WARNING! Your reach on Facebook is about to drop - dramatically!

Source

What you post on Facebook is seen on Facebook. All those fans (and friends) that have liked your page eagerly await your daily post to them... or do they? Maybe the would if they actually had a chance to see your posts!

The Facts
Since 2007 organic reach for pages on Facebook has steadily declined. In 2012 it was estimated that 16% of your total page fans saw your post. This would increase ever so slightly if the post got a lot of engagement (likes, comments, shares, clicks) which can still be the case today. In October 2013 it was estimated that just 12% saw posts and in February of this year one study showed that only 6% of fans saw posts!

The Problem
Why is Facebook "preventing" people from seeing your posts? Fans liked your page and took action to show they wanted to hear from you. Facebook claims it is due to "lack of space in the newsfeed". If this is indeed true, does that mean that soon there will be zero space for page posts in the newsfeed? This is a very damaging idea for businesses who have spent years building up their fan base and work hard to keep fans's interest. There is a way around the problem of fans not seeing your posts, but it won't come for free!

The Solution
Basically if your fans matter to you, you're going to have to start paying Facebook to show your fans what you post. This may seem a little sneaky, but Facebook isn't a charity or a free service. It's a business just like yours and mine. The good news is that Facebook advertising is very easy to use and very cost effective. Compared to print, radio, TV and even other forms of online marketing like Google AdWords and LinkedIn, Facebook has them all beat in the price department!

So what are your options? Experts estimate that just CHF 1 day is all you need to keep your business in the Facebook marketing game. If CHF 30 a month isn't in your budget, maybe there are other ways to invest you marketing time and efforts than on Facebook. That's hard for me to say as someone who specializes in social media marketing, but that's the reality and why I still advocate for maintaining a regular newsletter. That's something you own and that no one - not even Facebook - can take from you.

Recent Course about LinkedIn and Facebook

In late March I gave my third Curious Course about social media marketing. We focused on the psychology of why people use social media and how businesses can play off these motives to market their brand, how to better use Facebook and LinkedIn and discussed some third party tools to help manage our social media and make it a success!

If you didn't get a chance to attend the course, you can review the slides on SlideShare and see pictures on Curious Courses' Facebook page. 

And keep your eyes and ears open for a future very hands on Facebook course...

Facebook vs. Google+: Who's winning?!

Source

Maybe it's not so much about who is winning, but who is predicted to win in 2016. Here are the numbers as they stand. They're pretty convincing that Google+ is here to stay.

Facebook

• There are over 1.15 billion users
• One million web pages are accessed using the "Login with Facebook" feature
• 23% of users login at least five times a day
• 47% of American say Facebook is their number one influencer of purchases
• 70% of marketers used Facebook to gain new customers

Google+

• There are over 1 billion with Google+ enabled accounts with just 359 million monthly active users
• Google+ is growing steadily and fast at 33% per annum
• Usage of 45 to 54 year olds have increased by 56% since 2012

This isn't to say that all your efforts should be shifted from Facebook to Google+, but it does clearly say that Google+ isn't to be ignored.



Thanks, Jeff for the stats!

Myths about privacy on Facebook

If you post online, being aware of how that content is stored and used is a good thing to know. Of all the social media platforms I work with, Facebook seems to have more suspicion surrounding it than others. Let me breakdown a few Facebook privacy myths to help clarify things.

Myth One: Facebook owns whatever I post and can sell it to third parties
While it's true that whatever you post online will forever exist somewhere in the far reaches of the Internet, but Facebook doesn't own your content. However their user agreement does grant Facebook non-exclusive, royalty-free licensing rights to content you post like photos and videos. Unfortunately we can't modify the user agreement, but you can change your privacy and app settings to fit your preferences.

