Using Facebook for Small Business Marketing

Using Facebook for Small Business Marketing

Facebook is an excellent tool to add to your small business marketing plan. A big mistake that many entrepreneurs make when it comes to social media sites like Facebook is the belief that these sites are only useful for large companies that have big brands. In reality Facebook can be a great small business marketing tool for business of all shapes and size.

Right now, Facebook is the most popular social media networking site on the web. According to Facebook's official fact sheet, there are currently over half a billion active Facebook users, 50% of whom log on to Facebook in any given day. The average Facebook user is connected to 80 community pages, groups and events, and he or she creates 90 pieces of content each month.

There are more than 30 billion pieces of content, such as web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc. shared on Facebook each month.

So as you can see, if you're interested in adding social media to your small business marketing plan, Facebook is quite possibly the best place to get started.

Facebook is a great place to increase trust and authority on the internet. By adding a Facebook business page, it is also a great way to promote your business and connect with customers and prospects on a more personal and accessible level. Not to mention, your business page will give you more opportunities to show up in Facebook search results.

Though there is of course some work associated with creating and keeping up a good Facebook page, it is well worth it in marketing terms.

Here are some tips for creating your small business Facebook page.

** Start a Facebook Page for Business

The first thing that you need to do is to create a business page. This is relatively simple and all it involves is visiting the Facebook advertising section, creating a page, and putting up some information about your business. If you want something a little more elaborate, such as a customized landing page for new members, you might need to hire a consultant to help you out. But if the plain Jane version is OK with you, you'll be able to set up your own page in less than one day.

You can add small business marketing content to your Facebook business page, such as images, press releases, videos, blog posts, and any other relevant information. You will also need accurate contact and website information and a clear overview of what your business does and for whom.

** Start Interacting

Once your page is up and all your information is accurate, the next thing to do is start interacting with your friends.

Encourage your Facebook friends to "like" your Facebook business page (this used to be referred to as "becoming a fan") and to share your page with their friends. You'll need to post updates every day, which can include promotions, blog posts, and any other relevant company news.

The most important aspect of using Facebook for marketing is the ability to engage with your customers. If they leave comments on your Facebook business page, always reply back. Visit your customers' Facebook walls and leave comments there also. Create open, back and forth, communication with your customers and prospects, and allow their Facebook friends to interact and experience your customer service also.

** Promote Your Facebook Page

The last step to having a successful Facebook page is letting people know that it exists. You need to spend time promoting your Facebook page to personal contacts and business associates. Be sure to add a widget to your website homepage or blog.

If you have a brick and mortar business you may want to hang up a sign asking customers to visit you on Facebook. Add a link to your Facebook page in your email newsletters, in your Yellow Pages ad, in your local newspaper advertisements, etc. You may even consider offering some sort of incentive, such as a special discount or coupon to customers who "like" you on Facebook.

Facebook is a tremendously valuable tool to add to your small business marketing arsenal. A Facebook business page allows you to create community interaction with your customers and prospects and create content that can be shared virally. If you're looking for an inexpensive tactic to increase your name recognition, consider adding Facebook to your small business marketing plan.

Top Facebook Games 2010

Top Facebook Games 2010

Facebook games have shown a lot of popularity during the past year. As Facebook adds more games to its already huge entertainment menu you may be wondering which games are the best and most fun to play. This article will give separate game reviews for each of the twenty five top Facebook games for 2010.

To start the Facebook Game reviews, we will begin by taking a look at the number one game on Facebook called FarmVille. FarmVille which is made by Zynga currently has approximately 73,800,000 monthly users and is growing at a steady upward pace. FarmVille is a game in which you can become a farmer. FarmVille allows you to interact with your friends and even become neighbors with them. Basically you will do everything a farmer does while playing FarmVille. Planting, plowing, harvesting and growing a successful farm. Just make sure when playing this game that you harvest your plants on time. Different plants have different times for harvesting and if you don't harvest in time the plants will die. By taking care of your farm you will get more points and go up in level.

Birthday Cards holds the place of second most popular game of 2010. Birthday Cards is made by RockYou and has approximately 32,000,000 users per month. When using the Birthday Cards game you can customize and send free cards, use a birthday calendar, have a personal birthday list and personal reminders. The game also allows you too start your own birthday zoo. This is popular for those who want to remember their friend's birthdays and send cards on Facebook.

The third most popular game on Facebook is Caf� World which is made by Zynga. Caf� World has approximately 31,000,000 active users per month. Caf� world is a fun game to play if you ever dreamed of owning your own restaurant. When playing this game you can cook, bake saut� and make anything you want when playing Caf� World. When playing Caf� World you are the cook and the restaurant owner therefore you will have to hire servers. When hiring a server on Caf� World you can select one of your Facebook friends. Make sure to always have plenty of food ready for your guests.

The fourth most popular game on Facebook is Happy Aquarium which is made by CrowdStar. Happy Aquarium has approximately 27,000,000 active users per month. When playing Happy Aquarium on Facebook you will be able to set up your own fish tank. This can be done by purchasing fish and other creatures. Make sure to always feed your fish when playing Happy Aquarium because the fish can die just like in real life. This is a fun game for those who love wish and wish they had an aquarium in their home. The bad thing about this game is that you can't feed your friends fish if you notice that they are dying.

The fifth most popular game on Facebook is FishVille which is made by Zynga. FishVille has approximately 24,000,000 active users per month. FishVille is very similar to Happy Aquarium in which you set up your own fish tank and care for the fish. When you're done raising your fish you can sell them for coins and points. Like Happy Aquarium you will maintain your fish tank or your poor creatures will die.

The sixth most popular game on Facebook is Mafia Wars which is made by Zynga. Mafia Wars has approximately 24,000,000 active users per month. The goal of playing Mafia Wars is to grow your Mafia family. This can be done by inviting your Facebook friends to join you at Mafia Wars. Another goal is to increase your group's wealth and supply your friends with weapons. What it comes down to is whoever has the biggest and the strongest Mafia is the group that comes out on top.

The seventh most popular game on Facebook is Texas HoldEm Poker which is also made by Zynga. Texas HoldEm Poker for Facebook has approximately 22,000,000 active users per month. When playing Texas HoldEm Poker on Facebook it's pretty much the same as playing the game in life. Before starting get familiar with the rules on how to play Texas HoldEm. Texas HoldEm Poker on Facebook can be played between friends.

The eighth most popular game on Facebook is Pet Society which is made by Playfish; Pet society has approximately 21,000,000 active users per month. Pet Society on Facebook is a very cute game for the animal lover. When playing Pet Society you can decorate your house and go to your friend's house with presents. This is a very cute and fun game.

The ninth most popular game on Facebook is Petville which is made by Zynga. Petville has approximately 17,000,000 active users per month. This is another adorable pet lover's game. When playing this game you will take care of your own pet. When you first become a player of Petville you will be asked to create your own pet. The options are endless and the end result is an adorable virtual pet. The goal is to keep your pet clean, well fed, walked and loved. This in turn will create a happy Petville pet for you. This game is very similar to Playfishes Pet Society and other pet based games.

The tenth most popular game on Facebook is YoVille which is made by Zynga. YoVille has approximately 17,000,000 active users per month. When playing YoVille you will be living a virtual life. This game is pretty similar to the extremely popular Sims game for personal computers. While playing YoVille you will be building a virtual life. When playing you can work, socialize; decorate your house or anything else you may desire. This is a fun game for those who like the escape of a virtual world.

The eleventh most popular game on Facebook is Farm Town which is made by Slashkey. Farm Town has approximately 16,000,000 active users per month. Farm Town is very similar to the Facebook game FarmVille. When playing this game you will take care of your own farm. In order to advance to higher levels you will need to plant and harvest crops, invite friends to join you and hire workers to help you with the farm. This is a fun game for those who want to be farmers but live in the city.

The twelfth most popular game on Facebook is Restaurant City which is made by PlayFish. Restaurant City has approximately 15,000,000 active users per month. Restaurant City is very similar to Caf� Town. When playing Restaurant City you will own a restaurant, create the menu and hire workers. This is a fun game if you are interested in how a restaurant operates. This is a social game and you will be able to interact with your Facebook friends.

The thirteenth most popular game on Facebook is MindJolt Games which is made by MindJolt. MindJolt games have approximately 14,000,000 active users per month. When playing MindJolt you can play over 500 games. The games are arcade style, puzzles, strategy, and so much more. MindJolt is fun for those who want a little gaming variety.

The fourteenth most popular game on Facebook is Happy Pets which is made by CrowdStar. Happy Pets has approximately 12,000,000 active users per month on Facebook. When playing Happy Pets you will grow your kitten into an adult. The object of the game is to take care of as many cats as you can. How many happy cats can you take care of on Happy Pets? If you end up feeling overwhelmed by having too many pets to care for don't be tempted to sell your cats. Happy Pets doesn't like those who sell their kitties.

