Stephanie Frasco - Musings on Social Media Marketing » Social Media Optimization

How to Brand Yourself As An Expert and Get More Business with Facebook Questions

admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:26:30 +0000

Facebook launched a new section called “Questions” recently. I am not sure exactly when they launched it but today it showed up in my feed.

As a Social Media Professional, the questions I get most is almost always about Facebook and their business. More specifically, “How do I Market My Business on Facebook?” Well, Facebook Questions could be your answer to effectively marketing yourself as an expert in different topics that could drive traffic to your website and business to you and your company.

If you are familiar with LinkedIn question section, then you are already one step ahead. Facebook Questions work pretty much the same way.

While this is limited – Facebook says that this is intitally rolling out to 3-5 million users, they have plans for a broader roll out down the line.

Not only is this new service a great way to brand yourself and reach a large audience, it is also a great way to reach a relevant audience. (The most important aspect of Social Media Marketing) These questions and answers can be tagged with category keywords, too, which will eventually be used to fill up an aggregate “questions” tab on relevant Community Pages on Facebook, meaning more relevant people seeing your answers.

Why is this important?

There are officially over 500 million users on facebook. That is a lot of potential traffic.

Facebook is the number 1 “Social Network” referring source of traffic ALL sites on the web! According to ReadWriteWeb, Facebook sends nearly 7 out of 10 visits to websites that come from a Social Network. (Twitter brings 25% and LinkedIN 4%.)
Eventually when this becomes a mature product questions and answers will be found on google and other search engines increasing visibility and traffic if used correctly.

Cautions
Everything in Questions is PUBLIC and will be shared with everyone! This refers to both questions and answers. So if you are a Facebook privacy hater this is probably not for you.

Techcrunch says, “Facebook obviously isn’t going to ask your question to everyone else on Facebook; instead, its system is going to try to analyze a user’s interests to determine who would be best able to answer your question. The service will also show the question to some of your friends, so ideally you’ll receive answers from a healthy mix of friends and experts.”

Who can benefit and use this?

Anyone with a product or service to sell!

If someone asks a question about the best type of camera to buy, online retailers can answer and give a link to buy.

If someone asks the best place in NY to get a massage, spa owners/marketers could offer a discount and link.

The list goes on and on!

How to Get Started
If you are not on the “chosen” list of 3-5 million users request access here.
To test other facebook apps go here.

Start answering question and asking questions and start building your name!

For all you in the travel industry you can get your start now! I have asked a question which may pertain to you.

After we spend time in Costa Rica, where should our next destination be?
SEE QUESTION HERE!!

Like I say with everything…Get in Early! By doing this you will be positioning yourself as an expert before it gets too crowded.

READ MORE:
Mashable
CNET
Facebook Blog

How To Optimize Your Blog On Facebook – Networked Blogs

admin — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 19:35:09 +0000

Every time I see a friend of mine post something manually from their own personal blogs to Facebook a bitter-sweet emotion runs through me. On one hand I am excited that I am no longer the only “computer nerd” out there, and I say that with the utmost respect. I am happy to see my friends blog about their passions, whether it is food, travel, or business, I tingle with social media pride. But on the other hand I cringe at the fact that they can be doing it so much easier with NetworkedBlogs. A large benefit of utilizing Social Media is to make our lives easier and that means auto-posting to Facebook and Twitter. One less step = a more productive blogger!

Advantages of using NetworkedBlogs
* Save Time with Auto-Publishing
* Attract New Readers through the NetworkedBlogs Community
* Cross Promote Your Blog on Facebook and your Facebook through Your Blog
* Allow Others To Share Your Blog To Their Facebook Network

Luckily I just set up a new blog – Costa Rica For Two, a blog about my travels and my working relocation to Costa Rica with my boyfriend and Laptop Business Expert, Jason Clegg, and I am going to show you step by step how you can do it yourself using NetworkedBlogs on Facebook.

(Not only will this allow you to publish directly to Facebook (either your fan page and/or your profile page) once you post to your blog, but it will also tweet it automatically). Talk about killing 2 birds with 1 small stone!

Setting Up Networked Blogs To Auto-Publish On Your Social Networks.

Step 1.
Log Into Facebook
- Simple Enough! If you are anything like me, a Facebook addict, you can probably skip this step.

Step 2.
Set Up Your NetworkedBlogs Account on Facebook by going here.
* Click on the “Register A Blog” Button.

Step 3.
Add the details of your blog.
* Note – Make sure to be as specific as possible on the keywords so that people can find your blog!

Click on Next.

Step 4.
It will ask you if you are the author of the blog. Click YES!

Step 5.
Verify through use of Technology. This is the quickest way to get your blog up in the database. It will only take a few minutes.

Step 6.
Verify your Blog by adding the NetworkedBlogs HTML code to your blog editor.
* Copy and Paste the HTML Code Shown.

This will also allow people who go to your blog follow you on facebook.

Step 7.
Log into your blog Admin. (I use WordPress.)
Click on the Editor Link in the Appearance Box.

Step 8.
Click on the Sidebar Template and add the HTML code that you copied from the NetworkedBlogs page on Facebook.

