What Does Facebook’s Timeline Mean to Marketers

Facebook is known for the frequent changes it makes to its layout and functionality. While many of its changes have been only individual users oriented, there are some recent changes like Timeline which is concentrated not only at its users but also at internet marketers as well. Timeline is considered to have a potential to be the best app introduced for marketers. Here is what you should understand about Timeline as a marketer.

Appealing advertisements

You will have to come up with very appealing advertisements to gain the attention of users. Provide information on sales promotion in your advertisements. Discounts and offers can definitely grab the attention of the users. Know your audience when creating advertisements. You have to observe the timeline of the users closely and carefully to integrate you ads into their timelines.

Importance of Likes

Timeline is not going to change the fact that “likes” are still the most important part in Facebook. Keep your brand pages active so that they appear in the live feeds of the user. If the users like your story, it is good for you. But if they don’t, chances are that they might “unmark” your content from their live feeds which may affect your brand page visibility on Facebook. The more you interact with your fans, the better chances you have in keeping your news active on their feeds.

Brand building tool

Many people like to know stories about their favorite brands. You can use this to your advantage and have your timeline tell an interesting story of your brand. Have the company’s past and present incorporated in the page so that the users can go through the story easily. Use this tool to create a good impression of you brand in the minds of customers.

Cover image feature

Cover photo part in the timeline can be used to promote your business in a big manner. Have the pictures of your logos and products in the cover image. You can even include a large font brand name in the cover picture. If your company has a brand ambassador, you can have the poster of your ad with him/her in your cover page.

You can also use cover image picture to give information on any upcoming events or any promotional offers in an interesting manner. Be creative when you design the poster for cover photo.

Plug-ins

Some old plug-ins like Opengraph can be used with this new layout. In fact Opengraph connections can be used in an even simpler manner with this new layout. Marketers are still researching on the plug-ins which can work the best for websites and blogs.

These are a few basic things you should be aware of regarding the new Facebook timeline app. Timeline can be used to communicate better with your fans. Engaging with your clients on a timely basis is going to fetch your brand a recognition that may have not been easier if you used conventional brand building strategies. Timeline has opened more opportunities to build a strong image of your company.


Author Bio: Penny is a senior writer with writer company and article writing service firm Godot Media. She has interests ranging from social media, copywriting to following web technologies and trends.

Are You Suffering From Facebook Fatigue?

A recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center determined that over the years, people are not tiring of using Facebook. The term “Facebook fatigue” is used to describe a decreasing interest and engagement in Facebook. The social networking site is used for so much online activity, and is now so integrated into the daily lives of many, that eventually there may be a burn out. While it seems like the world as a whole isn’t suffering from Facebook fatigue, it doesn’t mean that you, as an individual, are still as involved as ever. Lots of people are withdrawing from Facebook, especially with recent privacy changes and the introduction of Timeline. Are you one of them?

Daily Routine

Billions of people worldwide use Facebook to interact with others. They update their statuses to let their friends know what they’re up to. They share pictures of personal events in their lives. They share the online content that interests them. They have conversations and make connections. They read the statuses, posts, and comments of their friends. And most people do all this on daily basis, even spending hours at a time on Facebook. Even though there is new content every day, does it ever get boring? You might find that Facebook just doesn’t satisfy your craving to share and connect as much as it used to. When you’re bored, instead of logging onto Facebook, you wonder what else is out there to interest you. If this is the case, you’re suffering from Facebook fatigue.

Over-Sharing

Because Facebook encourages so much communication, it can lead to a lot of over-sharing. People who over-share on Facebook say and post things that they wouldn’t in real life. They broadcast everything from the inconsequential to the extremely private, and all of their friends and acquaintances can see. In real life, maybe only a handful of people would find out. There are also lots of “Facebook stalkers” who love spending all their time digging up juicy gossip on the site, and they love over-sharers. However, if you’re suffering from Facebook fatigue, these highly impersonal forms of connecting with others are beginning to get old. You’re tired of seeing all that information in your news feed, because most of it you just don’t care about or don’t want to know. You wish there was some way to separate the few things that are relevant or interesting from everything that isn’t, and you can’t.

