Basic Facebook Apps Every Business Should Use

There are literally thousands of applications used on Facebook. Discussing them all would produce a blog as long as the Bible, so here are a few quick tips on the most helpful ones to help grow your business or solidify your brand:

My Google Calendar:
My Google Calendar can be added (free of charge) to your page in order to let your customers know about events, a special sale or the launch of a new product or service.

Reviews:
Let your Facebook fans post their own reviews of your products and services. The reviews will post directly onto your page, and then will be added to the fan's newsfeed so that their personal contacts will be introduced to your page.

Videos and Photos:
If you're not already, try Facebook's easy to use quick upload of photos and videos to your page. Your fans may also post their own videos and photos to your page, in an unlimited capacity.

Discussion/Chat Boards:
Discussion boards are a great way to get the buzz going about your biz. You put up the discussion board, and your fans do the rest. Fans comments are then shared through their newsfeed so the buzz keeps going beyond your own discussion thread.

And of course, be sure to update your page regularly - this will help fans keep track of what exciting things are happening with your business!

Facebook facts: I Wanna Be Loved By You

Growing your company or brand's fan base on Facebook can be a daunting challenge if you are pressed for time like most of us. I juggle two children under two (not literally) and serve as Marketing President of an Advertising and Communications agency. Sometimes I do my best creative work while I'm making a bottle or pushing my two-year old down the slide at the neighborhood park.

Facebook's like function is a great way to get your business page under the nose of the customer base you want to attract. But getting folks to like your brand is a challenge - they are often bombarded with requests to like this or that. You are also competing with other similar products and services within your business type, and that means you should try to stand out above them in the eyes of potential fans.

Two of the most helpful tips you'll ever receive on how to grow your fan base are:

Know your demographic and offer incentives.

If you know your customer demographic, you will be better able to offer them the types of incentives that appeal to them. People are motivated by what benefits them directly. If you give them something (free sample merchandise or a discount), or involve them in something (a contest, competition that they can enter) they will be much more likely to like your brand. By creating a fan base that is involved, you are creating loyal customers who will help share your products and services with friends and family.

Give love, and be loved in return.

Happy New Year!
Claudia

P.s. For inspiring true tales like the man who walked through fire during 9/11, please see my newest blog addition: www.wewalkthroughfire.blogspot.com.

Meetup: More Than Meets The Eye

Although it isn't as widely used as Facebook, Meetup has a lot of advantages and can be extremely useful in getting your business noticed by local consumers.

The primary advantage Meetup has over Facebook is Meetup's purpose is to convert online communities into face-to-face networking.

This is a crucial step for local businesses who do not ship products or perform services online. Using Meetup to target your customer base can drive traffic directly to your store front or designated place.  Meetup will increase awareness and alert your local community about your products and services.

There are three main ways to use Meetup to help your business grow:


1. The Soft Sell:

Sign up for Meetup (it's free) and start joining groups that will put you in contact with those who would be interested in your product or service. Be sure to add your website information/product information into your profile. When Meetup members notice you, they will see your profile information and will contact you if they are interested. As a member of a Meetup group, you will also be able to suggest to the Organizer when you have ideas for Meetup events. This is an excellent way to get your place of business noticed, as you may offer to host an event at your location. You can also offer Meetup members a special offer, sale or discount, which is often appreciated and rewarded!

2. Sponsorship

It's important to do some target research before you sponsor to determine what types of Meetup groups your customers would join. For example, if you own a children's boutique, you would want to locate moms and parenting groups. A quick search of Meetup's site will determine how many Moms Groups there are within a specified radius of your area. Meetup also will tell you how many members each group has. Obviously, you're going to want to sponsor the ones that either are specialized to your niche, or have the largest number of members. Sponsoring a Meetup group means you'll offer to do things for the group - such as pay their monthly Meetup fees, or offer a free area for event hosting, catering, etc. The Organizer in turn will usually post your ad on their site to let all their members know about your Sponsorship.