Myth Two: Third-party apps can see most my Facebook activity like my photos, status updates, comments, etc.
If you use Facebook Connect (i.e. signing into another app with your Facebook login info), these third-party apps can only view information that you have made public. Just like with Myth One, you can control what you share publicly by adjusting your privacy settings. BUT, there are bits of info that a third-party app is entitled to no matter how you set your privacy. Name, profile, picture, gender, networks, user ID and list of friends. This is why sometimes an app can tell you "Five of your friends have used our app already." If an app wants more info from you, it will prompt you to allow it. You have complete control in this sense.

With these non-myths in mind, there's no real need to fear potential privacy issues on Facebook. By simply adjusting your settings and controlling which apps you allow to access your content,  you can remain in complete control.



Source: Social Media Today

Social NETWORK vs. social PLATFORM and how to use both

What's the difference between a social network and a social platform? Is there a difference at all. YES! There certainly is.

Social networks are more like real-life networking events. Some examples are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus and Pinterest to some degree.

Social platforms allow for establishing credibility and expertise while creating an opportunity for engagement and discussion. YouTube, blogging, podcasts and SlideShare are perfect examples of social platforms.

Use these social sites by analyzing ONE network and ONE platform that your audience is using. Start by maintaining and cultivating contacts via your chosen sites before moving on to others.

Need more ideas? Just give me a ring.

Creating the perfect Facebook post

Posting on Facebook seems so easy - and it is, but making the most of your post takes a little planning and thought. Not to worry, here is what you need to know:

1. Keep your posts positive. Even sharing something like having to cancel an event or a product selling out, add an element of optimism. 
2. Give your audience something to chew on. By posting information or news gives fans a reason to follow you.
3. Posts that have links get more engagement than those that don't. Include a link and be sure to find a way to track your clicks.
4. Post pictures that fit. That means pictures that compliment what you are posting about and that measure 800x600 to fit nicely on your Facebook page.
5. 70% of Facebook users are mobile users. Appeal to their habits and post mobile-friendly posts. This means correctly sized pictures and easy to read posts.
6. Remember the 70-20-10 rule? Engage with your audience and post things that would make them want to comment or like.
7. After you post, listen. Part of promoting your business online is about listening to people who are talking about your brand. Be ready to join the conversation. 

Thank you, Social Media Today, for the information. 

Group training just announced! LinkedIn and Facebook for your brand

Curious Courses and I are teaming up for a third time to offer an "all you need to know" training session about social media marketing. Details below or on Curious Courses' website.

I have to say that I am really excited about this course and can't wait to share my knowledge with you!

Date: Thursday, 20th March 2014

Time: 19.00 – 21.30 (2.5 hours)

Speaker: Ashley Ringger, Set Sails Media

Venue: Living Sense, Sihlquai 253, 8005 Zurich

Price: CHF 70 per person

If your brand can’t be found on social media, you are losing rapport with customers! Discover new ways to manage social media and make sense of your efforts. Improving your skills means improving your brand’s online presence and is one of the most effective ways to get your brand seen and expand your network.

Whether you are new to social media or have been posting for years, you’ll learn the realities of using social media, how to relate to customers and how to make it easier to manage.

Back for the third time with Curious Courses, Ashley will get specific about why and how to use social media, various tools to manage Facebook and LinkedIn effectively, what kinds of content to post on each network, appropriate behaviour as a brand on social media, and how to engage with your customers and other brands.

The agenda for the night will cover:

• Psychology of Social Media; why people use it, what they want and how to hold people’s interest?
• Facebook; who is using it, how it works and how posts are seen, advertising, built-in tools, types of content and customer service
• LinkedIn; who uses it, your profile, group participation, promoting your brand and services, types of content
• Tools: Hootsuite, dlvr.it, scheduling, blogging

Make Social Media work for you, get your brand out there. Sign up for a space on this popular course now.

Register here.