Real Relationships

If you’re suffering from Facebook fatigue, you also realize that your life is beginning to lack true personal connections. You talk to your friends and family from behind a computer screen, rather than having a real conversation. You might begin to wonder why no one picks up the phone anymore. Nothing can truly replace hearing someone’s voice or feeling their touch, but Facebook has come very close. If you crave more, you’re fatigued. The good thing is that you recognize your growing disillusionment with Facebook. Now, you can put more time and energy into the relationships that truly matter in your life.

Maddie Sharp would have a better byline for this article but it is her turn in Words with Friends. Never publish a piece without using a grammar checker.

Is E-Mail Out and Social Media In?

There was once a time, apparently during the dinosaur days, when communication was between two or more speaking individuals who met face to face with each other. Throw in a few attempts with the modern technology of the times, a cup and string, Morse code and the like, and we find ourselves all the way into the 21st century with more communication options than we can shake a stick at. Who knows, perhaps all in good time something amazing will be done simply by shaking a stick, as well.

"Who Am I Speaking With, Please?"

As we run down the list of communication alternatives, it is interesting to note the growth that takes place within the realm of each specific creation. The old-fashioned telephone, which was once considered the most popular and most effective way of communicating with friends, neighbors and those in far-away lands has been upstaged by fanciful phones that not only connect two or more people through the magic wires, but also provide pictures, games and cameras all-in-one. What a lovely surprise for us all, or so we assume.

Computers have been designed to "do the work for us." Little did we know it would do almost all of the work of personal communicating, period. Certainly this incredible creation is one to be admired and appreciated. However, it would seem evident that people still actually enjoy talking to real people. Add one point for ingenuity and remove one point for incomplete planning, or anti-social media games at the very least.

Social Media or Anti-Social Media, That Is The Question


As the never-ending yet always creative methods of communication continue, we find ourselves within today's technological updates being swept away with electronic e-mails and online social networking or social media. The buzzword protocols fluctuate almost as much as technologies do. E-mail was once the amazing new creation that seemed almost unfathomably available for the regular Joe. Mostly beginning in the work setting, e-mail made communicating easier, faster and organized. Spreading news around was a breeze. Hence another new name for electronically reaching even further out into the world is born. We dub this new protocol as social media news.

Is Social Media Becoming a Preferred Method of E-Communication?


Social media news extends far beyond that of ancient e-mail. In fact, social media news capacities are spreading like wildfire in homes, offices and personal spaces everywhere. Corporations are beginning to realize that e-mail could be losing ground. The attraction flows toward newer methods of communication that deliver audio and visual capacities in place of answering and organizing hundreds of e-mails on a daily basis. Many believe that e-mail actually slows down productivity due to the constant maintenance factor.

Somewhere down the line we have to ask ourselves what kind of value systems donning so many avenues lined with indirect contact with our peers is really doing to our world. Social media certainly does have its advantages. Perhaps a little more personalized one-on-one mixed in with our world’s doses of techno-frill would hit the spot.

Fran Delaney writes extensively and humorously on technology, social media and gadgets.

Facebook Launched its New Subscribe Button For websites/Blog

After recent announcement at LeWeb the social media giant finally introduces its

subscribe button for developers and website owners.



The new subscribe button allows Facebook users to subscribe to updates on

websites with a click of a button and the user starts getting updates from that

website/blog in their News Feed.

This plugin competes directly against RSS feeds and Twitter’s Follow button,

blog owners should consider it seriously.

image via official announcement

 


You can implement it in your website/blog via XFBML code snippet or through

iFrame.You can get the code here



It looks like Google+ is causing lots of problem to social media gaints like

facebook and twitter and they are up for redesign as facebook is about to launch

its new feature called Timeline and twitter has just launched a new version(UI)

on Android and iOS and it will be launched soon for web users.What do you think

about this battle of survival between facebook, twitter and Google+, do share

your thoughts in comment section below.


