Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
The New Facebook Send Button - All You Need To Know
Facebook has announced the release of a new open graph tool, the “Send” button, which joins the “Like” button as a social utility across the web. Right on the heels of the 1 year anniversary of the “Like” button, which has been integrated into over 2.5 million websites to date, the “Send” button will enable sharing content from the web with specific sets of people.
What is the “Send” button?
The Send button is a social plugin that, like the “Like” button, websites can use to let users broadcast information they’re consuming on the web to their friends on Facebook. The “Send” button is different from the “Like” button in that “Send” enables private sharing. Where a user hitting the “Like” button within a website publishes a feed post of this activity to his entire list of friends via his public newsfeed, hitting “Send” will enable that user to instead choose the exact people he’d like to share the content with. This linked content can be sent via Facebook message, email, or posted right into a specific Facebook Group’s wall. This addition to open graph sharing abilities will enable greater private sharing and more social sharing among groups of friends. Facebook is already calling it “the easiest way to privately share things with groups and individuals.”
From Facebook:
The Send button is a social plugin that websites can use to let people send a link to a friend through Facebook Messages, post it to a Group, or email it to an individual. For example, if you see a Mother’s Day gift idea on 1-800-Flowers.com, you can now send a message or email to your family members to discuss. Or say you’re training for a marathon and you come across a great article about running shoes on The Huffington Post. Now you can share it with your entire running group in just one click.
How can Brands Use the “Send” Button?
We think that social media marketers will find the “Send” button a promising addition to the sharing functionalities of your brand website. Since visitors will now be able to target their sharing activity to specific people, instead of worrying about blasting their entire Facebook friends list each time they want to “Like” something on your site.
For businesses who use social media software, I think this can be an especially handy function for promotions, deals, discounts, and sales that are run. For example, if you’re running a group giveaway sweepstakes, where a group of 5 friends can enter to win an all-expenses-paid Spring Break getaway, the “Send” button can serve as a quick and easy way for visitors to invite the specific group of friends they need to rally to register to your promotion without worrying about attracting too much competition to the promotion if they posted it publicly to their newsfeed. The “Send” button also allows for greater targeting for the user. Where before the user may not have considered “Liking” a quiz about engagement rings from a jeweler’s website for fear of the impression it would create on her public newsfeed, she will be more likely to “Send” the amusing quiz to her close group of girlfriends instead.
Another important detail, from a Mashable post, is that the “Send” counts toward the total number of Likes a page has. The Like total is now calculated by adding the number of Likes, shares, comments and inbox messages containing a URL.
How will The Marketing & Health Connection integrate the new “Send” button?
The Marketing & Health Connection will integrate the new “Send” button as a standard sharing feature in our blogs and on our various websites (http://www.jenniferlmartin.net/). Then, users entering our sweepstakes and contests will be able to share these promotions easily with their friends, with one click of the “Send” button without leaving our promotion page.
Facebook is launching the “Send” button on 50 sites today, and promises to provide an easy way to share with small groups of people, giving marketers and business owners a new way to generate engagement and drive traffic to their websites.
Portion of this article and pictures from Wildfire
Have you worked with the new "send" button yet? If so, how easy or difficult did you find it to work with?
Any suggestions or tips you would give on how you have integrated the send button on your website or blog?
What is the “Send” button?
The Send button is a social plugin that, like the “Like” button, websites can use to let users broadcast information they’re consuming on the web to their friends on Facebook. The “Send” button is different from the “Like” button in that “Send” enables private sharing. Where a user hitting the “Like” button within a website publishes a feed post of this activity to his entire list of friends via his public newsfeed, hitting “Send” will enable that user to instead choose the exact people he’d like to share the content with. This linked content can be sent via Facebook message, email, or posted right into a specific Facebook Group’s wall. This addition to open graph sharing abilities will enable greater private sharing and more social sharing among groups of friends. Facebook is already calling it “the easiest way to privately share things with groups and individuals.”
From Facebook:
The Send button is a social plugin that websites can use to let people send a link to a friend through Facebook Messages, post it to a Group, or email it to an individual. For example, if you see a Mother’s Day gift idea on 1-800-Flowers.com, you can now send a message or email to your family members to discuss. Or say you’re training for a marathon and you come across a great article about running shoes on The Huffington Post. Now you can share it with your entire running group in just one click.
How can Brands Use the “Send” Button?
We think that social media marketers will find the “Send” button a promising addition to the sharing functionalities of your brand website. Since visitors will now be able to target their sharing activity to specific people, instead of worrying about blasting their entire Facebook friends list each time they want to “Like” something on your site.
