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Facebook: Are Your Privates Private?

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

What information are you sharing on Facebook? Who has access to that information? What are your friends sharing about you on Facebook? How do you access and manage your Facebook privacy settings? These are all pretty important questions and, sadly, most people who have a Facebook account probably can’t answer these questions. Considering Facebook’s new privacy and marketing policies, answering these questions is becoming more and more important. We want to take a moment to help you understand how to manage your Facebook privacy settings.

Okay, first things first. From your Facebook page, click on the ACCOUNT drop down, located in the upper right hand corner. That will give you a list of options. From those, you want to select PRIVACY SETTINGS. This takes you to a very boring-looking, yet extremely important part of Facebook. This page allows you to access and manage your privacy settings. Congratulations, you’re looking at a page that most Facebook users will never see, either because they don’t know where it is or don’t care enough to look at it. You are no longer one of those people.

So now that we’re here, let’s get started. We’ll begin by clicking on PROFILE INFORMATION, the first option on the screen. This will take you to a page that will allow you to control who can view your profile information. Personally, I have all of these set to ONLY FRIENDS. I do this because if I’m not your friend on Facebook, I’d rather you didn’t know everything about me or have access to my profile stuff. You can adjust these setting, most of which are pretty self explanatory, to your own liking. Also, keep in mind that you can change these settings anytime you’d like.

When you’re ready, click on BACK TO PRIVACY. This will take you back to your Privacy Settings page. Next, click on CONTACT INFORMATION. This will take you to a page that looks similar to the PROFILE INFORMATION page you just came from. From here, you can control who can see your contact information such as email addresses, phone numbers, and IM screen names. Again, I keep mine set to ONLY FRIENDS. Adjust your settings (or leave them alone if you like where they’re at) and when you’re ready, click on BACK TO PRIVACY.

So now you’re back at the Privacy Settings page. From here, click on APPLICATIONS AND WEBSITES. This page is extremely important, so pay close attention to what you’re about to look at. I recommend that you take the time to review all of the sections on this page, but of these, the two most critical are the WHAT YOUR FRIENDS CAN SHARE ABOUT YOU and the INSTANT PERSONALIZATION PILOT PROGRAM sections. From the WHAT YOUR FRIENDS CAN SHARE ABOUT YOU section, you can control what you’re Facebook buddies can share about you. The less of these boxes that are checked, in my opinion, the better. And as for the INSTANT PERSONALIZATION PILOT PROGRAM section, you really only have the option of allowing it or not allowing it. Personally, I have un-checked the box at the bottom of that page. If you leave it checked (and by default, it is checked for you), Facebook will share your information with other websites.

Once you’re satisfied that your APPLICATIONS AND WEBSITES settings are all to your liking, click once again on BACK TO PRIVACY. The last two options on the page, SEARCH and BLOCK LIST are fairly self explanatory. The SEARCH page allows you to control who can search for your profile, both on Facebook and through search engines. I allow anyone to find me using a Facebook search (if they’re not my friend they can’t see any of my info, due to my other privacy settings) and I don’t allow my Facebook profile to show up in search engine results. Because that’s just the way I like it. The BLOCK LIST lets you block certain people from seeing or interacting with you on Facebook. If you want to block someone(s), do it here.

And there you have it. What did that take, less than five minutes? And it was easy, right? Managing your Facebook privacy settings is critically important. It’s a good idea, even after you’ve adjusted and/or verified your settings, to check back on these settings at least once a month. Facebook is constantly adjusting their privacy policies and, from time to time, these changes may result in changes to your settings. So keep a close eye on them. After all, if you don’t take responsibility for your privacy settings, don’t trust that anyone else will.

All for now.

Worms spreading via social media

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Sneaky people are trying to spread malware and spam on Facebook and Twitter. The newest worm that is infecting Facebook is via direct wall posts. The language is as follows:

If you see this do not click on it, it will affect your computer because it is malware. If your computer is currently infected, change your password and delete all the posts in question.

John Botch
www.Laserburnmedia.com
john@laserburnmedia.com

Posted in Facebook, Twitter | No Comments »

Five Ways to Get Better at Facebook

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

It seems almost every business, organization, politician, and celebrity has their own Facebook page. Most of these pages, however, are all fairly generic and look exactly the same. They are also, usually, boring, unimaginative, and add little value to either the organization or the “fans” of the Facebook page. All of this is unfortunate because a well maintained, well thought-out Facebook page can prove to be tremendous asset to the organization. Here are five ways you can get better at Facebook.