Read official announcement here

Facebook Confirms Gowalla Acquisition : Gowalla is Going Away

Technicia Blog reported yesterday that Facebook acquires location sharing

service Gowalla To Boost its Timeline Feature.Today The Social Networking Gaint,

Facebook officially announced that they have acquired Gowalla.

Facebook has made it clear that they are not buying location-services technology

from Gowalla but but they are hiring  Gowalla management team which includes CEO

Josh Williams and co-founder Scott Raymond.

 



This Acquisition of Gowalla was also announced by company's CEO Josh Williams in

a blog post.

About two months ago, my co-founder Scott and I attended F8. We were blown away

by Facebook’s new developments. A few weeks later Facebook called, and it became

clear that the way for our team to have the biggest impact was to work together.

So we’re excited to announce that we’ll be making the journey to California to

join Facebook!

Gowalla, as a service, will be winding down at the end of January. We plan to

provide an easy way to export your Passport data, your Stamp and Pin data (along

with your legacy Item data), and your photos as well. Facebook is not acquiring

Gowalla’s user data.

Facebook is not accquiring users data from Gowalla, however you can delete your

user data as it might be used without your permission.

Facebook acquires Gowalla To Boost Timeline Feature

The Social Networking Gaint, Facebook has acquired location sharing service

Gowalla.This News came yesterday and was first reported by CNN.


The biggest question arises here that Why facebook has acquired Gowalla, well

the answer is simple they want complete team of Gowalla to focus on facebook's

most awaited feature Timeline, which will be launching soon.However it is quite

unclear that how Gowalla team can help facebook to booast its Timeline feature.


Note that this news came as rumour and most and Facebook refuses to comment on

the deal.

"We don't comment on rumor and speculation," a Facebook's spokesman said.

What do you think about Facebook's acquisition of Gowalla, do share your

thoughts in comment section below.

The Sims Social Is Now 2nd Most Played Game on Facebook

Newly Launched game on facebook-The Sims Social Is Now second Most

Played Game on Facebook.

    


According to Appdata.com , in the last 24 hours, 9.3 million
people played The Sims Social, while 8.1 million played
FarmVille.CityVille remains most played game on facebook
with 13.6 million daily and 75.4 million monthly users
respectively


The Sims Social Now Has :


* 36,019,969 monthly active users

* 9,481,402 daily active users

   

The Social networking Giant Facebook Hits 1 Trillion Pageviews

The Social networking Giant Facebook Hits 1 Trillion Pageviews

 


The Social networking Giant Facebook Hits 1 Trillion Pageviews

followed by YouTube with 790 million unique visitors and 100 million

pageviews in June.Also Facebook is the most-visited website on the

Internet according to DoubleClick.


Facebook received nearly 870 million unique visitors in June 2011.

Facebook changes privacy settings on Tuesday

Facebook changes privacy settings on Tuesday

 

 



Facebook made significant changes to its privacy settings
on Tuesday.



Major privacy changes to Facebook privacy include :


1.Much Better profile control:


Profile visibility controls now appear next to content
when you edit your facebook profile.




2.Tags :

Tag reviews : now you can approve or reject photo, status or location

tags this seems great as tags are sometimes preaty annoying.



3.Status Updates & Location


Public updates: Now you will see "Public" option when you update your

status instead of  "Everyone".

Anonymous Hackers Group Planning To Destroy Facebook on Nov. 5

Anonymous Hackers Group Planning To Destroy Facebook on Nov. 5

Anonymous Hackers Group is Planning To Destroy Facebook on Nov. 5
due to lack of privacy on facebook.

They also claim that facebook is selling user's data to government
and private organisation.



