click on ‘Hide Twitter’

And all the Twitter messages are gone.

You can do the same with messages from FourSquare, FriendFeed, FarmVille, MafiaWar and all the other messages you really do not need to see.

Post from: Erno Hannink veel free to use the content but give credit to the writer (CC BY/SA)

Remove Twitter updates from your Facebook News Feed

When you ask a question on Twitter not everyone that follows you will see that question. Then only a percentage of the people that see your tweet respond because they know the answer and want to share it with you. Use 1:100, 100 followers and 1 reply, as a rule of thumb.

If you want interaction on Twitter and answers for your question it is good to get the right people to follow you. It is best that you start answering questions of the people that you follow. So people can see that you are also giving to the community.

One of the questions I often get is “Where can I find interesting people to follow?”
When you start to follow people in your niche, potential co-workers, potential clients, experts, often they will follow you back. If they don’t follow you back, you can always unfollow them, if that is important to you.

One great source to find people is de Tweepguide. There are a few versions Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, UK and world wide but mostly US. It is based on what keywords people use in their Twitter profile.
It is a great resource because there are all kinds of categories e.g. blogger UK, journalist UK, Coach .com, WordPess NL.

Another great feature is that you can search in Tweepguide. Search on people with ‘social media‘ in their profile.


Other great resources are blog posts like these

• The 100 Most Powerful Women On Twitter
• Twitter Elite by TwitterGrader
• The First 99 People to Follow on Twitter
• Top 100 Geeks you should follow on Wired
• Top 100 most popular via Twittercounter
• Twitter for Social Entrepreneurship: The Top 100 Tweeps to Follow
• 100 Top Graphic Designers to Follow on Twitter
• Directory: 100 technology experts on Twitter via ZDNet
• 100 web designers to follow on Twitter
• 100 Designers To Follow On Twitter
• 100 social media experts to follow on Twitter
• 100 PR People Worth Following on Twitter
• Top Design Savvy Tweeters

Some more interesting lists can be found on TweepML. The lists on TweepML have a great ‘Follow All’ feature. Klick and you will start following all the people on the list.

What resources do you use to find interesting people to follow?

Post from: Erno Hannink veel free to use the content but give credit to the writer (CC BY/SA)

Find people you need to follow on Twitter

You can invite friends with:

1. Your contact list in the online email service like Gmail.
2. Upload a contact list from you desktop email program like Thunderbird or Outlook
3. Invite friends that are suggested
4. enter name, email address or a keyword for your niche
5. your schools or employers to find former class mates or ex-collegues (if you want to of course)
6. your Instant Messanger contacts

Use the contactlist from you local email software:

Invitations personal

When you use these options and you do send invites, please send a personal invite. Add some text why you want to connect with the other person. Where is your connection?

Invites like this, that are in my inbox, are not helping:

It is not clear for me who is in the picture. The profile page is not helping at all.

More friends

Make it easier for the people you are inviting so they can decide in the inbox or only need to take a brief look at your profile page.

Add some text to the invitation, like:

Hi,
We are connected on Skype, love to connect on Facebook.

Warm regards,
Erno Hannink

Then make sure that your Personal Profile gives enough details for people that only have met you online. Show links to the places where people can find more about you online, a link to your website, Twitter profile etc.

Post from: Erno Hannink veel free to use the content but give credit to the writer (CC BY/SA)

More friends on Facebook? Make your invitations personal

Notes
Your notes van be found in the row of tabs, or in the drop down ‘>>’, or you will have to add them via the ‘+’.


You can use a note to create a blog for your Facebook page.
You can look at your own notes, notes on all your Pages, notes of your friends, you can even check notes that mention you.

Click on the button ‘+ Write a note’. Note: do not click on the link ‘Write a note’ because this will take you to the notes of your personal profile. We want notes on our Page. You can write a blog post here:

We want to import blog posts and not write new posts for now.
Scroll down on the notes page.

Here:

Now we will import our blog posts – Click on ‘Edit import settings’

Import your blog

1. Enter the URL for your blog – this is not the URL of your feed.
2. You import the content of your own blog – no copyright issues. Check.
3. Start importing

Confirm
The RSS feed of your blog has been found:

“We read your feed at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/ernohannink/fgTi
If you confirm this import, we’ll check the feed every couple of hours for new posts you’ve made, and add anything we find to your Facebook notes.”

Click on ‘Confirm’.

If you now go to your page you will see your notes in your Wall.

Completed.

Pros and cons:

• Your blog posts will now show up as status updates. Fans can ‘Like’ and comment on your posts. With this you will reach a larger audience within Facebook and on the web.
• The complete post is now available in Facebook and your fans can comment here. The reason to visit your blog is smaller now. There is a link of the post on each note to visit your post on the blog.
• It is not clear when the post will be imported. It can take an hour a couple of hours, but also some days. Sometimes it will posts 3 articles in a row while it was a daily post in your blog. If you write time sensitive posts this could be an issue.
• You are where your target audience is, and your articles are here.

Duplicate content and penalties:
Some people worry about duplicate content and penalties. No need. The post in your blog is the original and will get the ranking in the search engine. The note is a duplicate will not get the ranking. You will not get a penalty for your note. You want your article been read by as many people as possible? Add your blog posts to your notes in Facebook.

Inspiration for this article via Hyperarts How Facebook Notes Have Changed & Why You Should Use Them

My page for more inspiration ErnoHanninkEN

Post from: Erno Hannink veel free to use the content but give credit to the writer (CC BY/SA)

Blog posts in your Facebook page via notes

Start sending your Facebook page status updates to Twitter.

This can be done easily:

1. Go to http://www.facebook.com/twitter

2. Select the page that you want to connect. Click on ‘Link to Twitter’


3. Give your Facebook page access to Twitter

4. The page is linked
Now the page is linked and click on settings

5. Adjust settings
Select what actions you want to be published on Twitter.
Maybe you want to deselect the option video and photo, depending on how many photo’s and video’s you upload.

Done, it automatically sends the updates to Twitter and includes a short link like this http://fb.me/FVkVZQ0n

Post from: Erno Hannink veel free to use the content but give credit to the writer (CC BY/SA)

Facebook Page status updates to Twitter

If you only show your updates then I am missing interaction on your page.
My tip is do also show the updates of others on the wall of your fan page. This will invite people to ask questions on your wall.
As a visitor I can also klick on ‘Suz’s Posh Pets + others’ myself each time. But to make it easier for your visitors you can make this standard on your page.

Settings Page Wall

1.Klick on options when you do not see ‘your page name + others’ , ‘Your page name’ and ‘Just others’.

2. Click on settings

3. At ‘Default View for Wall’ select: ‘All Posts’

Wall with all messages

Now you will see all messages immediately when you land on your wall.
Also convenient for you as an owner because now you see questions that are directed at you or when you are tagged.

More tips? Connect with me on ErnoHanninkEN on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter.

Post from: Erno Hannink veel free to use the content but give credit to the writer (CC BY/SA)

Updates from you and others on the wall of your Facebook page

Metro Garage Door Co.


TicketVoid

Mompreneurs Cafe

Click the image to enlarge. Click Back in your browser to return to this page.

What is the value of the high number of followers without interaction?

Post from: Erno Hannink veel free to use the content but give credit to the writer (CC BY/SA)

The value of more followers on Twitter

The changes:

• Boxes. We will notify users via messaging in profile boxes and in the Help Center that the “Boxes” tab, boxes on profiles and Pages, and application info sections will be going away.
• Application Tabs. Next week, we will give Page admins the ability to preview their custom tabs in the new 520 pixel width so they can modify their layouts as needed. All profile and Page tabs will be resized automatically beginning the week of August 23.

How will this effect your Facebook page.

Width application tabs

If you have a welcome Tab or another Tab that has been created with a FBML app the width will change to 520 px wide.

For example a tab like this on your page – made with the Static FMBL app

At the moment it is possible to make this page 760 px wide – this will be reduced to 520 px.

Make the necessary changes for your tabs:

Here you can see that for the width of this tab I have already set it to 520 pixels wide.

Boxes will be removed

What boxes are they talking about?

This is an example of a box from the same Static FMBL app as mentioned above. You can find it in the left sidebar.

You could use the FBML app for boxes and tabs. No longer, August 23, the option to make a box will disappear.

Profile image width change

Not sure if this will also happen August 23, but it will change.
Facebook announced earlier that they will also change the Profile Picture Size
The new size will be 180 x 540 (down from 200 x 600).

So the new recommended profile picture width is 180px wide, while height can vary as needed. The thumbnail that Facebook uses is generated from this picture.

The system crops images when generating a thumbnail, losing information around the edge. According to Mashable there is a “title safe” area within all images. So when you create your profile image that’s 180px wide, allow a 12 pixel border around crucial information (such as typography or a logo) to allow for automatic cropping.

Inspiration: Facebook App Profile Box and Page Tab Changes Coming on August 23

Post from: Erno Hannink veel free to use the content but give credit to the writer (CC BY/SA)

New width for tabs on your Facebook page comming soon

My tip use a link in your personal profile to help people find your professional page. And use in your professional page a link to your site and/or Twitter.

Link in personal profile

People can land on your personal profile from an update that is visible via one of their friends liking or commenting on your update. This could be people that don’t know you yet. They will hesitate to ‘friend’ you. Liking your page is way more easier. