Social Networks « Ferguson SEO Consulting

Facebook for Article Writers – Developing a Social Media Strategy as an Article Writer

The allure of Facebook is undeniable, especially for people with insights or content to share.

With more than 750 million active users, the social networking site is quickly becoming an attractive option for article writers hoping to build business relationships and generate additional website traffic.

But, launching a social networking account for your brand without having a plan or strategy to implement, as well as a way to evaluate your progress, is a big mistake.

Don’t let a lack of planning or a misunderstanding of what Facebook is all about slap you around or you’ll end up like Delores – confused and misunderstanding the power of the technology. Instead, follow these tips for creating a social networking account to extend the reach of your article writing:

Proper Branding – One of the first things you have to decide is how you are going to brand your Facebook page – i.e. are you going to use your name, the name of your company or the name of a specific product? Also, are you only going to use the profile to share professional items or are you going to mix in a combination of personal and professional? You’re better off separating your personal profile, if you have one, and a profile you’re using for promotional purposes.
Do Your Research – Devote set amounts of time to listen to what other people are doing with Facebook. The set amount of time will help keep you focused until you figure out the most memorable strategies for building your brand as an expert. Then, scale back and focus on those powerful strategies.
Making Connections – Make real connections with real people, not bots or spammers. Build your fan base on real people. The bots and spammers don’t add any real value, so focus solely on the real ones.
Manage the Proportion of “Salesy” Messages – Treat social media sites as you would a table full of friends. Listen and contribute when you have something valuable to say. Build the relationship first and then ease into your sales message. That is (and always will be) the best way to acquire long-term customers no matter what form of marketing you’re using.
Engage Others – Join conversations on social media sites and share the same level of great content you do in your articles. If people have questions and you already have an article written on the topic, connect them to that article. If you don’t have an existing article answering the question, consider writing one and sharing it.
Evaluate – Take note of your average article stats before you start using Facebook to promote your articles. Then, as you start implementing your strategy, take another look at those same statistical categories to see what has worked and what needs to be changed.
Share New Articles – You can also use Facebook to share your newly published articles when they come out. It’s a great way to promote the new article and showcase your expertise.

Use these tips to develop a strategy to help you get a higher return on your article writing efforts.

R.E. Ferguson July 8, 2011 Facebook, Social Media, Social Networks facebook, facebook article writing, facebook for article writers

Facebook and FriendFeed Mean Business

Reprinted from Website Magazine:

When Facebook acquired FriendFeed many Web professionals no doubt shrugged their shoulders. On the surface, it’s only social media, right?

Below the surface of this acquisition lies a major – no, a colossal bit of news for the industry. Earlier this month it was revealed that Facebook was now the fourth largest site on the Internet. That means – in no uncertain terms – that your consumers and prospects are spending massive amounts of their time online on Facebook. Are you?

The importance of Facebook’s purchase in FriendFeed comes into play in both the users of the service and the technology behind it. As for the users, they will soon be integrated further into Facebook than any other social utility by default. As for the technology, FriendFeed is essentially a social search and interaction utility. Users can find the latest trends on a number of social utilities and see updates as well as update their own status’ on those websites. It’s a one-stop social shop.

The more time users spend on social sites, the more information is shared. The more information on these networks, the more users will search for relevant information there – perhaps something about your business or products. FriendFeed also just recently released real-time search across the social landscape, something not even Google can do. We’ve noted the importance of having a business presence of Facebook in the past. You can connect with users on a very personal level, as well as broadcast critical information about your business to them and all their friends by providing a valuable experience. Now, when FriendFeed becomes integrated into Facebook, all of your social business extensions will become a part of, you guessed it, the Facebook experience.

In short, if your business isn’t yet making Facebook a part of your online strategy, you’re in mortal danger.

FriendFeed will not take over Facebook. But imagine a nice little sidebar in every user’s profile that pulls in updates – in real time – from all their other social networks. We’re talking multiple touch points on the same page – more chances to share and more chances for consumers to spread your message. This makes FriendFeed a secondary experience to Facebook. That means yes, you should have a presence on other social networks, but don’t for a minute fall asleep on the 800 lb. gorilla. The main experience of Facebook – the user home page – is still where you want to be. That happens by providing a good experience and recruiting fans to your business Facebook Page.

Here’s another side note to this news: FriendFeed and Facebook are going to obliterate Twitter unless they make a bold, rapid move. With FriendFeed, you’re not limited to 140 characters, and you can include multimedia within updates. Same goes for Facebook updates. With FriendFeed integration, Facebook looks to be THE online social portal. Twitter looks like a one-trick pony. And have you noticed that your most recent followers on Twitter are loaded with SPAM and adult-themed accounts? Yuck.

Posted Aug 11 2009, 08:00 PM by Mike Phillips

R.E. Ferguson August 14, 2009 Industry News, Social Media, Social Networks facebook, friendfeed, twitter

Top 10 Social Networks for Business

Social Networking for business can be extremely valuable for growing your career opportunities. Unlike general networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, there are a number of smaller networks that focus on professionals and businesses. These sites can be an excellent place to gain some exposure and to communicate with other entrepreneurs. Here is a quick look at 10 networking sites that should be considered by entrepreneurs.

LinkedIn has quickly become the leading social network that specializes in professionals. Many users have their resume posted on their profile and a growing number of employers are using LinkedIn as a recruiting tool. Entrepreneurs who are not looking for jobs can still use LinkedIn as a great resource for meeting other professionals and gaining some exposure for their own work.

PartnerUp

PartnerUp is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs find joint venture partners, co-founders, executives, and board members. You can either post your opportunity or search the listings placed by other entrepreneurs. There are networking capabilities through forums and an Ask a Question feature.