Video released by Anonymous on YouTube :

 

The Sims Social - New Facebook Game To Be Released Soon

The Sims Social - New Facebook Game To Be Released Soon




The Sims Social will be a Facebook addition to the famous Sims series

and it was announced during EA's 2011 E3 press conference.

The Sims Social Producer Interview :

   




The Sims Social is supposed to be more realistic according to makers of this game.The game is about managing your relationship with your friends just like in real world.



 
The game was announced in June with official trailer :

   

Randi Zuckerberg leaves Facebook to start her own company

Randi Zuckerberg leaves Facebook to start her own company


         

Randi Zuckerberg,sister of facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (one of

the most powerfull people in web world) leaves Facebook to start her

own company.

  

Randi Zuckerberg,facebook's Director of Marketing is starting her new

company,RtoZ Media according to AllThingsD.Also,she was recently

nominated for an Emmy for her work with Facebook Live.

 She tweeted :

  

Facebook confirmed this news :

“We can confirm Randi has decided to leave Facebook to start her own

company. We are all grateful for her important service.”

Google+ Ad is Banned On Facebook

Google+ Ad is Banned On Facebook

      



Web developer Michael Lee Johnson found that out the hard way. He was running a Facebook ad asking people to add him to their Circles on Google+. Facebook, actually, did not like him using thier site to build his own social network somewhere else. So they pulled his ads.


He writes on Google+ :

I recently ran a Google+ advertisement on Facebook that got all of my campaigns suspended, Great.


So even facebook admits that they are in danger of losing thier active users.

Facebook’s Zuckerberg Asked About Google+ [COMIC]

Facebook’s Zuckerberg Asked About Google+ [COMIC]



This is a funny comic from The Joy of Tech illustrating Mark Zuckerberg being asked about Google+.

Now Facebook Developers can See Their Spam Scores

Now  Facebook Developers  can See Their Spam Scores

http://techniciablog.blogspot.com/2011/07/now-developers-can-see-their-spamscores.html

  

 Two weeks ago numerous Facebook developers logged into thier account and came across to terrible news: their applications had unexpectedly been disabled without warning. The offender was Facebook’s spam-fighting bot, which automatically tracks the amount of negative feedback an application receives from users and blocks apps that are faring especially poorly. But the bot was acting more aggressive, and developers didn’t have a way to tell how often users were blocking their app updates in the first place.

Today, Facebook is rolling out some new features to address this.

In a blog post announcing the news, Facebook engineer Mike Vernal writes that developers will now have access to a ‘News Feed’ tab as part of Facebook Insights (their analytics product). Developers will now be able to track how frequently the posts their applications generate are hidden or marked as spam by users (the more they have, the worse standing they’re in).

the biggest news, though, comes at the bottom of the post:

In the coming months, we will be moving from per-channel enforcements to a more sophisticated ranking model where the amount of distribution that content gets will be a direct function of its quality. Good content will be seen by more people, poor content will be seen by fewer people (and potentially no one). We think this is the right long-term model, as it rewards apps that focus on great social experiences while minimizing negative experiences.

Facebook adds Skype video chat feature

Facebook adds Skype video chat feature

As expected, the “awesome” product launch hinted at by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg last week turned out to be the incorporation of Skype video chat into its social network.

  

Today’s declaration also brought the attention back to Facebook, after Google Inc. has hogged the social media attention for the last week.Facebook's new chat feature will show up on the site as a "call" button at the top of users' profile pages. By clicking that button or finding someone in a new "buddy list" sidebar, Facebook users can talk to each other via webcams. The company began turning that service on for millions of users on Wednesday and will add it to more accounts over time.

Facebook engineer Philip Su said at the news conference here. The Seattle programmer was Facebook's only full-time engineer working on development, along with Skype, a Facebook spokeswoman said.Facebook also introduced a change to its instant-messaging service to allow people to perform group chat.

One takeaway from the press event that did, indeed, sound “awesome:”  Facebook now has 750 million users.