declined.

How Much Time is Spent on Facebook and MySpace by the Average Users?

By January 2010, the amount of time an average user spent on Facebook had grown to over seven hours a month.  While MySpace doesn’t offer as many analytics to the public,vusers spend about a fourth of the amount of time that site as they do Facebook.

The Bottom Line, Which is Better for My Business?

It depends.  If your business targets teenage music lovers, you might be better off focusing your attention on MySpace.  If your business targets any other demographic, Facebook is the better choice.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Gone are the days when people wrote long letters to each other and waited for weeks on end till they got a reply back. Today, all it takes is a click to open a social networking site and a few strokes of the keyboard to convey any message that you want to your family or friends. Take Facebook for example. The popularity of the site is increasing every day ( going by its membership figures of 300 million) and its youngest members are still in school. But is there really too much of a good thing? People often argue that while such sites have made staying in touch so much easier, we also pay a price in terms of privacy. Are we aware that a lot of information we thought was private is actually in the open for the entire world to see?

To Like or Not to Like
Think of Facebook as community where people in your friend list know what you’re up to, what you are doing and even what you think. If that wasn’t enough, your friends are free to comment on anything that appears in your Facebook page as well. That is because Facebook offers both a Live Feed and a News Feed. The Live Feed shows you everything that’s happening within your friends circle. For instance you will be notified when a friend comments on a photo or another updates her status. On the other hand the News Feed is filtered by Facebook and consists of stories or links that the website thinks a user would enjoy based on factors like your friends commenting on the story. Needless to say, many Facebook users are outraged at the idea of the website itself making certain decisions for them. And exactly why would people be keen to know every little thing their friends do?

This week, Facebook laid out the next phase in its plan to rule the Web when it introduced a “Like” button that will be embedded on sites accross the Internet. The little “thumbs up” icon that many Facebook users have used to show approval for their friends activities is already featured on sites like CNN, and expected to show up on shopping sites, entertainment sites and beyond. In the words of Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerburg, at the launch of this new feature, “We’re going to serve one billion ‘like’ buttons on the Web” in the first 24 hours.

Over-sharers Beware
Many users are also waking up to the fact that every time they click the ‘like’ feature on an application or news item, their ‘like’ and profile photo will appear on the page that has been flagged. In other words, this is akin to a Digg like function, where content can be flagged with the only difference being that the content immediately appears in the status feed. This is just the beginning because very soon Facebook will also give you the option to ‘ like’ content that appears on entertainment and news websites; the only hitch being that all will be revealed in your status feeds. In other words, your friends will know which sites you visited, what you read and so on. How many of us really want the world watching what we do?

The Facebook team justify that any new update made is always tested extensively keeping the user in mind, and that real close knit interaction has only just begun. Facebook users on the other hand are anything but happy. Many feel that every time Facebook makes changes to the site, they are only for the worse. Increasingly, the invasion of one’s privacy is a scary reality.

One can’t deny that technology has indeed made the world a much smaller place in many ways. It has become so much easier to reach out to people sitting on the other side of the world, or who you may never have met. No wonder then that websites which support a particular cause like, or which are a meeting place for people who share similar passions often comprise of a mixed bunch of people from different countries. Social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter help people interact closely and stay in touch more often. However, these sites have also proven to be a great meeting ground for brands which want to get closer to their customers and also a huge marketing forum for newly launched products as well.

So why is Ning any different?

Just like its counterparts, Ning is a social platform too. The driving force behind this website is to connect with other people who truly share your passions and other interests. Once you create your own off-site social network, you are free to reach out to other members and find people who are passionate about a cause you care about, talk to others about your brand or make new friends. Once you register on the website, members can then choose to personalize their pages by choosing from over 50 themes, selecting from various privacy options, share photos and videos, chat in real time with other members, create groups, add a forum for discussion or organize events- in short everything that other popular social networking sites offer.

How can Ning help your business?

Many organizations and reputed brands are discovering the power of Ning for themselves.