Add original content to your Facebook page.
People need a reason to visit your Facebook page, so give them one. By uploading content (videos, pictures, announcements, etc.) to your Facebook page, people will have a real interest in paying attention to your page. Additionally, by providing this exclusive content to your page, it provides value to your Facebook fans and visitors. This goes a long way toward shaping the page into an effective business tool for your organization.
Send out regular updates to your fans.
One of the benefits of both Facebook Pages and Groups is that it allows you to send out messages to all of your fans or group members. This is an ideal way for you to pass along important information to your target audience. It also provides a way for you to achieve top of the mind awareness with your followers. Many people join a group or become a fan of a page and then forget all about it. By receiving regular updates from you, this is less likely to happen. A note of caution, though: Keep your updates regularly spaced out and DON’T spam the hell out of people. One or two messages a month is fine. One or two a week is pushing it and can do much more harm than good.
Pay attention to your Facebook fans and group members.
Facebook is a social application. This is important to remember, because it’s all too easy to simply use it as a forum for you to blast out information to you audience and ignore what they are talking about. Your Facebook page is an amazing way for you to not only communicate with your audience as whole, but also individually. By interacting with your Facebook followers on all levels, you add more depth and personality to your page. This is an easy way for your page to rise above your competitors, build relationships with your target audience, and build and strengthen your brand.
Take advantage of the Facebook Event feature.
Whenever you can, it is always a good idea to interweave your “real life” business with your virtual identity. Hosting exclusive events for Facebook followers in an excellent way to strengthen your relationship with your online followers and add value to your Facebook page. By promoting exclusive events, open only to Facebook friends, you provide an incentive for your target audience to pay attention to your page. It also allows you to strengthen your brand and build loyalty. But best of all, these events create a way for you convert online friends into real-life customers.
Incorporate Facebook into your customer service strategy.
Facebook provides a forum for you to speak with your target market, and also provides a forum for that target market to speak to you. By allowing your customers, or potential customers, to voice their opinions, questions, complaints, and feedback on your Facebook page, and to then respond to those concerns, you make your Facebook page a valuable tool for your customers. Knowing that an answer to their concerns is only a click away on Facebook, you can go a long way towards building and maintaining confidence in your products, your brand, and your commitment to meeting and exceeding your customers’ expectations. When isn’t that a good thing?

Some businesses and organizations see a Facebook page as a Pet Rock. They really want one, but once they have it…they’re not so sure what they should do with it. By incorporating these five simple strategy’s into your Facebook page, you can transform it from a meaningless novelty into a valuable business tool. And if you’re serious about using the power of social media to help build and strengthen your business, organization, or brand, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly. We can help.

-Dan Cheek
www.LaserBurnMedia.com
dan@laserburnmedia.com

Posted in Facebook, Social Marketing Strategy | No Comments »

Big brands moving to social media

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

Many more companies are starting to get on the social media band wagon. It is a subtle way to sell things on a social media site. It is not your typical sales style that these companies are used to. Every company want to be advertising in these social media sites. It is really word of mouth marketing in the end. Someone is usually spreading the word about the company at all times of the day and in all the contries that your brand has a presence in.

Multinational corporations, such as Ford Motor Co. and Coca-Cola Co., are beginning to use social media to increase positive sentiment, build customer rapport and correct misinformation, says Adam Brown, Coca-Cola’s Atlanta-based director of social media.

“Having the world’s most-recognized brand, we feel like there’s an obligation or a responsibility when people are talking about us; we have a duty to respond,” Mr. Brown says.

Best Buy Co. Inc. riled up the social-media world earlier this summer with a job posting for a senior manager of emerging media marketing. One of the job requirements, as originally posted, called for applicants to have more than 250 followers on Twitter. (When that caused an online backlash, the electronics retailer opened the process of crafting a job description to the public.)

The larger companies are starting to catch on to this free advertising source. Why wouldn’t a company use social media? Social media is so important and moves at such a rapid pace that it can become overwhelming for one person to handle. Most of the complaints that people post on Twitter or Facebook want a fast response. So it is not just word of mouth marketing it is also part customer service.

The lightning-fast pace of social media, and Twitter in particular, has forced businesses to act in a whole new way, says Mr. Brown of Coca-Cola.

“If you don’t respond within three or four hours, you might as well not respond at all,” he says.

For example, a man on Twitter recently expressed annoyance at his difficulty in claiming an all-expenses-paid trip he’d won through the My Coke Rewards program. He Tweeted, “Coca-Cola, bring down your drawbridge,” Mr. Brown recalls. Within half an hour, Mr. Brown had engaged the customer on Twitter, got on the phone with him and resolved the problem.