For businesses who use social media software, I think this can be an especially handy function for promotions, deals, discounts, and sales that are run. For example, if you’re running a group giveaway sweepstakes, where a group of 5 friends can enter to win an all-expenses-paid Spring Break getaway, the “Send” button can serve as a quick and easy way for visitors to invite the specific group of friends they need to rally to register to your promotion without worrying about attracting too much competition to the promotion if they posted it publicly to their newsfeed. The “Send” button also allows for greater targeting for the user. Where before the user may not have considered “Liking” a quiz about engagement rings from a jeweler’s website for fear of the impression it would create on her public newsfeed, she will be more likely to “Send” the amusing quiz to her close group of girlfriends instead.
Another important detail, from a Mashable post, is that the “Send” counts toward the total number of Likes a page has. The Like total is now calculated by adding the number of Likes, shares, comments and inbox messages containing a URL.
How will The Marketing & Health Connection integrate the new “Send” button?
The Marketing & Health Connection will integrate the new “Send” button as a standard sharing feature in our blogs and on our various websites (http://www.jenniferlmartin.net/). Then, users entering our sweepstakes and contests will be able to share these promotions easily with their friends, with one click of the “Send” button without leaving our promotion page.
Facebook is launching the “Send” button on 50 sites today, and promises to provide an easy way to share with small groups of people, giving marketers and business owners a new way to generate engagement and drive traffic to their websites.
Portion of this article and pictures from Wildfire
Have you worked with the new "send" button yet? If so, how easy or difficult did you find it to work with?
Any suggestions or tips you would give on how you have integrated the send button on your website or blog?
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The Big Four - Time Management allows Connecting and Engaging
I have been involved with social media for the past several years, web marketing for the past 10+ years, web site and graphic design for the past 15 years. When you own a business, whether small or big and in today's society you have to do social media marketing. But you ask yourself time and time again when am I going to have the time to post status updates, or comment on someone else's post? I just don't have the time to stay connected with my fans/potential clients. And I don't have the budget to hire a social media manager to do this for me.
I have learned a simple solution that I learned from Anita Crawford Clark and many other social media professionals that allows me to connect and engage with my peeps online, plus still have plenty of time to run my business.
Follow these simple steps:
THE BIG FOUR: - Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube
(consistently be on the different sites daily)
Create a list of four (4) social media platforms that you use most often, starting with the most important one at the top listed as #5 and count down to #1, as such:
5. Facebook - Five one minute activities
4. Twitter - Four one minute activities
3. LinkedIn - Three one minute activities
2. YouTube - Two one minute activities
1. Blog - One one minute activity
If you add all these up, = 15 minutes x 1 minute each = 15 minutes a day to do activities on all your social media platforms. 15 x 365 days a year = 5,475 activities. This is just a minimum formula. If you have more time to connect and engage each day, even five more minutes that is more connectivity you have with potential clients.
I find that HootSuite saves me a lot of time by having all my social media platforms in one program to monitor.
On each social media platform, this is what is most important to me to get the most out of my time:
Facebook - Look at the most recent newsfeed on your wall. Be sure you are seeing all your friends/connections feeds. To do so, at the top of your screen click on most recent>edit options>show posts from all your friends and pages>save. Scroll down on newsfeeds and read all if interested, "like", share a link and check your inbox messages and reply.
Twitter - Go to home, look @ mentions, reply, retweet, comment or send a direct message about topics pertaining to your industry. When you reply, you usually get an @mention and that goes out to all your followers feeds. If you like something, "favorite it". This allows you to go back to it when you have more time to read it. The goal with Twitter is you want to get "re-tweeted" and get @mentions. This is helping you spread footprints of your brand/name on the web.
LinkedIn - Go to home, look in newsfeeds, reply and/or comment, "like" any comments of interest, send direct messages to others in your network about any topic. Keep in mind LinkedIn is a "business-minded" forum and are connecting with other business professionals. On right side, look at "who's viewed your profile" click on link to keep abreast on who's interested in your page. Also be sure to "share an update" on your profile.
One other piece of advice - connect all your social media platforms (Facebook fan page, Twitter, etc to your LinkedIn account). Automation helps you save a lot of time.
YouTube - Go to home, scroll down and look to see who are new subscribers and friends. Click on their picture and thank them for connecting with you on their page. Also check your comments section and reply to each accordingly. Be sure to subscribe to any channels that pertain to your industry, request them as a friend and be sure to check mark notify me when videos are uploaded. Check your email inbox for those uploaded videos notifications and check them out. If they are educational and you find them worthy, save them to your favorites/add to playlist and add them to your channel.