1. It’s important for a brand to keep in constant touch with its audience and Ning offers a great opportunity to receive a constant flow of feedback from customers. It’s a wonderful way to get new ideas, work on improving existing ones and understand what the customer REALLY wants.
2. Ning also lets members come together and interact among themselves as well. The best way to start a dialog between your customers is to create an exclusive forum for discussion where relevant topics can be discussed and views exchanged.
3. If your organization is launching a new product, then harness the reach that Ning offers! You can upload photos, videos, events and blog posts which will reach your intended audience as well.
4. If you are truly passionate about a cause, Ning offers a great opportunity to find other like minded people. Starting a new event, planning a charity drive or simply supporting your community- Ning lets you do it all.
5. It’s easy to find existing communities which are in the same industry as yours and become a part of them. It’s a great way to keep abreast of the latest developments and share ideas.
6. Make your customers feel special and connected to your brand by giving them a forum to discuss and share views about your brand .That helps to increase brand loyalty on their part and gives you resources to promote your brand even further.

Facebook recently announced the introduction of a new type of page called a “community page”. Considering the fact that there are already “Facebook Groups” and “Facebook Pages (or Fan Pages),” this has left many businesses wondering whether or not a community page would be the right choice for them.

What is a Facebook Community page?

Facebook introduced community pages to people who want to rally around their favorite topics or causes. For instance, a possible community page would be “Bob’s Tacos Are the Best!” So that the multitudes of people that love Bob’s Tacos could join this page and proclaim this love to the world (or at least their Facebook friends). Community pages are typically unofficial so Bob never has to lift a finger.

Since these pages can get hundreds of thousands of fans, Facebook has said they will take away the creator’s publishing rights at an undisclosed point. This ensures that the members will not be spammed.

What is Facebook Fan page?

An Facebook Fan Page are created to represent a business, public figure, organization, brand or product. This page allows for communication with fans and customers. When starting this type of page, you must agree that you are the official representative of the person, business, band or product and you have all the proper permissions. So, Bob could start an official Facebook Fan Page for “Bob’s Tacos” and use it to publicize new menu items or weekly discounts.

Fan Pages operate very similar to a personal page. There is a wall where (depending on the page’s settings) fans and owners can post pictures, links or messages. There are also tabs that allow for discussions, reviews, photos and events to be posted by the owners. Whenever a status is posted in a fan page, it will show up in all the fans’ news streams. No matter how popular a fan page gets, the owner does not lose publishing rights. These fan pages are indexed and searchable through search engines.

What is a Facebook Group?

A Facebook Group is similar to a Fan Page. However, events can be handled differently in a group. The administrator can allow all the members of the group to send bulk invites to other members. So “Bob’s Tacos’ Monday Night Taco Club” could start a group, discuss the food and set up meetings. They can set up officers as well such as a President and Treasurer. These groups can also be hidden from unregistered users.

Which is best for my business?

Most businesses will find that an official Fan Page will best serve their needs. There will be no confusion on who is really running the page, or if its messages are company approved. Starting a Fan Page will allow a company to create a beneficial and long lasting relationship with their customer.

The Second most visited website in the United States is …. FACEBOOK, according to Alexa.com. Businesses continue to struggle how best to utilize this very popular social media. Recent research suggests advertising online with Facebook convert considerably higher that Googles online advertising at usually HALF the price or less.

Another reason businesses are paying attention is the average Facebook user is now 38 years old. Within a 50 mile radius of Saint Louis, MO, there are an estimated  735,500 people, age 25 and older.

Business FACEBOOK users may login as  1. Personal Profile (which can get you marked by FACEBOOK as SPAM), 2. Group Page, or 3. Fan Page . Many businesses choose fan pages to advertise and promote their brand. Here are how some of our favorite uses of Fan Pages:

COUPON Ritz Crackers  Great news for fans — more free samples of new RITZ Munchables! Get them now; supplies are limited! Just go to the Open for Fun Tab and click on the offer.

SWEEPSTAKES Olive Garden Italian Restaurant  We’re giving away 4 trips for 2 to Italy! This is your chance to experience Rome, Florence and our Culinary Institute of Tuscany. Enter once a day for the culinary tour and you could instantly win one of 500 $25 gift cards!

ENGAGING NEWS ESPN  When “Dancing with the Stars” kicks off its new season tonight at 8 ET on ABC, our very own Erin Andrews will be putting her feet to the test against the likes of Chad Ochocinco and gold medalist Evan Lysacek. Who’s your pick to win?