Not long after, the man changed his Twitter avatar to a can of Coke Zero.

It is so important to have a one-to –one conversation with your followers even if the post is positive. Keep your followers engaged in the conversation public square that we call social media.

-John Botch
www.Laserburnmedia.com
john@laserburnmedia.com

Posted in Business Advice, Facebook, Ning, Online Marketing, Social Marketing Strategy, Social Media in Society, Twitter | No Comments »

Cup O’ Joe for a Joe

Monday, September 7th, 2009

Special Labor Day Edition.

Since this is a national holiday and some of our fellow American’s are not here to celebrate with us. I thought that I would take a look to see what things people are doing to thank the troops.

I saw this advertisement on facebook the last few days; it is called “Cup O’ Joe For A Joe”. So I decided to click on the advertisement to see what it is all about. A company called Green Beans Coffee has launched this campaign.

In our travels to see the Troops, many share with us their sense of loneliness, isolation and feelings of being forgotten. Their commanders tell us that some Soldiers never receive mail from home. In response, Green Beans Coffee has launched Cup of Joe For A Joe to let anyone, anywhere in the world, say thanks to our troops through the simple act of buying a cup of coffee and having it delivered along with their own personal note of encouragement into the hands of a deployed Soldier.

Please join Green Beans in honoring our Troops. It only takes a few moments plus the spare change in your pocket to say thanks. Simply choose a purchase of any amount and we’ll do the rest!

Here is how it works. First you choose your gift. Gifts range on the donation to the troops is $2- any amount that you want to donate. A $60 gift sponsors 30 soldiers. The second step you write a message. Yes that is right, You get to write a message to the troops that you are sending your gifts to. Then enter your payment information and then they will deliver your gift. The soldier also gets a chance to respond to your message. Click on the link to donate or see more of what the program is about. http://www.greenbeanscoffee.com/coj/index.php

While searching for another story I came across one called U.S. troops in Iraq to get cigar gifts. The owner of a Phoenix cigar distributor collected over 6,000 cigars all donated by people and businesses.

The owner said this:

David Haddad said he packed his collected cigars into a package for the overseas troops and is personally traveling to Iraq to present his gift as “a little bit of hospitality,” The Arizona Republic reported Wednesday.

“It’s an honor to the heroes … because they do what they do (in war) to make it possible so that I get to do what I do … My company offers … cigars to resorts all over the world,” Haddad said Wednesday. “It’s to bring a little bit of hospitality to the troops.”

Fumar Cigars Director of Operations Bradley Meduna said the cigar package has an estimated value of nearly $30,000.

The owner David actually got a chance to go to Iraq and have the biggest ever cigar party in a war zone. Many people are dong different things for the troops. I know that they appreciate every gift that they get.

John Botch

Laserburnmedia.com

john@laserburnmedia.com

Posted in Facebook, Online Marketing, Social Media in Society | No Comments »

Charity gifts on Facebook

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

When you give a gift to a friend on Facebook you will now have a new option. This new option will allow you to pay a little more for the gift. The proceeds from the special gift purchase will go to a charity.

In a test starting next week, (RED), Kiva, Toms, and WWF will each offer 1-2 gifts at $5 or $10 each. Facebook users will be able to buy these gifts for friends, and the proceeds will go to the charity associated with the gift. This is essentially an extension of an increasingly popular offline concept – the idea of giving a gift to a recipient’s favorite charity as a present.

This isn’t the first time Facebook () is experimenting with virtual gifts for charity – earlier this year, they launched a similar initiative upon hitting the 200 million member milestone. However, as Facebook moves further into gifts and payments, charity gifts may become a staple of the site.

According a company spokesperson, “this is an alpha initiative and is not available to other charities at this time, but we may open up the program to new partners in the future pending the results. It is our goal to give our users a way to support the causes and issues that are important to them on a global scale.”

This allows you to give a virtual gift to a friend and still let them know that you are thinking about them. The charities also get a boost because you are donating to them when you purchase their gifts. Since this service is so popular in Facebook the charities are looking to get a large stream of revenue.

John Botch

Laserburnmedia.com

john@laserburnmedia.com

Posted in Facebook | No Comments »

Facebook Facing heat in Canada about Privacy.

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

Ever since Facebook has decided to keep users information even if they cancel their account I have heard of people complaining about it. No one wants a company especially an online social media company keeping their information, especially if they canceled their account. So this isn’t really news to me because I knew that it would be against the law in once country or another.