Blog - Log into your blog and glance through articles to see if anyone has left comments. If so, respond accordingly. Posting articles, videos and how-to's to your blog at least 2-3 x week is vital to building your brand and another "free" resource to promote and market yourself. Be sure to put links to your blog in all your social media platforms. The key is to be fascinating, creative and figure out what is important to your target audience. Figure out what is the #1 problem for my customers/clients? What is the #1 reason that keeps them awake at night? I find it vital to put words of encouragement, inspirational and motivational in my blogs, and also in my Tweets (Twitter). Become seen as an expert in your field.
If you follow The Big Four plan each and everyday, you will find you have time for work and for play.
If you have another plan that works for you, I'd love to hear it. Please share it below in the comments section.
Have a fabulous day!
Jennifer Martin
I have learned a simple solution that I learned from Anita Crawford Clark and many other social media professionals that allows me to connect and engage with my peeps online, plus still have plenty of time to run my business.
Follow these simple steps:
THE BIG FOUR: - Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube
(consistently be on the different sites daily)
Create a list of four (4) social media platforms that you use most often, starting with the most important one at the top listed as #5 and count down to #1, as such:
5. Facebook - Five one minute activities
4. Twitter - Four one minute activities
3. LinkedIn - Three one minute activities
2. YouTube - Two one minute activities
1. Blog - One one minute activity
If you add all these up, = 15 minutes x 1 minute each = 15 minutes a day to do activities on all your social media platforms. 15 x 365 days a year = 5,475 activities. This is just a minimum formula. If you have more time to connect and engage each day, even five more minutes that is more connectivity you have with potential clients.
I find that HootSuite saves me a lot of time by having all my social media platforms in one program to monitor.
On each social media platform, this is what is most important to me to get the most out of my time:
Facebook - Look at the most recent newsfeed on your wall. Be sure you are seeing all your friends/connections feeds. To do so, at the top of your screen click on most recent>edit options>show posts from all your friends and pages>save. Scroll down on newsfeeds and read all if interested, "like", share a link and check your inbox messages and reply.
Twitter - Go to home, look @ mentions, reply, retweet, comment or send a direct message about topics pertaining to your industry. When you reply, you usually get an @mention and that goes out to all your followers feeds. If you like something, "favorite it". This allows you to go back to it when you have more time to read it. The goal with Twitter is you want to get "re-tweeted" and get @mentions. This is helping you spread footprints of your brand/name on the web.
LinkedIn - Go to home, look in newsfeeds, reply and/or comment, "like" any comments of interest, send direct messages to others in your network about any topic. Keep in mind LinkedIn is a "business-minded" forum and are connecting with other business professionals. On right side, look at "who's viewed your profile" click on link to keep abreast on who's interested in your page. Also be sure to "share an update" on your profile.
One other piece of advice - connect all your social media platforms (Facebook fan page, Twitter, etc to your LinkedIn account). Automation helps you save a lot of time.
YouTube - Go to home, scroll down and look to see who are new subscribers and friends. Click on their picture and thank them for connecting with you on their page. Also check your comments section and reply to each accordingly. Be sure to subscribe to any channels that pertain to your industry, request them as a friend and be sure to check mark notify me when videos are uploaded. Check your email inbox for those uploaded videos notifications and check them out. If they are educational and you find them worthy, save them to your favorites/add to playlist and add them to your channel.
Blog - Log into your blog and glance through articles to see if anyone has left comments. If so, respond accordingly. Posting articles, videos and how-to's to your blog at least 2-3 x week is vital to building your brand and another "free" resource to promote and market yourself. Be sure to put links to your blog in all your social media platforms. The key is to be fascinating, creative and figure out what is important to your target audience. Figure out what is the #1 problem for my customers/clients? What is the #1 reason that keeps them awake at night? I find it vital to put words of encouragement, inspirational and motivational in my blogs, and also in my Tweets (Twitter). Become seen as an expert in your field.
If you follow The Big Four plan each and everyday, you will find you have time for work and for play.
If you have another plan that works for you, I'd love to hear it. Please share it below in the comments section.
Have a fabulous day!
Jennifer Martin
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Smartphone pictures pose privacy risks [Video]
If you've ever taken pictures with your smartphone of your kids and have posted them on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc this is a MUST SEE video. You need to watch this in it's entirety to find out the settings you need to change before uploading your pictures online.
As parents, what do you do to ensure your kids safety? Leave your comments below....
As parents, what do you do to ensure your kids safety? Leave your comments below....