The fifteenth most popular game on Facebook is RCK which is made by Zynga. RCK has approximately 11,000,000 active users per month on Facebook. This is a fun Facebook game in which you can create your own rock band. Ask your Facebook friends to join and help you create a rocking band. This is a fun game to play for any music lover.

The sixteenth most popular game on Facebook is Zoo World which is made by RockYou. Zoo World has approximately 10,000,000 active users per month. When playing Zoo World on Facebook you will take care of zoo animals and Zoo World cash. When earning your Zoo World cash you can purchase new zoo animals and place them in your zoo. This is a fun way to pass time if you enjoy zoo animals.

The seventeenth most popular game on Facebook is Bejeweled Blitz which is made by Popcap games. Bejeweled Blitz has approximately 10,000,000 active users per month. Bejeweled Blitz is an easy to master puzzle game. The fun thing about this game is that you can compete with your Facebook friends. Many people will spend hours out of there day playing Bejeweled Blitz.

The eighteenth most popular game on Facebook is Fish World which is made by Tall Tree Games. Fish World has approximately 9,000,000 active users per month. Fish World is very similar to Happy Aquarium. When playing Fish World you will care for your very own virtual fish. Make sure to feed them and take care of them so they stay alive. Selling your Fish World fish are a common part of the game.

The nineteenth most popular game on Facebook is Pillow Fight which is made by Shikha. Pillow Fight has approximately 8,000,000 active users per month. Pillow fight is a fun game if you enjoy hitting your friends with pillows. The pillows come in different materials and your friends can accept being hit by pillows are choose not to. The pillow that you choose to use will be posted on your friends Facebook page.

The twentieth most popular game on Facebook is (Lil) Farm Life which is made by Playdom. (Lil) Farm Life has approximately 6,000,000 active users per month. This is another game that is a lot like FarmVille and Farm Town. When playing this game you will create your own farm with crops, animals and buildings. This is another fun game for those who tire of Farmville and Farm Town.

The Twenty first most popular game on Facebook is Sorority Life which is made by Playdom. Sorority Life has approximately 6,000,000 active users per month. When playing this game you can create your own sorority. When signing up for sorority life you can invite friends to join your sorority. Another feature is that you can dress and accessorize however you want. This is a fun game for those who miss their college sorority lifestyle.

The Twenty second most popular game on Facebook is Island Paradise which is made by Meteor Games. Island Paradise has approximately 6,000,000 active users per month. This is a fun game in which you create your own island paradise. When creating your island you can grow crops, add animals or whatever you want on your island. When playing island paradise you can stop by and visit your friends. This is similar to Farmville but for those who love the island life.

The twenty third most popular game on Facebook is Country Life which is made by Country Life. Country life has approximately 5,000,000 active users per month. This game is another one that is a lot like Farmville. When playing this game you take care of crops, the only difference from Farmville is that you can create your own bread for more profit.

The twenty fourth most popular game on Facebook is Country Story which is made by Playfish. Country Story has approximately 5,000,000 active users per month. This is another farm themed Facebook game. This game is great for those who like FarmVille or Farm Town and want to play something different.

The twenty fifth most popular game on Facebook is Happy Island which is made by CrowdStar. Happy Island has approximately 5,000,000 active users per month. When playing this game you can create your own island. The more attractions you add to your island the more your island will earn. This is similar to Island Paradise but with more buying and selling involved.

The ten mistakes review of Facebook

The ten mistakes review of Facebook

Beijing time June 2 news articles, foreign media, said yesterday in the process of starting Facebook have committed many mistakes, launched many unsatisfactory product or the service by users, but eventually welcome all try to Facebook made the remedy.

The following is the full text:
Science and technology industry, companies such as Facebook is taken to claim the iterative development "strategy". The old products, new product rolled, rather than one year released a big a pile of product release. Facebook website often appears some experimental function, and then suddenly disappeared. This is the success of Facebook is one of many reasons why: it always keeps pace with The Times.

Unlike like textbooks as carefully polished product, the iterative development product will show a public sight in many mistakes and insufficient. On Facebook, the history of the legislature threat, users objections or negative opinions have contributed to the company's many production decision. Facebook recently for its products and service provision and making some adjustments and incur user strong opposition, now we can wait and see, Facebook will how to deal with the user's opposition.

On the other hand, under the loyal users and legislature discontent in front, Facebook showed great flexibility. On the other hand, Facebook also shows its power in constant growth, is increasingly unlikely to a decision to withdraw. Less than 10 years ago, university administrators can let Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (Mark hochfrequenztechnik zac closed.) And now, the United States senators began to discuss whether the newly revised Facebook privacy policy will produce adverse impact, but no one knows whether the senators talk can weaken the power of Facebook.

The following is the growing history Facebook event: infamous mistakes
Launch Facemash
Occurs in: October 2003
Event: founded Facebook in before harvard undergraduate, marc zack sulzberger one day midnight suddenly emitted a crazy idea, he broke into the campus network, use the content catalog create a named Facemash. Com website, this application lets students can vote for their own heart the most attractive two classmates. Early in the marketing industry heard "virus" this word is real, before realized Facemash virus, although not everyone likes this propagation mode.
Facebook: then how screwed up, but still no Facebook the behavior of nico rosberg zac - into campus network without permission directory, his classmates personal identification on part-public creature with website - the Facebook today is similar.

Facebook how to remedy: Harvard University several female team protest after a few officials closed Facemash. Com website, and prosecute zack sulzberger against the network security, the infringement of copyright and personal privacy. Although the school eventually gave up the prosecution, but this dying Facemash midway through. But, now, obviously zack sulzberger then laid the foundations for Facebook.

And ConnectU disputes
Occurs in: dispute began in 2004, finally, in 2008 solved
Event: Facebook is a mess. Founded early Facemash project that zack sulzberger at harvard everyone knows. Three intends to develop Harvard Connection (then called renamed the ConnectU) social network project Harvard seniors also found him, hired him as a programmer. Zack sulzberger finally started Facebook ConnectU's founder, has claimed that zack berger for its work in during the code and ConnectU stolen intellectual property, and successively from school charges and to court zack sulzberger.

The Future Business Model of Facebook

leveraging their existing functionality.

It can be set-up rather easily via automatic transfer of the existing (fitting) data of the user profiles into their new professional profiles, giving the users the choice to opt-in into this service and let them enter more business-related data to be able to activate their professional profile (which also means more key data available within Facebook). The professional profile can be, e.g. on a separate tab right next to the private one or just as another wall and info page next to the main profile, allowing for it to be within the Facebook site, but with the possibility to completely block the private section, when accessed from certain locations, while also allowing the user to keep both profiles and their connections separated via respective privacy settings. To grow rapidly, at least initially the service should be offered for free. Ads can be displayed to help offset part of the launching and initial running costs. Existing Facebook functionality should be incorporated, examples are, the news feed with real-time updates, posting pictures (e.g. from corporate events), the Like button, the option to easily post relevant news, etc., enabling the user to do the same things they like to do on the social network also in a business environment and in a simple and already known way. This would make the Facebook Business Network that much more alive than the mostly static existing ones, allowing users to be active or passive, enjoying ever-changing new content, keeping them on the site, just like it's happening on the current social network. At the same time, the previously mentioned benefits for Facebook are enormous, while the development time and costs for this are comparatively small as already proven and existing layout and functionality can be used. In my opinion, if set up properly, the other existing professional networks will be marginalized within about 9-12 months after the launch (depending on the roll-out plan), just like the other existing social networks.

In short, just take what successfully works, put it in a business context and reap the huge rewards.

Job Market

A job market, integrated with the business net as well as the rest of the site could be the next step. Same procedure as above, at the push of a button, the relevant data from the other profiles, private and professional gets transferred to a job search profile(again, if agreed to by the user) and additional data is added by the users to fill out the respective profile, alternatively, if a business network already exists the professional profile can also act as the job search profile, saving the users valuable time and enabling them to easily get out on the job market, without needing to fill out a long new form, updating their CVs, etc.. The first option, a new profile, would enable Facebook to gather more data and place more ads; the second one keeps the number of profiles from expanding, meaning less complexity and maintenance. Why Monster.com - Facebook has the equivalent of the third largest country in the world as talent base, available at the push of a button. This enables Facebook to pretty quickly become a major player selling job ads and e.g. earning additional money from HR companies for special search functions, etc. and also generating more ad money with the existing ads on the side of the screen.

Marketplace

Facebook has a marketplace actually, but it's safe to say, that it never took off in the way other parts of the site did. So I suggest a relaunch. Advantages are that no additional login is needed and the pretty convenient account access, also via Facebook's pretty well done mobile apps. Now the business network profile of (at least) the sellers should be integrated with the marketplace with the users accepting that Facebook can use their data for security reasons (e.g. to eliminate users with fake profiles from the start) while having them also add more data to be able to act as a seller (more key data within Facebook). This wealth of data enables Facebook to have a sufficiently lower fraud rate and even better fitting custom offerings for every single user than e.g. Ebay, huge competitive advantages. Special promotions for goods on Facebook will also make it easier for many users to accept letting Facebook use their existing data strictly for security reasons.