Studie Social Media: Stabile Beteiligung, mehr Profile, hohe Integration

Zwei Drittel der Schweizer Organisationen engagieren sich auf Facebook, Twitter & Co. Grossunternehmen sind zu knapp 90 Prozent dabei, KMU zu 60 Prozent, Behörden/Verwaltungen und Nonprofit-Organisationen zu rund 80 Prozent. Zu hoher Aufwand und Desinteresse auf Empfängerseite sind die wichtigsten Gründe für alle, die Abwarten. Die Bernet ZHAW Studie Social Media Schweiz 2013 #smch13 liefert Grundlagen für eigene Entscheide.

Lesen Sie mehr.

Social media = customer service. Be prepared!

Social media isn't just about marketing anymore. Many social media users say they use the medium to connect directly to companies about problems, complaints or concerns. Chances are your customers are going to do the same thing. Here's how you can prepare yourself:

• Respond quickly. Negative comments can go viral fast. Responding quickly to negative comments not only helps stop them from spreading, but also demonstrates positive customer service. Twitter users expect a response within 2 hours and Facebook users expect a response within 24 hours.
• Be proactive. If you know there is a problem, don't wait for the complaints to roll in to say something on social media. Let your followers know you are aware of the issue and notify them that you are fixing it.
• Value complaints. Yes, you read that correctly. Even complaints can be meaningful as feedback on how services can be improved. 
• Dedicate resources. Social media isn't just about sharing and responding. It's also about listening. Be sure to show you are there for your customers by having an active online presence. 

How Roger Federer uses social media to get dressed

When you appear before millions of people, it's important to look good. Roger Federer made sure to do just that when he asked his Facebook fans to give him input on which pair of Nike shoes to wear. Over 59,000 people liked the post and over 5,500 gave their opinion on which shoe he should pick. 

Once the votes were in, Roger followed up with his audience by showing which shoe he picked and got another 61,000 likes. Not bad!

What we can learn here is how to engage our audience and bring them into the conversations about our business. Roger interacted with his audience like he would a friend. This is what people expect from brands on social media - a relationship that feels natural and casual.

If you need ideas on how to give your humanize your brand, you know who to call. :-)

Facebook and privacy

Are you one of the 13 million Facebook users who hasn't touched their privacy settings? Even if you have made some adjustments, here are some facts and figures to make sure you are secure when using social media.

Social media marketing in just 30 minutes

I know how it is. At the start of the work day you have every intention to finally catch-up on your social media marketing. Somehow, as the day goes on, you do manage to schedule new clients, prepare invoices and write a presentation, but ... where did the time for social media go?! Well let me ask you, do you have 30 minutes a day to spare? That's all it takes to have a good, strong social media presence.

Don't waste another minute and start following these tips on the infographic below:

• 10 minutes on Twitter to respond, schedule and share
• 6 minutes on Facebook to like and share
• 6 minutes on LinkedIn to promote, comment and question
• 4 minutes on Pinterest to pin and interact
• 2 minutes on GooglePlus to share and converse
• 2 minutes on Instagram to share visual content

When is the best time to post on Facebook?

While there is abundant research about effective posting habits on Facebook, nothing beats knowing your audience. There are three things you should think about when planning your posts.

1. Get to know your fans. Check your page's Insights to know the age, gender and location of your fans. Knowing which timezone they live in can be particularly insightful.
2. Image what their day looks like. After looking at Insights, think about how your average fan spends their day. At home? At school? At work? Plan to post at times they are more likely available.
3. Start posting and follow-up. Apply what you know and post at the times you've chosen. Check your success by looking at Insight statistics.

Keep in mind that Facebook has over 751 million active users. Of the 18- to 44-year-olds who are on Facebook, 80% check their accounts first thing in the morning. Eighty-six percent of users reach for their mobile device to access Facebook during meal times, when commuting and weekends. Because of so much activity during these times, posting can get quit competitive. You may want to consider posting at other times.

Ultimately you want to post with your audience in mind, but in general posting on Facebook is best:

• In the early morning
• Not during business hours (everyone's busy working)
• Between work and dinner
• Not after dinner (this is TV time)
• Bed time
• Not on the weekends (too much competition)

Your Social Media Dimensions Cheat Sheet [infographic]

We all know how important images are when posting on social media. Photos get four times more engagement as just posting an update! But what you see on your computer may look different once posted to Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn. Each of these platforms has very specific image size guidelines for each kind of image you can upload. Follow the guide below to maximize your visual exposure.

8 Tips for Facebook Pages

Facebook is the most visited website on the plant and the number one social media site. If your business can't be found there, you are quickly becoming irrelevant - especially to 20- to 30-year-olds. But before you start promoting your business on Facebook (or if you already are), consider these tips to improve your efforts.

1. Know why you are on Facebook. It's not just to start a page and leave it. Consider what your customers want to see and hear from you and post it. It's more than just cute pictures of baby animals...

2. Answer comments. Part of being on Facebook is to give your customers a chance to engage with you. Respond to their comments and complaints. 

3. Provide value. This goes for content as well as special offers. Post information that your customers will find interesting and helpful. Increase value by offering monthly discounts or refer a friend offers.

4. Cross promote. This has two levels. One is to cross promote your own channels. When you post something on your website/blog, share that on social media sites to refer users back to your website. Mention you are on Facebook on all your printed material as well. The second level to cross promoting is to partner with other brands that are relevant to your services. By sharing or commenting on their content you get exposure to their network as well as your own.

5. Use tools. Facebook has built in tools like Insights and timing posts, but there are also hundreds of third-party tools to help you out. 

6. Mobilize. Mobile phones are the device of choice for many surfing Facebook. Thankfully Facebook helps optimize pages for mobile phones, but still consider how content will appear on a smaller screen. That includes how much text you write and image size.

7.  Check-in to word of mouth. If your business has a physical location like a shop or a gym, encourage fans to "check-in" on Facebook when they visit your business. 

8. Stay current with social media. This could be by hiring a social media manager, getting training or sign-up for Set Sails's newsletter. 

Original article. 

Want Facebook fans? Open your wallet!

In order for social media marketing to be successful you first need people to like your brand's Facebook page. So how do you get more fans? Of course providing great content that potential fans would find interesting helps, but you want to know where the real answer lies? Paid advertising. Yep, Facebook is a publicly listed company now and they need to make money - your money. 

Setting up a Facebook ad is very easy to do. In fact they have recently simplified the process. Even with a limited advertising budget, ads on Facebook can make a noticeable difference in how many people see content related to your page (reach). Here's an example of one Facebook page that started an ad campaign for CHF 1.00 a day. There is a clear increase in weekly total reach and a slight increase in people talking about the posted content. If this page posted more consistently, the results could be even better.

My advice is to consider investing in advertising. Although it may not be the answer we are looking for, it's the key to having more brand visibility. 

Original article. 

Using Social Media to Land a Job (video)

Considering a career move? Amy Jo Martin explains how to use LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to find what you're looking for. 

Before you start:

1. Consider how to build your personal brand
2. Choose which platforms you want to use
3. Stay engaged with your audience and those you contact
4. Have you resume and references ready

Creating the perfect post (infographic)

A post on Facebook has different "anatomy" than a tweet on Twitter. A pin on Pinterest isn't the same as a post on Google+. Learn how to optimize your content for each network with this infographic. 

Turning likes into purchases (infographic)

Getting Facebook likes is great, but how can you use social media for lead generation? Let this exceptional infographic answer that for you.

The facts are that 77% of business claim they acquired a customer through Facebook. Thirty-four percent have used Twitter for leads and 20% have actually closed a deal. LinkedIn is an amazing 277% more effective than Facebook and Twitter for generating leads. Seventy-seven percent of B2B marketers have acquired a customer through LinkedIn.

Social media is currently producing more leads than trade shows, telemarketing or direct mail. Want to get even more from social media? Have your company's CEO post. Seventy-seven percent of customers say they are more likely to purchase from a brand whose CEO uses social media.