Step 9.
Go back to the NetworkedBlogs Page where you copied the code and click on the verify button.

Step 10.
If you have added the widget correctly you will see this! Click on Next to set up your settings.

Step 11.
Double check your blog to make sure the widget is active.

- As you can see I only have one follower – so go ahead and jump on over and follow my new blog. http://www.costaricafortwo.com

Now that you have set up the NetworkedBlogs you are halfway there! Don’t get discouraged though. The fun is about to begin! The only thing left to do is adjust your feed settings so that your blog will publish automatically to your facebook page and twitter.

Setting Up Your Feeds On NetworkedBlogs

Step 1.
Set up your feeds by clicking Feed Setting on the righthand toolbar.

Step 2.
Click on Auto-Publish under the Personal Profile area and if you have a fan page click it on the fan page section too.

NOTE – you will also want to click on the publish test to make sure it works.
Step 3.
Once you have done that click on the Add Twitter Account Box and configure accordingly.

Step 4.
You will be directed to your main NetworkedBlogs page. From there you will see your blog and previous posts. Click on Pull Now and then the Publish link.

Step 5.
Check your profile to make sure it has posted.

Step 6.
Check twitter to make sure it posted.

AND YOU ARE DONE!! Congrats — You are on your way to NetworkedBlogs Fun!!

For my auto-published posts make sure you follow me on Facebook and Twitter!

The FTC vs. The Facebook Fan Page

admin — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:35:13 +0000

Social Media Marketing :: The Value Lies Within Those Involved

In the game of Marketing, especially word-of-mouth and peer-to-peer marketing, testimonials and endorsements have always stood as the most valuable type of messaging out there. There is no doubt that when you hear an appraisal of a product from a friend, family member, colleague or anyone else close to you, your trust level of the product will increase. As humans, and as consumers a recommendation goes a long way. In fact, that basis is foundation of my business in Social Media Marketing. My goal is to get people talking about a product, and hopefully in a good way.

However, recently the FTC has come out with some new rules about endorsements that will forever change the way we as marketers, advertisers and business owners, can play the game. The FTC’s has updated its “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising,” which address endorsements by consumers, experts, organizations, and celebrities, as well as the disclosure of important connections between advertisers and endorsers.

Some of these rules include:
1. Bloggers are now required to indicate the existence of any financial relationship when they are writing about a product.
2. Celebrities have a duty to disclose their relationships with advertisers when making endorsements outside the context of traditional ads, such as on talk shows or in social media.
3. Endorsements on your website should only be from current clients or customers
4. You may be liable for marketing done by affiliates selling your product

While at first glance it looks as if the FTC has a strong hold on what you sell and how you brand it in the marketplace. You may be thinking, how do I get around this new rule and keep your product “word-of-mouth” friendly and keep the endorsements updated, fresh and from current clients or customers? Consider Nils Andres for example.

Where the rules might have changed for your own website, the new FTC regulation makes the case for having a presence in Social Media even stronger.

Why Use Social Media for Endorsements?
Social Media is a place for clients, consumers, and customers to talk in an open forum. It gives the consumer the power to endorse freely without the constraints of the product. How can you make sure you are not liable for the endorsements?

Step 1….Make a Facebook Fan Page. (If you need help with this, my company, SocialMediaPlans, will handle this for you)
Step 2…Build your fan base. (Again, if you need help with this, SocialMediaPlans, is your go to destination)
Step 3…Encourage your fans to endorse your product.

CASE STUDY

Last week, a company I help, SEO ARTICLE WRITING PROS, a company that specializes in creating content all things internet marketing, came to me asking me about the new rules and regulations. They wanted to build their presence on Facebook and since they were brand new to the Facebook Fan Page game, they wanted content on their page so new clients and customers could see that they had a following and they would be trusted.

How did we do this?
Step 1. Create a fan page. (SEE HERE)
Step 2. Come up with a strategy that would entice people to write on their fan page. In this particular instance we used a contest.
SEO Article Writing Pros agreed to give away $100 of free content to a member of the fan page. To be entered all you had to do was Join the Fan Page and write a short greeting on the wall. (With contests, the easier the entry level, the more entries you will receive, so for the short-term goal of getting content and endorsements on the page, this contest was an easy solution.)

The contest was a big hit for the current fans as well as a way to gain new fans through facebook marketing. (A general rule of Facebook marketing is getting your name on people’s homepage and profile. Likes and comments are a Facebook marketers best friend!)

In one week SEO ARTICLE WRITING PROS gained 100 new fans without spending $1 dollar in advertising. In addition, they also received 62 wall posts, which means they have 62 new endorsements! 62 new endorsements that the FTC can not complain about because they were written by the people themselves as User-Generated Content.

Fans offered up their opinions, praises, and regards at their own will. Whether they did it to win or whether they did it to voice their opinion makes no difference. The fact of the matter is that consumers on Social Media are willing to offer up their voice and as a marketer, business owner, you should take advantage of that.

Lastly, you can also use the fan page badge as a way to show the endorsements received on facebook on your own website. (The picture below is a screen grab of the fan page badge that I have on my website SocialMediaPlans.com)

Besides the reasons listed above, a fan page is also important because it spreads your visibility, as your page will be indexed and searchable on Google, Bing, and other search engines as well as Facebook.

You can have an unlimited number of fans, unlike your profile page which only allows you to have 5,000.
When people add your page, comment, or like something you have posted it will show up on their feed which filters out to their friends and network for increased virility.
You can establish your brand further
You can create exclusive deals, offers and content
You can use it as a forum for customer support and/or praise
You can use it as market research into your brand at a low cost.

If you like what you have read and what you have seen, make sure you go ahead and fan this innovative company! And of course you can become a fan of SocialMediaPlans while you are at it.

Sprouter :: An Early Adaption Guide

admin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:31:06 +0000

It has always been my belief that as an Entrepreneur it is very important to be ahead of the curve. In Social Media being ahead of the curve also means being an early adapter to new technologies and building a presence on new sites that could potentially benefit your business.

A new site that I recommend to all Entrepreneurs is Sprouter, which is something like the Twitter for Entrepreneurs.

Where Twitter asks the question, “What are you doing?” – Sprouter asks entrepreneurs the question “What are you working on?” Sprouter enables collaboration and networking between Entrepreneurs globally in a real-time format. It also allows you to expand networks, discover events, start discussions, and follow topics relevant to your business.

While many may argue the need for a site like this that is so similar to twitter, I argue if you get in early, the benefits could be endless.

Benefits of Sprouter

1. Grow your network before it is over-populated and market yourself as an expert before the next wave of users come in.
In an untapped network, making yourself an expert in your industry is easier as there is less competiton and less noise. Having a presence on a site before it blows up gives you “street cred” and the opportunity to be heard before the noise and spam sets in.

2. Own Your Own Hashtag

By owning your own hashtag, you are given the authority in that subject. Although the limit is 12 hashtags per account, owning the keywords that are important to your business will give you influence and will result in a larger following or network.

For exmple, I own the #smo (Social Media Optimization) hashtag on Sprouter.

3. Follow Topics and Conversations in an Organized Manner
Sprouter is extremely easy to navigate and all content is presented in an organized and clean way. I particularly like the way replies are set up as it allows you to follow the conversation and see the conversation as it is happening.

4. Get the User Name You Want
Get in before your username is taken. As I have mentioned before – owning your search is crucial.

Connect with me on Sprouter – http://www.sprouter.com/frasco

Other Experts & Early Adapters to follow:
Jason Clegg, Web Entrepreneur
Brett Petersel, Events Director at Mashable
Janine Just, PR Entrepreneur
Sarah Prevette, Founder, Sprouter
Erin Bury, Community Manager, Sprouter
Paul Farkas, Socialpreneur
Bill Murphy, Startup Financier
Todd Levy, Emerging Leader

The Intersection of SMO & SEO – Social Advertising

admin — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:36:00 +0000

There is a powerful relationship between Social Media Marketing and Search Engine Marketing Campaigns. According to this article, some 34% of social media site users who are exposed to a particular advertisement are taking their curiosity to a search engine like Google, Yahoo, or Bing to find out more about it.

This is supports my case for my love of Social Ads and gives more reason that all businesses should have at least a simple Social Media Marketing strategy for themselves or for their business.

PROS
1. Cost Effective For Business
Since you can pinpoint target who you want to see this ad, the exposure is not as large as you would get on a search engine, but it is much more direct. Since there is less demand for the keywords the cost per click is also lower than on a traditional search engine. Low Cost with High Brand Recognition = WIN!

HOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE:
Use a CPC campaign on Facebook. In this case you are paying only for those who click on your ad. With a well branded ad (that includes your logo) hopefully you can take that 34% who remembered your ad then searched for more information, as a bonus freebie! (assuming that your search engine strategy is in place)

For a $90 campaign ($20/day), the ad gathered 455,280 impressions. Each click on average cost only 69 cents.

With that same budget ($20/day) and similar keywords you are paying much more for a click.

You can listen to what else I have to say about the Intersection of SMO and SEO on the SEOSMOPodcast with Jason Clegg and good friend and “in-house” twitter expert, Marlooz.

Brand That Name – Social Media Optimization + SEO

admin — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:47:33 +0000

Search Engine Optimization and Social Media…You can’t have one without the other.

SELF BRANDING:
In a world where everything is searchable…You need to own YOUR search.

More and more people are spending their online time browsing Social Networks. In the U.S. alone, total minutes spent on social networking sites has increased 83 percent year-over-year, according to a Neilson Study. Over 13billion minutes are spent a month on Facebook.

What are we spending that time on? Most likely, we are consuming and sharing content of some sort. While often times on Social Networks we are receiving it from our friends, other times we are seeking it out or searching for it.

So, if you want to be found, the trick is to make it easy to be found. Show up in the top searches whatever method of search they prefer. With a search engine strategy you can do this.

Easy SEO Tip: Buy the domain of your name and create a blog.

In a few months Facebook Status updates will be searchable on Bing. I am looking forward to seeing how that will disrupt the system.