Now some examples for things currently totally out of Facebook's scope,

Facebook Apparel

Why they haven't done this already is beyond me. It's a great brand, simple logo, people like it. White and blue T-shirts, each with the alternatively colored Facebook logo, and matching caps, maybe some sweaters, that's enough for starters. Then advertise these products via their ad system, which simultaneously generates a great case study to show to ad buying prospects. For sure not their potentially largest income stream, but pretty quick to launch and profitable nevertheless, with options galore, like the ability to build the biggest clothing online store on the web via own offerings and the integration of other brands and retailers in an open way, similar to what Facebook has already done with applications on their site (use what works). Tailor-made offers (no pun intended) for 500 million users every time they log in, is quite a powerful thing here, too. Even opening Facebook brick & mortar stores in the future could be a viable option, also not necessarily limited to clothing.

Comprehensive Event & Event pictures database

Neat little features with great user benefits while pretty quick and rather inexpensive to launch are always fun. A comprehensive event database where every event manager will enter their own events and every Facebook user can search the listed events, concerts, etc. in his or any other region. If you travel abroad, for example, you know where to look for events and e.g. can also contact the event management or other Facebook users attending an event you are interested in easily and immediately with tools you are already familiar with. Additionally, the option to link pictures to the respective events should be implemented. Again, integrating all the successful Facebook features e.g. allowing people to tag themselves or be tagged (for privacy reasons, only the person her-/himself can tag themselves if they want; to tag others, the user needs to give permission to be tagged in this more public environment), Comment, Like button, etc., also allowing users to upload their own pictures from the events and link them to the event (when authorized by the event manager), makes it that much more interesting and definitely increases the number of user interactions on Facebook. Needless to say, all this is non- existent with the usual event/photo sites, where you often need to register, again, then get flooded with ads and only have partial overview over one region, and basically none of the other options described above. A centralized database is so much more convenient. By using already existing functionality for a new application, Facebook will save resources in developing these features while gaining speed to launch them (a familiar theme by now). Existing sites will have no chance against a comprehensive, worldwide, but localized database within the offering of a 500 million user juggernaut. This is certainly not difficult to set up from a technical standpoint and will render the existing party sites meaningless within about 6 months after launch in the respective regions. Facebook would gain even more new users, more user-generated content and user interaction as well as more ad revenue (e.g. the ad money flowing to the party sites will go to Facebook) out of this.

Banking functions

Microcredits

Facebook itself could offer a variation of a microcredit to its users (a microcredit is a very small loan originally designed for impoverished people in developing countries to engage in self-employment projects that allow them to generate an income - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcredit ). Where's the context, you will ask. The data of the users of Facebook is a credit rating specialist's dream as certain non-financial data is, when available, also highly valuable in today's loan approval process. No bank has anything close to this in terms of private data. To actually being able to use this data, Facebook would ask the applicants to sign a document that his Facebook user data can be used in the loan approval process. You can bet, somebody who wants money, will accept this. (Also, the applicants will be asked to provide their full financial information, of course, as this is currently not available on Facebook.) In this scenario, a credit officer will really have the total picture. This is an invaluable advantage in being able to calculate if an applicant should be denied or if someone will be able to pay back. This would result in a lower credit default rate for the Facebook loans, meaning in turn higher profitability, but also lower interest rates for the recipients of the loans, as Facebook would need to price less into the issued loans for the expected defaults than normal banks. Facebook needs some experienced banking people for this, get a license (not as difficult as it sounds nowadays, I guess the government will be happy, if anybody else wants to offer quality loans), set up a process and the respective software or alternatively, have one bank or a consortium of banks in the background for this and only act as router (first option earns much more money, latter one can be set up more easily and bears less risks). In any case, the first step would then be to start a very small test balloon (they would be totally overrun, if they would even offer this "only" in their home state, let alone Facebook-wide). After some time gaining experience with the process, they can think about offering higher amounts and potentially becoming quite some competition to regular banks (again, think the potential customer base of 500 million+), while, importantly, also doing something good in supporting their users with more affordable loans. Later on, they could even expand to offer more banking functions, like an online account, e-brokerage...

Peer-to-Peer Lending platform

They could also offer a Peer-to-Peer lending platform, where users lend money to other users, like e.g. Zopa or Prosper, which would soon thereafter become the biggest one on the web, of course. The process would be the same as with microcredits, whoever wants a loan, needs to share his data with Facebook, so it can be checked, if the applicants qualify, which is what the P-to-P platforms do as a service for the lenders, charging a small fee for it (another revenue stream for Facebook). The advantages to other platforms are the same as to banks in regards to microcredits, the quantity and quality of the data at hand. Another advantage here would be that the number of social interactions between the users increases as lenders and takers interact quite a lot on these platforms and a rather safe guess is that they would do even more so on the familiar Facebook. This is also potentially a good way of gaining experience before offering microcredits themselves, if they choose to do so.

Credit information system

If Facebook decides to not go the route above or chooses to launch another business, they could easily become the largest and best credit information data provider. They have data nobody else has and banks would pay a lot to get this information. Here, the privacy problem becomes a bigger one as Facebook cannot just transfer the data. From Facebook's point of view, the best thing would be to let the banks negotiate the access with each bank client, who is a Facebook user.

I have more examples, but this was just to show, that the possibilities are endless.

The Future Business Model of Facebook profile

The Future Business Model of Facebook profile

The one thing Facebook has not figured out yet is how to utilize their fabulous product to make the most money, consistently and on an ongoing basis - i.e. finding the right business model. A really intriguing topic to write my very first blog about, because, in my opinion, finding the right business model for Facebook cannot be accomplished using conventional thinking, like, solely looking at Google and their search engine ad revenue, for example. Facebook is unique, so you need to find unique solutions. Actually, there is not one single best business model for this site, rather a multitude of potential revenue streams from very different sources. It is not only "how do we generate revenue", but equally important "when do we start with which one". This might sound strange now, but it will get clear, when reading this. Summarized, it is basically taking your assets and what made you successful in the first place and finding new ways to use them effectively.

Business Network / Business Profile

I thinking about this since beginning of February. Wouldn't it be great, if you'd only need to login once and have your private and professional network in one view, although strictly separated from each other, depending on your settings? Wouldn't it also be great for companies to have a business network with about 7 times more users than LinkedIn, that can offer people having every kind of skills and experience imaginable as well as offering any kind of services and products among their 500 million users? Wouldn't it be great for Facebook to be able to get into companies blocking the site so far, generating new streams of ad and other revenue from recruitment companies and others? But most importantly, Business Network market leaders LinkedIn and Xing charge their users, meaning Facebook would have an absolute legitimate case to do so as well for their business network users. This means, that the crucial, and psychological, hurdle of charging end-users can be overcome via a sideway, so to speak, without having to expect a massive backlash or a mass exodus of users. Of course, they can only start to charge the active business network users, but when the door is open once...needless to say, this has the highest potential impact on the bottom line of Facebook.

All this would happen, if Facebook offered a Business Network, too. This is not even a huge undertaking for them really, just

Sphere Marketing Group Secret To Facebook Advertising

Sphere Marketing Group - Secret To Facebook Advertising

Facebook advertising has proven to be profitable and incredibly powerful. Not only does Facebook have massive reach, it has the ability to precisely target your optimal audience. Many new marketers hear about the growth potential that Facebook can offer and tend to just ?dive? in. Those who start a campaign without taking the time to really learn the Facebook platform tend to waste a lot of money and see a very low ROI.

The biggest difference between Facebook Advertising and PPC (Google Adwords) is that users on Facebook have not searched for something similar to what you are offering like they would on Google. Your Facebook ad is not triggered by a keyword or a keyword phrase which means you have to take a fundamentally different approach if you want your ad to convert.

Another problem with advertising on Facebook is that people are on Facebook to be on Facebook. Users are typically not interested in being redirected to a website or promotion that you are offering.

In this article, I am going to discuss a few creative ways you can overcome these two problems and build a successful Facebook advertising campaign.

First off, lets discuss the targeting capabilities of Facebook and what factors decide when and where your ad is placed. Many of us have seen the Facebook like button on almost every blog and website. A like button is usually connected to specific content or blog post. When someone presses that like button, they are showing interest in that particular topic which plays a big role in which ads will be shown to them on Facebook. For example, if you like a page on dogs, chances are you will be shown some ads that are related to dogs in the future when you are on Facebook.

Facebook users can also add activities and interests to their Facebook profile. There are plenty of pages that are based on a specific interest such as working out, cars, music genres etc. that you can like or become a member of. These activities and interests also play a vital role in deciding which ads will be shown to you as well.

Facebook has recently implemented a new targeting feature that most people do not know about. Facebook will actually detect the content of users status updates and will process this information into an algorithm which will help decide which ads are displayed to whom and when. If someone makes a status that includes working out (?I enjoyed my workout today?) that person may be shown ads on workout plans and supplements.