SALES Better Homes and Gardens  From our April issue: Vitamins B and C make cucumber a natural to combat skin swelling and sunburn, and to reinforce skin’s health. Our beauty editor’s picks include Earth Therapeutics Recovery-E Cucumber Eye Pads, $6

DISCUSSION BOARDS St. Louis Children’s Hospital  Send us your nutrition questions by clicking on the “Discussions” tab. In recognition of National Nutrition Month, here is another tip from dietitian Tara Todd. Learn about the most important things to include in your grocery cart.

Become our Fan to Learn More!

Social networking expert Melissa Wilson addressed social media as marketing and business tool for Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal, P.C. and the Crestwood-Sunset Hills Chamber of Commerce

St. Louis, MO–The impact of social media for businesses in successful marketing was the topic addressed by Melissa Wilson, founder of YourSocialMedia and Wilson Monnig Creative. She discussed new opportunities with Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal, P.C. Attorneys at Law and the Crestwood-Sunset Hills Chamber of Commerce.

Wilson advised that social media should be a part of any business or organization’s marketing plan, just as traditional marketing, such as print advertising and radio and television commercials. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are the most popular now.

“While it is gratifying that companies are eager to begin a social media campaign,” says Wilson, “research, planning and analysis upfront will make that plan professional and easy to launch. The greatest benefits of business social networking are lead generation, sales, industry relevance and customer satisfaction for repeat sales. Devising a solid plan in the beginning will make all that work worthwhile.”

Facebook has become a big marketing aid and is used by companies to promote such items as coupons, sweepstakes, news, sales and discussion boards. Reasonably priced advertising is another plus for small companies. Facebook ads convert to considerably higher distribution and at half the price or less than Google.

Mary Ann McWilliams, executive director of the Crestwood-Sunset Hills Chamber of Commerce, says that “Melissa approached her subject in plain English and understandable terms. Our members are excited to take what Melissa told them back to their office and implement.” Wilson’s presentation was sponsored by the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE).

#####

About YourSocialMedia.com
YourSocialNetwork.com is an initiative by Wilson Monnig Creative to help businesses and individuals understand the effectiveness of the different social media tools available to them, and integrate them into their marketing plans.

About Wilson Monnig Creative
Wilson Monnig Creative LLC is an innovative marketing, public relations, advertising, website, Internet search engine optimization and print design company. A leading provider for social networking and new media projects, Wilson Monnig also helps clients understand and use new marketing methods to compete in today’s business climate.

The group’s nationwide client base includes companies in real estate, agriculture, automotive, folk artisans, personal fitness and entrepreneurial start-ups. Founded by Melissa Wilson in 2006, the company is located in the St. Peters/St. Charles/St. Louis, Missouri, area. Wilson has assembled award winning, experienced talent who are adept at managing client projects from conception through implementation.

Do you want even more stuff in your email box? Facebook thinks so.

Just how important is your email address? Are you willing to read through unsolicited mail, even more than you already receive? Facebook may very well up your numbers as the social networking site has given developers the ability to request, or even require your email address. This means marketers can inundate you with information about even more stuff to buy.

This change has been in progress since October 2009, with developers in on the progress. Now, developers can access Facebook users directly instead of going through the Facebook gatekeeper system.

The email collection process begins with the appearance of a permission box asking the user to grant permission to be contacted. Users can either allow or disallow the request. However, some permissions can only be controlled through the applications settings page.

How much control a user really has depends on the personal settings that were managed before last December’s privacy changes. If a Facebook user chose the recommended setting without really investigating, Facebook has the right to publish your private information such as updates, photos, shared links, and yes, email addresses.

As involvement in social networking continues to expand, users must strike a balance between protecting privacy and well, being social. Due diligence is necessary to be smart about what users assume and what type of information is out there, usually forever.

Is privacy in the age of social media just an illusion? Signs certainly seem to be pointing that way. Thanks to Google, anyone with access to the Web can quite easily draw an accurate profile of who I am, where I work and what I believe. With the aid of LinkedIn and Twitter, potential employers can form an opinion of recruits without even checking references. I don’t want to debate ethics or the legal implications of such phenomenon, but I just wonder how long it will be before the public starts looking for a way to get out from under the microscope. Or, if Facebook is correct, and we’ll accept that it is now normal for strangers to peer into our most personal space.

Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, received a fair amount of criticism when he said in a CNBC interview that, “If you have something that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.” This is probably not what I want to here from the CEO of the company that stores my emails, voicemails, blogs, etc. But it doesn’t make me want to unplug from the web either. I’ve just come to accept the trade-off that balances the power of free-flowing information and our willingness to share what we know.

Popular social networks are literally banking on the fact that there are millions of other people who feel the same way and becoming increasingly lax about their privacy. While Facebook has lured us in with the promise of intimate networks and full privacy controls. Recent changes in their policies have shown that they would rather we opened up and made our lives searchable. After all, that is where the money is. Advertisers would love to know that I’m in the market for a new something-or-other so they can tell me just where to get it at the right price.

As social media develops, I believe the trend will continue towards people opening up and sharing, and over-sharing. It won’t all be bad, because I believe we all gain when ideas are shared and expanded. For now, I’ve drawn the line at geo-location (there’s something creepy about being tracked as a dot on a map). Besides, I still like the option of being fashionably late without my boss knowing that I stopped to get a donut. And it will be a long, long, long time before I’m willing to put my medical records online. Sorry, Google.

 Loading ...

New Facebook security changes aren’t so secure after all; complaint filed with the FTC
Managing a Facebook account has become even more complicated. Will teens have the patience or interest to keep themselves safe online?

The public face on the new Facebook privacy settings that went into effect on Wednesday, December 9 was pitched as a way for members to have more control over their settings and who could access what information. Now two weeks later the reviews aren’t good and founder Jeff Zuckerman has been zapped by his own “privacy” settings. Also, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), plus 10 more organizations, including the American Library Association, have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charging that Facebook’s recent privacy changes violate the federal consumer protection law.

For teens and preteens, it might as well be business as usual, but under the friends, the comments, photos, videos and fan groups, their privacy and their future could be at stake. At the age of believing they are invulnerable, anything posted in their digital world will have a footprint somewhere on the Internet forever.

As with all social networking communities, the potential for abuse, bullying and cyber stalking exists. Kids don’t understand the anonymity of the computer screen opens their world to millions of people who might not have their good intentions in mind.

The new security settings, done correctly, can increase personal security in some respects, but getting there is extremely complicated. Your teens should beware of the default setting, “Everyone.” Unless this is changed your kid’s information is readily available to everyone for any reason. Even setting security blocks at every level, which is a very tedious process, a Facebook presence is still for sale. Your name, profile pictures, friends list, fan pages, gender, geographic region and networks are still out there.

Some changes have been made to tighten security, especially after Zuckerman found that some of his personal pictures and information were made public. Even so, users have reported that after they jumped through the security settings hoops, the settings reverted to “Everyone,” requiring more time to reconfigure.

Facebook admits that user information is available to third party applications, search engines, Internet users and others, without the user’s knowledge or consent, even if the user has not connected with any of the sites. In this respect, personal safety can be at risk. The EPIC complaint relates harassment incidents concerning Facebook users who had posted opinions critical of the Iranian government. A user said that security agents in Tehran arrested his father because of the Facebook postings, and others received threatening e-mails claiming knowledge of the poster’s home address.

This isn’t the first time Facebook has been accused of abusing their users’ privacy and it certainly won’t be the last time either. It is the time to discuss what’s under the hood of your child’s Facebook page, and urge caution in the very vulnerable Internet.

Written by Myra Vandersall

Facebook put up a post on their blog yesterday on “What Happens If I Ignore a Friend Request?” This is a question that I’ve been asked about on several occasions, and even wondered about myself. Actually, I’ve wondered what happens if I decide that I don’t think this whole “friend” thing is working out.

Well, according to Facebook, if you receive a friend request that you would like to (politely) deny you can just choose to click on Ignore, and that person will not receive notification of your decision. They will still be able to send you another request later and maybe you’ll have warmed up to the idea by then. Of course you have the option to do neither and just leave the “Friend Request” in limbo.

But in the event that guilt or persistence gets the better of you and you do accept this “friend” into your inner circle, you can go to their profile and scroll down to the bottom of the left hand side column and click on Remove from Friends, and they will be none the wiser. Unless, you are one out of five of their only Facebook friends, in which case you’re on your own.