3. Form Your Own Group

For under $20 per month, you can start your own Meetup group. That allows you to pick your own subject matter and be in control of how and when Meetup events are scheduled. Becoming an Organizer of a Meetup group also allows direct contact with all of the members who join your group. Becoming a Meetup Organizer is an excellent way to network with a highly targeted group of people in your community.


When you have time, poke around on their site and see what Meetup can do for your business. I'll be posting more on Meetup's services later in the week.

Ning vs. Facebook: What's the Difference?

Ning is the newest outlet for social media, and differs substantially from other websites like Facebook and MySpace.

The biggest difference is that Ning allows the user to create their own personal network.

Here's how it works:

A person or company signs up with Ning, and creates a specialized network (concerning a specific topic, business or group).

Then he or she can customize the template and structure of the network to suit their specific needs.

With a click of a button, other Ning members and outsiders can be invited to join the newly created Ning network.

A user may also search the Ning communities to find networks similar to your own, in order to share information and increase the activity within a network.

Employees of a company who are linked into the Ning network may share ideas and project information directly through the site. Ning is also an excellent method of networking with colleagues or co-workers.

Mitch Joel, author of Six Pixels of Separation, compares the basic difference of Facebook and Ning to that of a tire. In social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, the user is a spoke, while the user of Ning is able to become the hub.

For those trying to create buzz around a topic within your industry, wheel it on over to Ning and see if it isn't worth a go.

You Can Do It! Podcasting Tips For Beginners

Podcasts.

They're everywhere. And there's a reason why.

By generating subscribers through an RSS feed, Podcasts can build trust and generate loyalty with your potential customer universe.

The cornerstone of successful podcasting is to provide regular content that your customer base finds useful and relevant.  If you have a hair salon, provide your customers with tips on great hair care and styles, how to prevent dry hair in the winter, moisturize in the summer, create a 'celebrity style' look, etc. Give them useful, interesting information and they in turn will reward you with their loyalty and their business.

Here are ten quick tips to get you started with your first Podcast:

1. Provide relevant information - something insightful so that your potential customer will want to buy from you.

2. Be an authority on the subject. Don't choose a topic that you know little about or you will not be able to provide your customer insightful information.

3. Remember your target audience when deciding upon a topic to podcast. The topic should be relevant and tailored specifically to that audience.

4. Think about the type of podcast you will use. Do you want a simple audio file, or to upload a video?

5. Do some research before you begin - look at the podcasts available in podcast directories such as podcast.com and podcastalley.com. These will give you ideas as to what constitutes a good, engaging or popular podcast.

6. Commit to producing regular podcasts (weekly, daily, what your schedule allows, but regular is key). You are more likely to build subscribers if your content is updated regularly.

7. Get the software you need to create the podcast you desire. There is free software available on the net through audacity.sorceforge.net. Macintosh users will have a copy of GarageBand loaded on their computer.

8. Jazz up your podcast with music or sound audio files, but make sure that you're not using someone else's property. For a collection of royalty-free music for your podcast, check out royaltyfreemusic.com.

9. Use an "album" photo for your podcast.  It's important to have an interesting image for users to peruse while browsing through various title tracks. Be sure that the photo matches your podcast.

10. Be sure to create an RSS feed (Real Simple Syndication), so that users may be able to subscribe to your podcasts. If you decide to go with podcast hosting, your RSS feed will be created for you through ClickCaster or MyPodcast, but if you choose to host your own, you will need to create an RSS feed through Feedburner. Signing up for any of these services is free and takes just a few minutes. Feedburner is owned by Google, so signing up for that service only requires a Google account.

More on Video and Audio Podcasting to come!

Reddit Yet? Using Reddit to Gain Exposure

Reddit is a very popular and easy to use social bookmarking website, and getting your company information or brand on Reddit can really help increase your exposure.  One of the reasons why Reddit is so popular among consumers is the usability -- Reddit allows users to locate, make notes of and store bookmarks of sites and content that they find relevant.