Facebook has been facing some heat in Canada for violation of that country’s privacy laws, and tomorrow the Canadian privacy commissioner will announce what the social networking company will be doing to address those concerns.

The issue surrounds retention of customer data even after a user cancels his or her account, which the Canadian privacy commission claims violates the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.

There are also apparently concerns regarding how Facebook () shares user information with third parties, particularly the now almost one million software developers making use of the Facebook application platform.

Though there’s no word yet on what exactly Facebook will do to address the privacy concerns, what is revealed at tomorrow’s press conference could have wider implications for other social networks and services surrounding privacy standards and the usage of customer data. Tamir Israel of the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic said he also expects those changes to extend beyond Canadian borders as well and to possibly be implemented Facebook-wide.

Facebook has also informed us they’ll be doing a follow-up after tomorrow’s announcements:

“We will be having a media call tomorrow following the Canadian Privacy Commissioner’s press conference. The call will be tomorrow (August 27) at 11:30 AM EDT.”

We should know by later today if they decided to uphold the law in Canada or not. I for one am not a fan of facebook keeping information after someone cancels their account. There are other issues that people have with facebook like to sharing of information to third party developers. Hopefully these issues ill be squared away sometime in the short future. I am a huge fan of social media but people need to rise up and challenge these companies if there is something wrong in the way that they conduct their business. I applaud you Canada!

John Botch

Laserburnmedia.com

john@laserburnmedia.com

Posted in Facebook, Social Media in Society | No Comments »

Are social media and social networks all about relationship media?

Friday, August 21st, 2009

This all goes back to the topic that has run through some of my previous blog posts. Word of mouth marketing runs throughout all types of marketing. Just think about how you use twitter and facebook. They both are relationship sites whether you like it or not.

Do Facebook & Twitter have any intrinsic value. Is it possible the value is between people and profiles and not the site? Take out the people, leave the content. Is there’s value and power to influence?

Twitter is a bit easier to look at this way. I tweet around 4 to 5 times a day on average. I probably read dozens of tweets a day. I rarely go to Twitter.com. My relationship with Twitter.com is nonexistent. For me, Twitter is actually more of a relationship API than a website.

Now this is something for marketers pause and consider. Twitter.com is as relevant as the concrete poured in the foundation of my neighbors house. The site is a construct where relationships happen but it does not create, foster or enable the relationships, therefore measuring the value of the concrete is erroneous.

Now can we take this even further and consider if ANY website holds value? Is it possible that nearly all traffic on the web is some form or relationship media, where the value and influence is between personas and not between the site and the visitor.

I recently tweeted on this and got a response claiming that even with social media, it is not always about relationships. The example given was a user recieved needed technical answers he was seeking from people he did not know, who had tweeted out into the ether.

From my perspective this person trusts the collective intelligence and personas of the Twitterverse. He is using the Twitter API as a channel to connect with people he doesn’t otherwise have access to. I believe that IS relationship media at work. He has definitely moved past finding value in a site or destination in exchange for connecting with expert personas.

Even beyond social interaction I think we can see the web has shifted primarily to relationship media. Consider the 90/9/1 rule where 90% of engagements on any social site are people consuming but not participating in the conversation. I see a relationship here. The 90% has a relationship with the 10% of content producers. And that relationship is often more sought after because it is deeper and more trusted than most institutional sources.

So for marketers what does this mean? I can’t help but wonder if we have moved to relationship media while not fully aware, and not comprehending what it means. Are we continuing to build sites while focused on the value of these destinations, meanwhile ignoring the value of personas & relationship fostering, that may truly be at the core to building relevance and influence on the web?

As long as you keep the conversation brand related when you find new customers, you should have success. It takes five minutes to set up both types of accounts. Twitter makes this next part easier. All you have to do is search for your brand, or you could search for people where you live. Most likely you know some of your customers by name already. You could also make a list of customer’s names or have a signup sheet or contest. If they want to sign up to become your friend on facebook or give you their twitter name so that you can follow them on twitter, and hope that they return the favor. This can all become time consuming especially if you have a store front with an online presence. Social media is relationship management for businesses. It allows businesses to protect their brand and gain new customers in the process.

John Botch

Laserburnmedia.com

john@laserburnmedia.com

Posted in Facebook, Ning, Online Marketing, Social Marketing Strategy, Social Media in Society, Twitter | No Comments »

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Archive for the ‘Facebook’ Category

Facebook: Are Your Privates Private?

Worms spreading via social media

Charity gifts on Facebook

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