6 Top Tips How To Network On Facebook
How to make the most of networking on Facebook
Since Facebook changed the way it worked and allowed users to create posts from their own fan pages on other users pages it has opened up a whole new world where you can take your fan-page out to other people rather than just waiting for them to stumble across you.
This has led to a large increase in networking pages of different sizes being created. “Send in the troops“, “Rainbow small business network” and “a little birdy told me“, link dog“ to name but a few. All with their own sets of rules. When you come across a new site that’s allowing you space to showcase your site, I suggest you look for posts that tell you how the page admins want you to post. In business or personal mode, photos, tags etc. If you break their rules your post may be deleted anyway, or you’ll get a virtual and public scolding, so check out the rules first.
1) Identify sites where your target audience is likely to be waiting. Check out pages of people who sell similar products and see where their new likers come from. (Lots of new likers offer this info very useful)
2) Identify the site rules, these may be found in several places. Possibly in the info page of the site, or the documents section or possibly in the posts that the site admin post (to see this on the top of the page wall you have two options the name of the site on the left will allow you to filter the comments so only the page admins comments are visible, the right hand option allows you return to the most popular or most recent posts.
3) Don’t just say hi from ….. post something interesting and eye catching. Post a photo of your products or something connected to the service you provide. People will be drawn by the photo. If you can’t post photos (back to those rules again) then post something different that will stand out, a joke, products or service description. Imagine at this point you’re selling in the market competing with all the other traders, show them your business and give people a reason to “like” you over others.
Ok so you’ve set the trap and someone’s taken the bait and “liked” your page now what?
4) Show some personality; if it’s your business then you “the person” will be a big part of the process. People will come for the products but you want them to want to read the future posts too and not unlike you. Who would you rather buy from someone who you’ve chatted to online, or someone who just posts visit my website ………. to buy XYZ.
5) Encourage people to interact with you.
Ask questions for them to answer, welcome new people to your page, and answers any questions that they have. Most of all don’t spam people, post if you have something to say, if you have something to add, but a lot of people will get fed up if you are constantly posting to the news feed.
6) Don’t become obsessed with the numbers.
Yes it’s nice to see the number on the left hand-side increase with people liking in personal mode but would you rather 1 person who liked in business mode but chats, asks question, and promotes your site or 100 people who “liked” purely for the like back? and then likely hid you from their news feed anyway. The numbers on your insight pages give a more accurate view of the number of people who “like” the site as they also include the business pages.
Do you have a fanpage? How to do you attract new “likers”? Do you go out a network on other sites? Or wait for them to come to you? Why not drop me a comment and let me know your opinion. Or if you’re not already a fan come and visit the Pippas web fan-page
Goodbye to the Google’s Local business center hello "Google Places"
Political correctness gone awray seems to be hitting our favourite sites at the moment. Today Google has changed the name of the section formaly known as “Local business Center”, has changed to “Google Places“. The press release claims it is to “better connect Place Pages – the way that businesses are being found today – with the tool that enables business owners to manage their presence on Google”.
So far other than the name change, there don’t appear to much change for UK users.
The new features to accompany this name change are:
There are some additional things being announced with the name change:
Service areas :previously available allowing users to set up areas that they cover, serve or deliver to.
Enhanced listings ($25 per month) renamed “Tags.” Adding to its initial markets, Houston and San Jose (CA), Google is adding Chicago, San Diego, Seattle, Boulder and San Francisco.
Business photos: free interior photography of the business.
Customized QR codes that are unique to an individual business and “can be placed on business cards or other marketing materials, and customers can scan them with certain smartphones to be taken directly to the mobile version of the Place Page for that business.”
and later in phase 2
Favorite Places
All these available to US markets only at the current time.
Of course this is hot on the tails of Facebooks changing their “Fan pages” yesterday, previously you could become a fan of companies with their own “fanpages” however Facebook in their infinite wisdom decided that rather than become “A Fan” people would rather “like” the site.
“Like” sounds a bit lame to me. Although what could it be replaced with, Twitter has “follower”. So what would you call someone who signs up to your companies page? Stalkers, groupies, readers ???? Suggestions via comments box please.