One of Reddit's major perks is how easy it is to make connections with those in your field, and to share useful information and industry news.

Reddit's home page consists of various news voted upon by Reddit users to be some of the most popular links. Any member of Reddit is a voter, so be sure to vote for links (subreddits) you find useful or those you don't like. Through this democratically social system of information sharing, the useful is rewarded by receiving top placement on the Reddit page (thereby garnering more attention, and something your brand should strive for).

Signing up for Reddit is free, easy and takes just minutes. It's perfectly acceptable for your company to add a link to its own site, although it is recommended that you add and share information that is relevant and not related to your business as well.

When submitting your links to Reddit, remember that Reddit does not allow for a summary (like Digg and StumbleUpon). All you are able to do is submit the relevant link (your site) along with a title, so be sure to add important keywords to the title so that your potential buyers will be able to find your link.

Read 'Em and Tweet: Smart Business Twitter Tips

Using Twitter is a great way to get your company brand noticed on a small budget. It costs nothing, and can put your business in contact with thousands, tens of thousands of people within seconds! Here are some tips to maximize efficiency on Twitter to help your company get the recognition it deserves.

1. Sign up for a URL shortener (like Bit.ly or Tiny.cc). Smart businesses use these services to shorten their Tweet URL to substitute a catchy title or keyword information instead. Twitter's "Tweets" are 140 characters or less, so Bit.ly and Tiny.cc work by compressing your URL link to just a few characters in length. That way, you'll be able to add a catchy title to your Tweet instead of just the lengthy, boring URL link.  Both services are free and take minutes to sign up.

2. Use Twitter's search function to find out about relevant information within your industry. Another useful function is the scroll down list on the right hand column on the Twitter home page, that lists all of Twitter's most popular Tweets. By using this function, your company may be able to determine what potential customers are looking for in real time.

3. Always add a photo to your Tweet. Visual stimulation helps promote interest and will capture the attention of your followers. For royalty free images, check out www.istockphoto.com, www.shutterstock.com and www.fotosearch.com.

4. Follow and be followed on Twitter. The name of the game is exposure, and you can gain more exposure by following those in your industry. If someone comments on your Tweet, then their comment is displayed with information about your business, not just to your followers, but to theirs as well.

5. Be active. The more activity, the greater your chance at getting your Tweets "Re-tweeted" (when a Follower finds your information relevant enough to share with his or her Followers as well). Engage with your followers through Twitter, or through email.

6. Ensure that a Follower who wants to hire your company or purchase your brand will be able to contact you. Add your name and contact information to all of your online media outlets.

10 Things You Should Know Before Placing Facebook Ads

Advertising on Facebook can drive traffic and raise your visibility level in the eyes of potential customers. Like most other online advertising campaigns, the buyer can spend as little or as much as his budget allows (Facebook's maximum advertising per month costs $30,000).

Using Facebook ads to reach your customer universe is a highly successful way to boost sales and drive traffic to your page or website, if properly utilized. Facebook's software is able to spider out to reach Group members and Fan pages who have interests similar to your product or service.

For example, if you are a dentist, your ads will be placed on Group pages that live within a specific radius of your home, as it is unrealistic for anyone to travel a long distance to see a dentist. If you are a children's clothing boutique, your advertisements will be displayed on Group pages of moms who have children and live close to your storefront.

A few tips to help get you started:

1. Facebook allows you to target your customer universe when creating your ad. You can target gender, age, and specific locations, educational background, people with children, etc.

2. Targeting your audience is one of the most effective means of a successful ad campaign. If you have not spent time thinking about who your customer is, it is important that you do it before you place your advertising campaign on Facebook.

3. Don't be too narrow-minded. Think in terms of who all of your potential customers are, and then base your targeting on that model. After keying in the demographics, Facebook will tell you how many possible matches they have - and you can determine an advertising budget based upon that number of potential customers. 

4. Many successful advertising campaigns begin with trial and error. Attempt two or three different ads, and watch them for a week to see how well each one performs (I'll be talking about statistics as well as Google Analytics in a future blog.).

5. Your ad title should be catchy and no longer than 25 characters. Seduce the customer into wanting to read more about your business.

6. Although it is not necessary to have a Facebook page or be a member of Facebook to purchase advertising, it is probably a good idea. Your ad will have a URL (a landing page) which you designate when you design the ad. Many buyers choose to use their Facebook page as the URL, but you may also use your own website.

7. Be sure that the content on the designated landing page matches the content in the ad. You will have a higher success at closing the deal if your page content is consistent with the ad. Anyone who has ever gone on a Internet date based on an photo, only to find the person looked nothing like the photo knows what I'm talking about here.

8. Facebook ads allow for image placement in the creation. Be sure your image is consistent with your landing page. Images must be no larger than 110 pixels wide and 80 pixels tall, or smaller than 5 MB.

9. Use the keyword function. Your customer uses certain words and phrases to get information on products and services similar to yours. Conceptualize what those words might be, and add them into your Facebook ad (your customers won't even know that you did it).

10. Mull all of this over before starting your ad campaign. Contemplate the keywords, the look and style of your ad, the catchy title, whether to use an image, and targeting demographics to reach specific groups of people. It's better to know as much as you can in advance and utilize the power of Facebook's software than to simply throw something up there willy-nilly.

Facebook Facts: What's better for your business - a Group or Page?

Facebook accounts are classified as "Groups" or "Pages". Groups are the traditional closed-circuit groups of which only members can participate.  Pages are open to anyone to view, and may be the best option for small business owners.

Distinguishing characteristics of Facebook Pages & Groups:

• Groups are only visible by other Facebook members, while Pages can be seen by anyone using the Internet.

• Pages are visible in Internet searches, which means that a potential customer who is Googling fields related to your business may locate your Facebook Page through a search engine.

• Facebook permits the use of your company name to be used as a URL through a Page, but not through a Group.

• Groups allow a user to send messages (like e-mail) - which is handy if you wish to be in direct contact with individual customers.

• Pages works similarly, but only to those designated as "fans" on your Page.

• With a Page, your company can provide more detailed information than a Group.

• Pages allow your company to see statistics about your fans, and how they use your Page.

• Pages allow you to import additional feeds from your company, through Twitter and other sites as well. 

More information on setting up a Facebook Page and a Facebook Group to come!

Your Business Has a Facebook Page: Now What?

Joining a social networking site like Facebook can be extremely beneficial when branding your business and reaching your customer base. But some business owners misunderstand the concept and application of what it means to be "on Facebook" (or any other social media outlet).

Instead of thinking of "joining Facebook" as a task, think of it as an evolving project that has no end in site. Social media is more like a human life than a marketing concept, as it is ever changing, on-going and will always require effort and time from you (or your employees).

Compare your Facebook page with that of a newborn baby, for example. You gave birth to him (started your page), and now expect the task to be complete. It is only beginning. You now have have to nurture your page. In short, you've got to put in the time to make Facebook pay off for you in order to sell your brand.

Your aim in starting a Facebook account is to drive traffic to your Facebook page.

Driving Facebook traffic can be accomplished by:

• Providing new content regularly.

• Updating your Twitter page to announce that you've added fresh content on Facebook (with a link).

• Emailing your contact list of consumers with a link to the Facebook page containing fresh content.

• Using Facebook's Events option to let your customers know when you are having a calendar event. A simple offering of fresh coffee and cookies on a certain day is enough to call it a party, and will drive traffic into your store front or meeting. A great thing about Facebook Events is that when your customer sends an RSVP in return, their Facebook newsfeed shows that they've done so, so all of their friends will be introduced to your brand.

• Linking in your fresh content with all of your social media outlets. If you use Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn or a blog or just your own website, adding fresh content to all of your outlets will drive traffic to your Facebook page.

All of these media outlets work like a tight jazz trio. You can't have a great combo without the sax, the drums and piano. Singularly, the instruments may not do much for you, but all working together they produce amazing results.