Monday, April 11, 2011
Facebook Event Invites......How to Manage Them...
Do all the Event invites on Facebook get a bit much for you at times? (Even from well-meaning friends!) Fortunately, there is a magical setting that allows you to quietly block Event invites from specific friends!! Go to Account at top right > Privacy Settings > scroll down and click on Block Lists > third choice down is Block event invites > type in the name of a friend and select. Voila. The friend(s) do not get a notification, nothing goes out on your wall or the feeds, and nobody but you knows. Ahh, a more peaceful inbox and notifications! You can also block apps in that area too.
Let me know in the comments below if you find this article helpful.
Let me know in the comments below if you find this article helpful.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Blogs and Comments - Do You Need Them to Build a Community?
The Other Side Of Comments And Community
What can someone new to the Social Media world do to find and attract readers while building their own community?
This was one question that was asked of Gini Dietrich during a recent Podcast. She answered today on her Spin Sucks Blog with a post titled, Building Your Online Community. Her answer was: "I always say social media, and building a community in general, is all about stroking other people's egos and scratching their backs. If you do that, they're much more willing to ask what they can do for you. And, in this case, visiting your blog and commenting is what they can do for you." Gini goes into detail about certain Bloggers who email a personal note of thanks to people who leave a comment on their Blog to others who send handwritten notes to those who leave comments.
I feel like a moron.
Part of me thinks that even a personalized email of thanks seems excessive... it's just a comment on a Blog post (it's like using a rocket launcher to get rid of a mosquito or sending a thank you note if someone calls you), but I understand the spirit of the act. It creates a much more human connection and probably lays the foundation for more real connections/relationships. What's even more amazing is what comes out in the comment section of Gini's Blog post. There's a lot of passion, discussion and thought around how to make people like you.
It's nice, but you need to ask yourself a bigger question first...
What are you trying to accomplish with your Blog and other Social Media efforts? It seems like everyone with an opinion assumes that the goal is to grow an audience that has a lot of engagement, maybe some conversation and a semblance of community. What if your goals are different? What if you Blog to establish yourself as a recognized authority? What if you Blog so that when potential clients come by, they can learn more about how you think? What if you Blog because the platform just makes it so easy to publish? Beyond that, what if you're not a social creature by nature, but just want to share how you think?
I struggle with Blog comments because I don't Blog for the back and forth. I Blog to make the content I think about as shareable and findable as possible.
I've Blogged about comments and their value over the years. I've changed my stance on Blog comments over the years, but none of that truly changes the reasons why I Blog: which is to publish my thoughts. It's an important distinction. Not everyone is looking to Blog to engage with people at such a micro-level... and we should not judge those people based on that one use/application. It's also important to note that many more people read this Blog, share it, etc... than those who comment on it. I can tell from our analytics that the most value for the majority of people here comes from reading it and not from the back and forth in the comments.
How does the person who is creating the content feel?
That is the true other side of comments and community. What does the person who owns the Blog and content want to have happen? Perhaps we need to take one step back and ask ourselves that very important question: how does the person creating the content feel and how important are the comments and communal aspects of the Blog to their growth? It seems to me that people admonish Seth Godin for not having comments because they feel there is no platform for conversation. The assumption is that Seth Godin created a Blog for conversation. Maybe he didn't. Maybe he created it as a way for people who like his books to get pithy bits from his brain every now and again in between the publishing of his books, speaking engagements and new product launches. Beyond that, comments and communities no longer live in silos. Share your thoughts wherever you play. You don't need a comment section on a Blog to create feedback or community. Anyone can now use platforms like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and even a Blog of their own to comment and feedback and extend the community or conversation. If the only way to build community is by making others feel important and valued, and this is not the strategy for your content play, it's important to know this up front and set-up those expectations, so people can choose whether or not your content publishing adds value to their lives and meets their expectations.
Or am I missing something here?
Are you a blogger and are going through the same things as talked about in this article? I would really love to hear your feedback/comments. From one blogger to another, I value your opinion.
Happy Blogging,
Jennifer Martin
Source credit: Six Pixels of Seperation
What can someone new to the Social Media world do to find and attract readers while building their own community?
This was one question that was asked of Gini Dietrich during a recent Podcast. She answered today on her Spin Sucks Blog with a post titled, Building Your Online Community. Her answer was: "I always say social media, and building a community in general, is all about stroking other people's egos and scratching their backs. If you do that, they're much more willing to ask what they can do for you. And, in this case, visiting your blog and commenting is what they can do for you." Gini goes into detail about certain Bloggers who email a personal note of thanks to people who leave a comment on their Blog to others who send handwritten notes to those who leave comments.
I feel like a moron.
Part of me thinks that even a personalized email of thanks seems excessive... it's just a comment on a Blog post (it's like using a rocket launcher to get rid of a mosquito or sending a thank you note if someone calls you), but I understand the spirit of the act. It creates a much more human connection and probably lays the foundation for more real connections/relationships. What's even more amazing is what comes out in the comment section of Gini's Blog post. There's a lot of passion, discussion and thought around how to make people like you.
It's nice, but you need to ask yourself a bigger question first...
What are you trying to accomplish with your Blog and other Social Media efforts? It seems like everyone with an opinion assumes that the goal is to grow an audience that has a lot of engagement, maybe some conversation and a semblance of community. What if your goals are different? What if you Blog to establish yourself as a recognized authority? What if you Blog so that when potential clients come by, they can learn more about how you think? What if you Blog because the platform just makes it so easy to publish? Beyond that, what if you're not a social creature by nature, but just want to share how you think?
I struggle with Blog comments because I don't Blog for the back and forth. I Blog to make the content I think about as shareable and findable as possible.
I've Blogged about comments and their value over the years. I've changed my stance on Blog comments over the years, but none of that truly changes the reasons why I Blog: which is to publish my thoughts. It's an important distinction. Not everyone is looking to Blog to engage with people at such a micro-level... and we should not judge those people based on that one use/application. It's also important to note that many more people read this Blog, share it, etc... than those who comment on it. I can tell from our analytics that the most value for the majority of people here comes from reading it and not from the back and forth in the comments.
How does the person who is creating the content feel?
That is the true other side of comments and community. What does the person who owns the Blog and content want to have happen? Perhaps we need to take one step back and ask ourselves that very important question: how does the person creating the content feel and how important are the comments and communal aspects of the Blog to their growth? It seems to me that people admonish Seth Godin for not having comments because they feel there is no platform for conversation. The assumption is that Seth Godin created a Blog for conversation. Maybe he didn't. Maybe he created it as a way for people who like his books to get pithy bits from his brain every now and again in between the publishing of his books, speaking engagements and new product launches. Beyond that, comments and communities no longer live in silos. Share your thoughts wherever you play. You don't need a comment section on a Blog to create feedback or community. Anyone can now use platforms like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and even a Blog of their own to comment and feedback and extend the community or conversation. If the only way to build community is by making others feel important and valued, and this is not the strategy for your content play, it's important to know this up front and set-up those expectations, so people can choose whether or not your content publishing adds value to their lives and meets their expectations.
Or am I missing something here?
Are you a blogger and are going through the same things as talked about in this article? I would really love to hear your feedback/comments. From one blogger to another, I value your opinion.
Happy Blogging,
Jennifer Martin
Source credit: Six Pixels of Seperation
Heat and Fatigue with Multiple Sclerosis [Video]
Are you newly diagnosed with MS and not sure how to keep your body temperature down during the hot summer months? This educational video by the National MS Society will show you what you can do to keep yourself cooler and not feel like a hermit in your own home.
If you have any other gagdets you use to keep yourself cook, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. Here's to a cooler and fatigue-free summer.
If you have any other gagdets you use to keep yourself cook, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. Here's to a cooler and fatigue-free summer.
Friday, April 1, 2011
It's Walk MS Fundraising Week!
It’s Walk MS fundraising week! Walk MS is just a few short weeks away. Walk. Donate. Or Volunteer. Join the movement at http://www.walk.msconnection.org/.
Where's my Nor Cal people? Join the movement today and help make a difference to those with M.S.
http://www.facebook.com/AmericanIdol/posts/174341689281902?notif_t=like#!/msnortherncal
Walk MS still needs volunteer help in Yuba City, Santa Rosa, Monterey Bay, Walnut Creek, Folsom, Modesto, Eureka, San Francisco, and Sacramento! Sign up at http://walk.msconnection.org/ or email shannon.gorman@nmss.org. They can’t do it without you!
Make a difference, sign up today!
Where's my Nor Cal people? Join the movement today and help make a difference to those with M.S.
http://www.facebook.com/AmericanIdol/posts/174341689281902?notif_t=like#!/msnortherncal
Walk MS still needs volunteer help in Yuba City, Santa Rosa, Monterey Bay, Walnut Creek, Folsom, Modesto, Eureka, San Francisco, and Sacramento! Sign up at http://walk.msconnection.org/ or email shannon.gorman@nmss.org. They can’t do it without you!
Make a difference, sign up today!
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