Facebook?s targeting abilities are so advanced that you can target users based on their age, gender, interests, activities, and even target them on their birthday. (eg. Happy Birthday from ?..)

By knowing how Facebook targets your audience, you can create more effective ads that have a better chance of converting Facebook users into customers. When creating your ad, have a fairly broad headline that would appeal to someone interested in a topic as opposed to a product. For example, ?Trying To Lose Weight?? Would be more effective than ?Order John Does Slimming Juice Today? because your ad will be shown to people who have generally shown interest in weight loss.

To address the second problem of Facebook users not wanting to leave Facebook, we need to consider 3 options on where to direct them after your ad is clicked.

Option 1 is to direct them to your company or product fan page. This is an effective way to get a like and put your brand name in that consumers head. The problem with this is that most businesses are not satisfied with paying to just generate a fan. They want the user who clicked their ad to engage with their company on a higher level and hopefully turn into a lead or sale which most Facebook fans do not.

Option 2 is to direct the user straight to your website. The advantage of this is you have more control over the experience that the potential customer will encounter and to most advertisers that is worth more then simply getting a ?like?. But as I pointed out before, Facebook users are on Facebook to be on Facebook and will usually result in users just clicking away from your site giving you a high bounce rate.

Option 3 is more of a mix between option 2 and option 3 and gives advertisers the best of both worlds. How we do this is by have a store front on your company Facebook profile where users can purchase your product or service as well as like your page. If a Facebook user decides to purchase your product or service, they will be directed to your website where they can do so. By doing this, you have created a slightly better transition between your ad and your website by having the user interact with your Facebook page before purchasing your product. This has been proven to give advertisers a higher conversion rate and ultimately a higher ROI.

The last thing to remember is test everything. Try out different ads and different Facebook storefronts and always track the results and find ways for improvement. Eventually you will discover the perfect combination that gives you not only more likes, but more conversions.

Social Media Start-Up Kit Series Part One Facebook

Social Media Start-Up Kit Series Part One: Facebook

With 2011 approaching, I wanted to reach out to small business owners looking to ramp up social media efforts for the New Year. This is part one of a four part social media start-up package series. This series will particularly help you if you've a) heard about social media but don't know how it can benefit your business or b) have invested some time and money into social media, but haven't seen any results.

My goal is to help the small business owner, move from curiosity and exploration in the social media realm to results and value. In part one of this series, I am going to cover Facebook, but stay tuned parts two, three, and four on Twitter, LinkedIn, and blogging.

FACEBOOK

Why
For a small business, there are few excuses not to have a Facebook Page. Over 500 million people have Facebook and 250,000 more join each day. It helps small business build brand awareness. Facebook can provide your business with real time feedback. It's the fastest way to communicate with many customers at once. You can track the effectiveness of your Facebook efforts. And it's free to set up a Fan Page.

How to for Beginners (skip this section if your business already has a Facebook Fan Page)
If you're not on Facebook, you need to first create a personal profile. You can do that by going to Facebook and filling in your name, email, password, gender, birthday, and all of the other required information. It's good to add a picture too so that people identify you and "add you as a friend".

Once you've set up your profile, you can create a page for your business called a Fan Page. You can do so by clicking on "Ads and Pages" which can be found on the left hand side of your Facebook Home Page.
Then click "+Create Page". This will prompt you to create a "Community Page" or "Official Page". If you're a small business owner, click the "Local business" button under the "Official Page" section and enter the name of your business where it says "Page name:". Check the box that says you are the official representative of the page and click "Create Official Page". Finally, verify it's the official page by clicking "create page," and then, in less than five minutes you've created a Facebook Page for your business.

Then click on the "Info" tab near the top of the screen, and click "edit information." This will prompt you to enter your company's "basic info," "detailed info," and "contact info".
Once you've finished filling out that information, click on the box to the left that says "Write Something About (YOUR BUSINESS)". In this section write a good, short description of your business and provide a link to your website and any other relevant sites (blog, twitter, etc.). If you'd like to edit what you wrote, click the pencil button in the upper right corner.

I would then recommend posting a few status updates. Spread them out over a few days, and provide useful information such as good links to relevant articles. Also add company photos of your products, services, and team.

The purpose for doing this before reaching out to people to "like" your page is so that people get a feel for the type of content you will provide on the page. If you have a relatively blank Facebook Page, people may not click the "like" button when they are invited to join it.

Complete your Facebook Fan Page by following the next steps as prompted by Facebook. Add your logo to your profile by clicking "Upload an Image" and then "Browse." Finally, you can invite your friends on Facebook to "like" your page by clicking the button that says "suggest to friends" on the upper left hand side of your page, underneath the logo.

And there you have it. If you've completed these steps, you've got a solid page with a good amount of people that "like" the page.

How to Grow Your Reach for Intermediate/Advanced Facebook Users

For business owners that have a Facebook Page set up, here are some tips and applications that can help grow your reach:

1. Import contacts from your email list.
You can do so from your Facebook home page. Find the "Get Connected" section on the right hand side of your profile. Click on "Find Your Friends" underneath where it says "Who's On Facebook?" This will bring you to a "Find Friends" page where you are prompted to add your email service provider. If your domain is yourbusinessname.com and you use Microsoft Outlook, choose "other email service" and click on the small link that says "File Importer". Then click on "Find my Windows Contacts" when prompted, and click "run" or "allow" when the security message appears. This will bring up a list of all of your contacts in Outlook that you are not friends with on Facebook.

After you've added friends from your email provider, Facebook prompts you to invite other contacts you have that are not on Facebook to join Facebook. I wouldn't recommend inviting everyone because a lot of those will be email addresses of people that are not linked to their Facebook account. In other words, they probably have Facebook, but are using a different email address with the account. If you go through each name and find people that you aren't friends with on Facebook, type their name into Facebook and see if they come up. If they do, add them as a friend instead of bombarding them with email.

Keep in mind that adding these people as friends won't necessarily motivate them to "like" your Fan Page. After you've added your email contacts, go back to your Fan Page, click the "suggest to friends" option, and choose the people that you think would like to be your fans.

2. Create a welcome tab and other compelling visuals using Static FBML.

Standard Facebook Pages come with the "Wall," "Info," "Photos," "Reviews," and "Video" tabs automatically. These are good to start, but there are plenty of other applications that can help reach and engage people. One of the most pervasive applications that is useful for every business is Static FBML. This application creates a new tab for your Facebook Page where you can upload compelling graphics. One of the first graphics you should make is a welcome tab that encourages people on your page to click the "like" button. If you'd like step by step instructions on how to create a welcome tab and other graphics using Static FMBL, check out our previous post "How to Create a Facebook Tab with Static FBML".

3. Measure the quality of your posts with Facebook Analytics.

With Facebook Analytics, you can track the number of impressions per post, daily "likes" over time, monthly active users, daily comments, and other metrics right on Facebook. If you'd like to learn how to do so, check out my previous post "How to Measure the Effectiveness of Your Facebook Posts".

4. Put the Facebook Icon on Your Marketing Materials.
Place the Facebook logo on your homepage, email signature, newsletter, LinkedIn profile, business cards, and other print materials. Also include a call to action on each to "like" your page on Facebook for deals, tips, articles, photos, updates, etc.

5. Advertise on Facebook.
Facebook offers more targeted advertising than traditional outlets. Facebook enables you to target individual people of a specific location, age, gender, interest, education level, birthday, relationship status, workplace, and even connections of your friends. If your business has an advertising budget, consider investing in highly targeted Facebook ads, track your success, and use these highly effective tips.

6. Download Roominate's The First Step to Social Media Success.
This will hone your value offering to your customers and help you determine useful content for your Facebook Page.

Social media marketing - the 10 social media laws of Facebook

Social media marketing - the 10 social media laws of Facebook

Where have YOU been?

Unless you have lived in a cave the last 4 years, you have probably heard of this. It is a rocking hot social networking site that seems to be almost everywhere today. It is on the news. It is on the radio. It is on the minds of millions of folks a day.

It is called "Facebook" and over 175 million people are active on this site.

Ok- I know that you may be asking," A LAW about Facebook?" Yes, 10 of them for marketing and business success in what you do. I am a marketer and have been for 20 years. I built a training and consulting business that does business in over 20 countries, because of social media and the internet. And there are marketing laws that all marketers and business professionals must follow if they are going to have Success in the marketplace online.

It is the same for Facebook.

Lets cover them briefly:

1) The Law of Visibility on Facebook.

You MUST be visible on Facebook of you are going to get your message out. You must spend time on Facebook and get to know people. You must put yourself together a "Facebook blueprint" and work it. How many hours a week are you going to be seen on FB? How many times are you going to befriend someone this week? How many times are you going to upload photos this week? All of these things put you in the 'Visibility Zone" on Facebook, and on the radar as far as people on Facebook. Be SEEN and be THERE on a daily basis.

2) The Law of the Powerful Facebook Profile.

Why would people want to get to know you? One of the first things they check out is your Facebook profile. What does it say- but better yet- what does it DO? Does it make people curious and want to get to know you? Does it make them think? Does it make them smile? Does it make them see that you have Value for their life and can help change it?

Powerful Facebook profiles are NOT based on what is said in your profile- but what it DOES.

Does it direct them to DO something? Does it tell them you are person they MUST know? Or someone that has a nice picture and a nice profile- with no magnetism? Put yourself OUT THERE and tell the world WHY they need you as a friend, and get them to take action towards YOU.

3) The Law of the Facebook WALL.

You MUST use your Wall to market or message. many folks regard their Wall as a communication utility like email. It is not that. You already have a Facebook email. The Wall is for you to BUILD- BRICK BY BRICK- MESSAGE BY MESSAGE- NOTE BY NOTE- VIDEO BY VIDEO- your Brand on Facebook. Every time something happens with you- it goes on your Wall. Don't stare at the wall- CLIMB THE SUCKER and make your message the PEAK of the page- and keep yourself out there with the Wall. And answer the messages on your Wall. Thank people for sharing with you their visit or message. This will show up on THEIR wall. This will set you apart from most on Facebook. The Wall is simply a BILLBOARD of what you are doing and your friends are doing on Facebook. Use it often and wisely.

4) The Law of Your Facebook Network.

You are part of a local Facebook network and you have access to that network to befriend them. I live in Birmingham Michigan, and the network i am a part of is the Detroit network. There are 640,926 people in my network that I could potentially MEET LIVE in a local place and get to know them and connect with them. You have local folks as well. Where do you find your network?

Click on "settings" and then click on "network." You will find it there. This is a GOLD MINE of people in your local area to CONNECT and Construct new trust bridges that may lead to business down the road.

5) The Law of the Facebook Notifications.

This is an overlooked and rarely talked about utility. Notifications are part of your "Facebook email system." Go to "email" at the top of your Facebook profile page, and then click on "notifications."This is list of who is thinking about you, talking about you, including you in tags, and generally is pointing to you. This is a GOLD MINE of people that have PROVEN they are behind you and willing to make you a part of their Facebook experience. Pay attention to the Facebook notifications. Thank them for their thoughts of you on their Wall and let them know you appreciate it. Include them as well on your tags and other activity on Facebook. The notifications are GOLD and is a prospecting Vault of Leads. And make sure you stay CONNECTED to them.

6) The Law of Facebook Link Love.

The Link application on Facebook is a HOT commodity. It allows you to post a link that you like and then sends it out on the news feed that is on your home page. It picks up the image that you want on the link page, and allows it to be a LIVE link. Send out other people's LINK and givem some LOVE. Do NOT just send out your own links. Let others do that. Find interesting links of others and send them out.

WHY? EXPOSURE for you. You will be given credit for the link. People LOVE link love. If you send out a LOT of other people's links on Facebook, they will start sending out YOUR links. Been there done that.

7) The Law of Facebook Groups.

Join groups. Join a LOT of Groups. Start your OWN groups. The join MORE groups. Why? Here are a few reasons: EXPOSURE. CONNECTION to other Group members. AUTHORITY. Start your own and be a Leader. INCREASE YOUR REACH.Groups extend your reach into Facebook. MULTIPLIED PROSPECTS. There are more people in a group - then on a profile page.

Duh. Build a list in your own group and then you can become an admin and email messages to them. Make them messages of VALUE and interest.

8) The Law of Facebook Events.

Attend events. Attend more Events. And then attend many MORE events. Why? It allows you to leave a message on the events page wall, and create exposure. I attend at least 2 Facebook events every week- to learn- and to network. Events can be found on the new Facebook page in the upper right under "Upcoming"-these are the events that are upcoming. There is one unique twist: You have birthdays under the "upcoming" tag- and you can send presents to folks. THIS will get their attention as it shows up on their wall and the news feed as well. Attend as many events as you can. make them worth your while- learn and grow from them. BUT'always leave a RSVP message about attending or not- with an encouraging message. This will show your professionalism, and caring.

Event UP! This will do you well on Facebook. Put the term "events" in the search box, and it will find every event that is going on in your network of friends. It is a GOLD MINE of new possibilties of business. Become a master of events!

9) The Law of Facebook Multimedia- Videos and Photos.

People LOVE photos and videos. They are the most looked at and watched pages on Facebook. Make some videos and upload them. Upload some photographs. Not only will the be seen on your wall and the Facebook news feed, but also will allow you to "tag" others on these. This means that you can pick out people you have befriended and let them know you are thinking of them. And when you tag someone- it shows up on THEIR wall. Not isn't THAT cool? It is called EXPOSURE!

10) The Law of the Facebook NEWS FEED.

This is the big kahuna of Exposure on Facebook. This gets you out to ALL of your friends and creates a massive exposure vehicle that can keep your brand in front and recognized. You also will be many times on the "featured" part of the new news feed on the right. This gives you HUGE exposure. Whatever you do, like change your status, upload a video, write and publish a note, or just comment on another person's message on the Facebook news feed- it SHOWS UP in the news Feed. Be seen- and be seen often if you are trying to brand yourself on Facebook.

Yes, you need to establish relationships, and build community. But if you are going to MARKET on Facebook-then you need to at least get a guideline of what and how to do it. The 10 Social Media Laws of Facebook hopefully gave you some idea in your social media marketing.

Secret Methods to Get More Facebook Friends

Secret Methods to Get More Facebook Friends

Facebook buddies are as great as hard cash within your pocket in the event you hold the correct ones. They are going to like your posts, repost them on their walls, all of which will provide targeted traffic to your internet site. Whenever a person sees a website link that their friend likes, they can be a great deal a lot more likely to click it than for those who had been to send it to them. The click-through charge on a website link that is definitely liked is considerably bigger than an individual that's spammed and it truly is generally cost-free advertising. So now you will be possibly wanting to know how to get far more likes. The 1st phase is usually to get much more Facebook pals. Each time you add a pal your network grows exponentially. If you add a Facebook friend which has 500 Facebook associates, you have possibly produced your hyperlink visible to 500 much more people today. Imagine the number of men and women would see your hyperlinks in the event you have been to hit the facebook buddies cap of 4999! That's what I'm heading to show you how you can do!

Get a lot more Facebook buddies!

Just like Twitter, the simplest way to get associates is include folks. There is one particular major difference involving Facebook and Twitter although. Facebook will not want you to add men and women you don't personally know. Once you commence incorporating Facebook good friends, you would possibly become aware of a warning that asks "Do you realize this consumer personally?" I have an understanding of which they really don't want individuals just adding random facebook good friends if you want to cut back spam, nonetheless it does appear to be intriguing that a site with countless people does not want any of them to fulfill each other by means of that internet site.

But that is definitely just a personalized view in addition to a rant for a further day. Being a marketer, you're going to have to include folks you do not personally know, and you are likely to have to get it done not having getting banned. This can be incredibly tricky, but if you comply with this guide you need to be good. Owing to the chance of having banned, I Very Propose making a whole new Facebook account focused to promotion. Also note *I AM NOT Accountable In the event you GET BANNED FROM FACEBOOK*, Facebook is very severe about spam and will delete your account with no warning should you abuse these procedures or spam your Facebook friends. Warnings and disclaimers aside, let's begin acquiring Facebook associates.

Tips on how to get a lot more Facebook pals
We already know the best way to get facebook close friends should be to add people. We also are aware that for those who include too quite a few persons per day you could get banned (the typical concensus is no in excess of 25 persons a day). That is not the sole selection that Facebook's spam filters keep in mind even though so be careful. The obvious way to not hit the 2-day, 4-day and long term ban is to get your Facebook companion requests to adhere to you back again. The best way to do this is by incorporating Facebook good friends that you've plenty of mutual good friends with. They'll see your request, observe that you've a lot of mutual Facebook Friends and add you. Another great suggestion would be to send a personalized message to each and every of them. A thing like, "Hey, I seen you and I share some interests and also have a lot of mutual friends. I used to be hoping we could link." You will discover that incorporating a private concept to every of one's Facebook companion requests will vastly increase your accepted requests ratio. Anything else to bear in mind is whenever you send a Facebook buddy request is Facebook gauges their responses. When the user denies the request that may be bad, furthermore, it looks terrible for the account in the event you have an extreme amount of pending close friend requests. Whenever you obtain a Facebook ban, the initial issue they have you do is take away all pending Facebook pal requests. I decided soon after my initially ban that I'd be a lot more proactive about it and cancel my pending Facebook companion requests right after 1-2 days of staying in a pending status. I uncovered this amazing free Facebook app called Pending Good friend Requests that allows you to do it automatically. Now that you simply understand how many of the common people really need to include Facebook friends, you will find a couple methods that assist you to add greater than that 25 Facebook good friends in a day even though and I'll go around those next.

Ways to get close to the Facebook close friends limitation
These are definitely a few methods I've discovered which will let you include greater than 25 Facebook close friends in a very day.

Power Of Facebook Marketing For Product Launches and Affiliates

Power Of Facebook Marketing For Product Launches and Affiliates

Facebook started out as a social networking site mainly intended for personal use. Its aim was simply to provide a platform for people to share their thoughts, photos, videos, and to interact with people. However, the administrators have eventually expanded to more features. Facebook fan pages are intended for personalities and companies to share their information to their consumers and fans. So when you create Facebook fan pages, you allow the user to share information to a different degree, given their different features. Facebook marketing is a proof that a business can succeed through online activity. Celebrities, organizations, and retailers depend on Facebook for marketing.

Facebook marketing is a very effective way to build your presence. It's relatively easy, since all you need is a computer. You can create Facebook fan pages and a Social Ad. You are going to specify to Facebook the kind of audience that you want to reach and where the traffic should be directed. Using Facebook for marketing is helpful because Facebook helps you locate your audience through age, gender, location, and interests. Facebook's widespread popularity is ideal for increasing your chances of capturing the awareness of your desired audience. Contact-to-contact association will help spread your products and services via referrals. Facebook also allots a section where certain ads show up on the side portion of their user's window.

Another benefit of Facebook marketing is the significantly lowered costs of marketing and advertising by almost half. More people are now relying on the internet than the print, television, and radio (although these platforms still matter). However, you can make yourself more reachable to your audience if you use a Facebook marketing tool. This is a great way to boost your online presence and complement your official website. Overall, Facebook marketing is the good tool for expanding your lists because Facebook has over 500 million active users and spend at least 700 billion minutes browsing Facebook every month. Moreover, the typical Facebook user keeps in touch with at least 80 groups, events, and pages.

Building Your List with Facebook

The most basic element of Facebook marketing is the Facebook fan page. Once you've put up your own fan page, you can invite people to Like your fan page. Members of your fan page will get constant updates when they open their Facebook account.

When you open the Facebook website, create a fan page by going to Pages. Click Create a page. It's very important to keep your fan page busy and updated with the latest details about your product or service. Post blogs or articles regularly on your wall, preferably things that are related to your product or service. You are going to fill your page with your brand so you have to decide what stays in the page and what doesn't. Fill out the most important information about your product and include a relevant profile picture. Keep the About section brief but comprehensive. Facebook marketing should be accessible to the audience so you have to make your fan page readable so your logos and graphics should be kept to a minimum.

Building lists using the Facebook marketing method involves interaction with the people. If you want to widen your list base, you have to be the first one to reach out to your audience. You can start by liking related pages to your product or service. Interact with other people by initiating and participating in discussions. Answer questions, polls, and surveys. Ask questions too, if possible. Any kind of information in those pages should be valuable because you will rely on it for information on how to improve your own page and Facebook marketing.

Once you've gathered a considerable fan base, encourage the members to talk by initiating polls, surveys, and questions yourself. Keep the fan page active and updated. Be friendly with your replies too. Express gratitude for positive comments and handle negative comments well. You cannot expect to please everyone so use those comments as a way to improve yourself.

Facebook Ads

A huge part of Facebook marketing is the Facebook Ads that you find on the right side of your profile page or your friends page. The Ads that you see pretty much speaks of what the person is all about. Facebook Ads are aimed at the person's age, education, location, and other interests based on the activity of the user. Advertisers usually promote their product based on a target group of people.

Payment of Facebook Social Ads varies, but the usual method is the pay-per-click method. You also have the option of activating a campaign, especially if there are certain times of the day or night when it is most profitable.

Facebook Ads are very easy to make. Go to facebook.com/advertising. Enter your website on the destination URL tab. Create a headline and an ad copy. Afterwards, post a relevant image for your ad. Once you've reviewed the visible details of your ad, it's time to work on the targeting filters. Setting your target filters is very important because it will determine the type of people who will advocate and patronize your product. You will target the geography of the people who will see the ads, as well as the sex, age, education, relationships, language, group and page membership, application usage, and other activities. Facebook will show you an estimated number of people you will be targeting. If you are not satisfied, you can always tweak the filters.

Once you're done, create a budget, bid, metrics and schedule of the page.

Conclusion

Facebook marketing is an exciting field of marketing and advertising products that can be pulled off by almost by anyone. However, the competition is going to be tough since it is accessible to everyone. But the thing is, you have to get the hang of using Facebook for marketing because people use this as a platform to connect with the world around them. The best way to start is to create a Facebook fan page. However, it doesn't stop there. People spend a lot of time online doing many things so you have to give them a good reason why you're worth their time. Constantly evolve and keep yourself updated. Remember, a well-maintained Facebook fan page attracts a large following.

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Monetizing Facebook Through Contests

Monetizing Facebook Through Contests

Nowadays, thousands of online entrepreneurs, small businesses, and large companies are monetizing Facebook through contests. It is not uncommon to see businesses pushing products, services, or causes through contests hosted in the social networking site. If you own digital space of any kind, you should be doing the same. The power of Facebook as a marketing tool is undeniable. Facebook is after all the biggest social media site out there. Its members are close to approaching the one billion mark. If this doesn't make you rush out and use Facebook like crazy, nothing will. The great thing about the social network is that you don't have to be an online entrepreneur to be able to make use of it. Even if your business only operates offline, you can still make a huge online presence for it on Facebook.

Holding a Facebook contest is nothing new. Ever since the site's beginnings, people have been using it to conduct contests. Now that the site has grown into a whole new level, it's not surprising to see hundreds of contests being held on it in a daily basis. Marketers have seen the potential of Facebook contests and they are taking full advantage of it. You should be doing it as well if you want to leverage Facebook's huge traffic and member levels. Of course, the process is not as simple as offering prizes and stuff. You have to plan everything just like any marketing campaign. You can't just go in there without any directions or goals. If you do, you will likely fail.

Everybody knows that besides Facebook's advertising program, everything on the site is free to use. You don't have to pay a cent to make use of the services, resources and tools that it offers. Speaking of tools, there's one tool that is particularly helpful in holding Facebook contests and that would be the Facebook Connect feature. If you want to try monetizing Facebook through contests then Facebook Connect is something you should look into. This is going to make the whole contest process easier to conduct and of course simpler to track and measure. Facebook Connect was specifically made to help outside parties like you to get a better experience on the social network. With regards to contests, Facebook Connect will amplify the results of your contest campaign.

But first of all, what exactly is Facebook Connect and why does it matter in hosting Facebook contests? In the simplest of terms, it is but a feature of Facebook that allows users to share their information and activities with third party websites and applications. You are basically connecting your Facebook account with third party websites. That is of course if you allow them to. Looking at this scenario on a marketing perspective, this is a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs, marketers, and businesses to get connected with customers, readers, clients, fans, etc. It is therefore not surprising to see many websites holding Facebook contests by leveraging the Facebook Connect feature. You will simply double or even triple the number of people you can reach if you use Facebook Connect on a contest.

Here's what happens if you host a contest on Facebook and then make use of Facebook Connect. Let's say you create a web application specifically for the contest you have in mind. In order for people to join in on the contest, they have to have a Facebook profile and they have to connect it to the web application you created via Facebook Connect. To use the web application, they will log in using the Facebook login details because this is the whole point behind Facebook Connect. You simply use your Facebook login details to sign in into third party websites and applications.

Now, whenever these people interact with your application, these interactions will be shown in their Facebook walls. They will show up in the feeds of other users who are friends with the people who joined your contest. In essence, people who join your contests will be promoting your contest for free. More people will be directed to your Facebook contest. There's a snowball effect. This is where the magic happens. If your Facebook contest is interesting enough, it could go viral. If the contest is geared towards promoting a product or service of yours, expect a spike in your sales. That's how powerful Facebook contests can be.

One obvious drawback of using Facebook Connect on a contest is the fact that people nowadays are more aware about security issues. They won't just give up their Facebook login details. Although Facebook Connect is pretty secure, you cannot discount the fact that people sometimes get freaked out when asked to connect their Facebook profiles to websites external of the Facebook banner. However, if the offers or prizes in your contest are hard to refuse, Facebook users have proven time and time again that they take risks when confronted with great free offers. With that said, if you play your cards well, people will be more than willing to connect their Facebook accounts to your website or application.

Now, let's go to the monetization part. The goal is monetizing Facebook through contests right? That basically translates to making money off Facebook. Most businesses use Facebook contests for marketing purposes like branding, introducing a new product or service, etc. You can also use the contests to make money right off the bat. The goal is to drive as many people as possible to your website or web application through the Facebook Connect feature then introduce them to your offers and services. It's as simple as that. In other words, the contest is merely a bait. This may sound a bit unethical but most of the time this is what Facebook contests are all about - just a small part in a huge marketing puzzle. It's a very effective marketing strategy as long as you have high quality products and services that will draw customers towards you.

Here are a few tips on how to effectively conduct a contest using Facebook Connect:
Offer great prizes. Give people reasons why they should connect their Facebook account to your website or application. If you are offering prizes of $5, why would anyone even bother connecting to you? So offer prizes that will blow people away that they will have no choice but to join.
Create a Facebook Page specifically for your contest. Keep in mind that a Facebook Page is different from a Facebook Profile or a Facebook Group Page. A Page differs because it can be viewed by anyone on the web whether he/she is logged into Facebook or not. This makes it a very great tool in promoting your contest.
Encourage those who joined your contest to share the contest with their Facebook friends. This will ensure that your contest is exposed to as many people as possible. Imagine someone sharing your contest to a thousand of his friends then these thousand friends do the same. The numbers can easily grow as people start sharing your contest.

These are everything you need to know about monetizing Facebook through contests. Keep them in mind and most importantly, follow them. A Facebook contest isn't too hard to pull off. If you have great offers, Facebook users will do all the marketing for you. For instance, if you're going to offer a free iPad, thousands of people will likely share your contest right after you announce it.

Kevin Coombe is the Owner of Market Web Group, LLC an online media consultant firm. He founded Market Web Group, LLC in 2009. The mission of Market Web Group is to generate a consistent stream of qualified leads for Businesses.

Market Web Group does Real Time Marketing for Businesses, both Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Consumer (B2C). Strategies include: Video Marketing, SEO, SEM, PPC, Local Search (Google Maps), Social Media Marketing, Mobile Marketing, and most importantly (Automated Follow-up).

The Market Web Group puts your business message in front of your ideal customers online, in hundreds of places, so they see it, and your business gets noticed, for the lowest possible fee.

Marketing on Facebook

Marketing on Facebook

As everybody knows, Facebook is a fast growing social network that is expected to take over other leading social networks in a few years to come. Its valuable features and quality software designs offer the users some benefits that could not be equalled by others. Millions of people around the universe are connected by one heart that is the Facebook. The vast scope of facebook sort of a treasure trove for marketers when properly used.

Marketing on facebook provides a complete and cohesive campaign schemes for companies. The development of advertising promotions and micro locations are designed to upsurge fan base, brand awareness and sales. The marketing services makes easy for the business with the comprehensive services offered. The marketing team will modify the techniques to fit the user needs.

The marketing services include general, unified facebook campaign line of attack development, tactical input to uphold the popular brand page, Marketing on facebook facebook design that is effective, which increases awareness for brands, sales and fans, creation of attractive campaign and make a report for the result with recommendations in adjustments for the campaign. The service also works continuously to enhance and improve the user's image for positive marketing style.

The social network marketing really works. The company may connect to real people and there are millions active facebook customers. It creates demands for the product with significant advertising. It forms a relationship between the objective market and the capabilities of facebook advertising. It reaches only the specific users. Seek the help of experts for marketing strategies and have the result right away.

Marketing on facebook is a term that a lot of profiteers and marketers have been using recently. Social network marketing has exploded in the last two years. Obviously, this is popular and is becoming the number one trend. A substantial proportion of people who are using internet engage in some type of social media. Many marketers have attempted to influence some social media to make business but have gone the wrong way because it is not used correctly.

Marketing in social network or on facebook has a big potential if it is used properly. To become success in using this is to focus on making a circle of smart people who will be interested in something to offer. Provide something that is interesting and useful for the people. A subject matter that can be used or that people can appreciate and might even like to share with others. After making up a community of smart people leading them to the sites is not wrong, start to offer anything but on facebook marketing it should be understood that this is not the right place to fast cash. Don't make money by destroying the image of the site.

Using marketing on facebook is the right way to make the business grow. Facebook is not a free for all marketing it is a social network therefore it is not a place for those people who are fond of spamming. It means that facebook is for socializing with people and making friend and sharing stuff that can interest them.

Make money on Facebook with these 12 free applications

Make money on Facebook with these 12 free applications

Earn money with Facebook! If were to social networking sites for a while or you are a Facebook user, have you probably heard that. But is it really possible to earn money with Facebook? How would you to go over money on Facebook?

Now, thanks to some very useful and friendly user applications, a Facebook page, now almost anyone can make money in truth the way. With a basic installation, you can be on your way to make money on Facebook. Like all other methods, money, making money online, particularly it takes hard work and perseverance of course, to make his, a decent amount of money on Facebook in the position. Although these applications easily make it very to on the way of the money earn with face book, its strategy and a well-conceived plan, combined with endurance and hard work, ultimately in your success or its failure in money earn factors with Facebook. Here are 12 applications you can use to bid on Facebook.

1. RadicalBuy this is made much like a Facebook eBay. You you can sell anything on your Facebook page with this unique about list an item and have it visible immediately for all Facebook users. Now that is cool think that you can offer Commission to others who sell your articles on their Facebook page, so that you to reach more potential customers. Of course means that, even if you have to sell any item, other people can view element on your Facebook page and you make money with the Commission get it stuff for sale.

2. MyMerchStore Zazzel you can create and design a product on their website (which is free of charge) and sell them on your face book. Think basis for custom T-shirts and caps and etc of the potential buyers, especially when you have many friends on Facebook. You can also sell products from other artists created and get a Commission on that. So, even if you are not dealing with want to design, you need a way to make money on face book with Zazzle.

3. CafePress , it is the same idea as Zazzle, but with a much larger and well-known online shop. Can home you are selling a product of anti-Obama shirts, per Obama shirts, just on your Facebook and earn money, whether it was created by you or someone else.

4. Ether ether is a website that can to make you money by consulting for people over the phone or live chat. But now, you can their new application on Facebook to make money and advice for people over the phone. If you are well advised, this can be to make the way for you some extra money on Facebook. Even if you know a second language, this app makes easier to teach others and make money. Set prices and ether has a number that can call individuals. The call is then propagated to your personal phone number.

5. MusicBlaster with MusicBlaster you can save a simple small music on your Facebook, and sell music from BlastMyMusic.com. You get 5% for every song sold. She cool think about this app is the fact that you can help, your favorite band or singer, selling their music, while you make money, and helps them to gain more exposure.

6. Garage sales the name says it all, that the good old garage sale, but a flea market "Facebooky". Simply add flea market on your profile page and list sell any thing you want to. If someone buys something, garage sale automatically bills credit card of the purchaser, and lets you when the item ship. Their money directly to your PayPal account is stored, or you can request payment by check. But they charge a 5% Commission on the total selling price, but that's all. No other fee for Setup or something similar.

7. Shopit Shopit is a free social commerce network that users have the ability to purchase, sell or trade in any product or service. Just add a space to your Facebook and sell anything you like. A more simple way, making money on Facebook.

8. FlameTunes FT 2007 by an Iranian American named NIMA Khakpour founded. This app is for artists to sell their music. So, if you are an artist, your music can sell you FlameTunes on your Facebook. You can also use to sell music on MySpace.

9. Remember lemonade when you your first lemonade stand setup in your community? Now, this app allows you to use the same concept, Commerce and community, combined and soft drinks are available in a digital environment (Facebook). Basically, you add to what you want to sell to a lemonade stand, and put it on your Facebook. It is free and easy.

10. eBay who would have thought that was? Yes, you guessed it. Now you can have your eBay on Facebook. This application you can eBay auction offers add to your profile. Sell things to your Facebook friends of Arts and crafts, jewelry, diary pages, underwear and dinner data or just anything that you sell on eBay! You can also add a charity auction that you support on your Facebook profile. I think it is a very smart way, eBay and Facebook to link, and you don't even need an eBay account!

11.- Lending Club is almost as thrive, where you get money to others and make money with the interest you make the loan. Don't worry, lending Club has covered all the details. So, it is absolutely safe, and the entire right and trust problems increase supported by lending Club. If you can use Safley, it can be a great way to make money with your Facebook.

12. e3buy auction buy, sell or trade anything. Auction and your used or new items. With e3buy you can fit store, upload your logo and selling things to start. Unlike eBay, there are to be paid any Commission or fee. It is absolutely free. It is also full with PayPal, integrated, so that you can get paid quickly.

These are just some of the great ideas, Facebook to make money. But I'm sure how the social networking sites are it is becoming increasingly popular, more and more such ideas and applications, not only for Facebook, but also for many other social networking sites as well. There you have it, 12 free applications that you can use to bid on Facebook.

Struggles to make money with this or any other method? Tired of wasting time and money, and a penny to make? If you want to know the secrets to the make money online? Visit my blog to learn, these and many other possibilities, money making online in a matter of hours.

Latest Facebook Paid Advertising Tips

Latest Facebook Paid Advertising Tips - How You Can Create Facebook Ads That Bring Targeted Leads

The explosion of Facebook has had a tremendous impact on Internet users everywhere, as virtually anyone online is also on Facebook. This has also led to an incredible opportunity for Internet marketers to take advantage of the wealth of Facebook traffic that occurs on a daily basis. Facebook Paid Advertising gives the Internet marketer the ability to specifically target the market of their choice, whether the demographic is based on a certain age group or people that share the same interests; this create a more successful marketing campaign, as your Facebook ad will be targeted to the groups who would be most interested in your product.

You can use Facebook Paid Advertising to reach the specific audience that you determine will drive your marketing efforts with the most profitable results; simply couple your research demographics with profiles on Facebook. By taking advantage of Facebook Paid Advertising, you will be able to decrease the amount of energy, time and money spent on your marketing efforts.

The best part of using Facebook traffic and Facebook Paid Advertising is the inevitable boost you will see in your conversion rates. Unlike other media, whether in print or on virtual sources like Google Ads, Facebook Paid Advertising will generate the most effective leads that will have a higher chance of converting to actual sales.

The first step in your Facebook Paid Advertising campaign is to create an account - otherwise, you will be unable to take advantage of Facebook traffic and the enormous money making potential that facebook paid advertising provides. After establishing your account, navigate to the Facebook ad page, where you will find a list of conditions required for marketers to meet before creating their Facebook Paid Advertising.

Do not forget to make sure your Facebook ad is creative and intriguing; even the most popular sites will not convert if no one wants to click on the advertisement. If you do not make the effort to create persuasive marketing material for your product, the inherent power of Facebook Paid Advertising will be lost and you will be effectively wasting your money on a Facebook ad.

The optimal Facebook ad consists of the following: a captivating picture that is 100 x 80 pixels in size, an appealing title of twenty-five characters, and supplemental text consisting of just 135 characters that will attract your target audience. Facebook's Design Your Ad feature will give you this information as well; the Facebook ad page is also the place where you input your URL information.

You will begin to narrow down your target Facebook ad audience once you have completed this step. The best way to determine your target Facebook ad audience is to use keywords-- look at the likes and dislikes and common traits of the people who would be most likely to purchase your product.

After your target Facebook traffic is established, you will select the type of advertising method you will employ-- whether it will be pay per impression (pay per view) or pay per click (PPC). In terms of success rate, there is no difference between the two methods-- so do not worry about which one may edge out the other. The only real difference is in cost-- though the difference will be minimal, so the choice is really a personal one.

In your ears and hold not cotton swabs, delete Facebook

In your ears and hold not cotton swabs, delete Facebook!

Sometimes during your life, someone will give you good advice. You have choices, you can hear the advice or investigate the situation, or you can take the advice. This article is about some opinions, some facts, and some advice. You read in the title about cotton swabs but the article has not much to do with the swabs. This article is about Facebook and about the control that Facebook has over your free account.

What do cotton swabs and Facebook have in common? Control. The key is control. Facebook gives you hardly any control over your profile and the rest of your account. And when you stick cotton swabs in your ears, you lose control of your common sense. Every since the beginning of time, moms have been telling kids to keep away from the cotton swabs. Now this mom is telling you to stay away from Facebook unless you are going to alter your pages on Facebook.

Just recently I was reading about Facebook, their privacy report and how hard it is to delete your account. Being a skeptic, I tried to delete my own account also. It is harder to crochet a full size quilt. Facebook does not want yor account deleted. And one has to ask oneself why one single website needs that much control over a person's account First, a little background, you open a Facebook account and you believe that it is a social networking account, a place where you and your friends can get together, share stories, share book reviews and view each others' pictures while meeting other friends and business workers. It appears that way when you first open your account. Then, BOOM! Then you get to know what Facebook is really all about.

You receive messages from your friends that seem like friendly gestures and these messages say join or sign up with a different application. There are warnings all over the account (red flag number one) that these applications have nothing to do with facebook. Then there are warnings that you can block these applications. If you opt to join the application to your Facebook account, you are then told you need to send the same application to about twenty (Yes twenty!) of your friends or networkers). Seems that almost everyone on Facebook is sending out these applications and almost every send demands that you send that to twenty friends. Can you imagine the email list that this corporation is forming with all fo these lists of friends? You do not have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that Facebook and their affiliates are collecting emails for some reason or other.


Friends: This article is not about the friends. The friends that I had on Facebook are wonderful. This article is about privacy policy at Facebook, and it is about the nonsensical way that the applications insist that they obtain all of your friends email addresses to add a small application. This article is about the myths of Facebook and the truths that are really happening all over Facebook.


Tricks: Then you get the smart application that one of your friends send to you. This application boasts that you do NOT have to send this to twenty friends! Wow! You think, what a relief. So you press the button to check out this application and you ad to have it added, thinking that you do not have to send this to twenty friends. Then you hear the catch. You do not have to send this to twenty friends ONLY if you choose to participate in the endlist list of surveys that they send you. So there is the catch, participate in the surveys or send the application to twenty of your friends. (Does that sound like you are right back where you started from?).


Delete the Account: Ah, so you think that you can just delete your account when you want to? Better start now, and you will have your account deleted in a few years, maybe. Yes, I said years, and I said maybe. Under the pretext of making things easier for you in case you want to join Facebook again, Facebook insists that you delete each and every thing in your account FIRST and MANUALLY before they consider deleting your account. I have tried to do that in the past. It is like this, you delete something and you think it is deleted, yet in small print, Facebook tells you that somewhere else on Facebook that must be deleted again. Can you imagine going through this process if you have years of entries?

To finish their process, you might have to click tens of hundreds of thousands of times to finally clear out one Facebook account. Look at your friends list, look at your applications list, the wall, the other itmes connected to facebook! If you are the average Facebook member, you will take weeks or months to manually delete it all . And then Facebook can begin to delete your account.

Where is the Delete Button? It is not there. There is no listing in any of their sections to just delete the account. Finally after days of searching, you find the questions, How do I delete my account. The Facebook form letters give you more form answers, telling you you to manually delete all of your items, that means news sources, mini-feeds, news, messages, wall , and more. (If you have already delete these, you go back and send another message to Facebook stating that you have deleted all these. You wait, and you wait and wait some more.

Here is something from the tornado of privacy information that Facebook offers: They offer you the information that they are not responsible for ANYTHING at all that happens to you from your Facebook pages. Their privacy and contract instructions and information state that you are totally responsible for everything and anything that happens to you so they are not liable for ANY damages at all ever to anyone. (That is my wording but that is exactly what Facebook wants. They want out of any responsibility. In other words they have so protected themselves if you have any losses through Facebook, so much that they even put a dollar amount on it stating that you can't claim any more losses than $1,000. (This figure is as of this date of writing. Friday, March 14, 2008

More Tricks: When you try to delete some items, Facebook tells you that you can HIDE the items, but not delete them. Who ever heard of such a thing in any website? You go to delete and it tells you to HIDE it? Last time we looked, delete means to completely delete it and hide means something totally different. Hide means that these applications might be visible to facebook employees and others . (And probaly Facebook has hundreds of employees if not thousands. Do you really want all your personal information hidden rather than deleted? So, unwillingly , you hide all your personal information or whatever is not allowed to be deleted. And then you go back and email them again to say you ant you account permanently deleted. Still with me? The point I am making is that Facebook makes it almost impossible to permanently delete your account. They want you as a permanent customer. They figure at least one or two or more of your friends will convince you to stay with Facebook. If you have gone through this process, you have probably figured out by now that nothing will convince you to go back to Facebook.


Compare Other Websites: If you stop and compare other networking sites (there are plenty of them), you will see that other sites offer you more privacy and they offer a way to delete information and a way to easily delete your account. That is the way that it should be. There are many other sites that permit you to have more control over content.


Facebook is safe? Lots of the people we know, like Facebook because they think (That is THINK) Facebook is safer than other sites. And that could not be further than the truth. Facebook is a website and it is just as unsafe as any other ordinary webiste. They give it the impression, the look as if it is more busines-like (compare it to myspace.com) But what members do not realize is that Facebooks' business is collecting information and denying they have any responsibility to protect you or your friends. No one can or has proven that Facebook is any safer than any other site. So, be cautious on Facebook. Do not believe or think that this site is any safer than any other website. Any information that you type into that site can be obtained by any number of people, including by hackers.

Do You Want to Delete Your Facebook Account? If you want to do this, begin today by manually deleting each and every post,, picture, fun wall applications and any other thing connected to the Facebook account. Do not plan to delete it all in one day if you have hundreds of messages, but begin today.


Tricks for You: Here is a suggestion that you might or might not want to take. Have you thought of deleting all the messages and then posting a message on your fun wall, stating , I am deleting my account due to privacy policies of Facebook and due to the fact that Facebook makes it very difficult to delete items permanently. I am deleting my account on Facebook because I do not like an account that gives me little or no control over my privacy). You can write whatever anti-Fcebook statemnts that you like in your facebook account -as long as it is legal. , to express your opinion of Facebook. Now that might even help you get your account deleted, who knows? I can not imagine that Facebook would want all your negative publicity on your site. Remember type in there only what is legal. If you do this remember not to add any friends and not to add any other applications , gifts, or pictures.

Write and tell me if you are successful in deleting your Facebook - if that is what you want.

The author of this article has had many works published in the USA. She has traveled extensively throughout the East Coast and through the South while observing people and writing about life and everything that is in it. She writes about various topics that interest readers across the nation and all over the world.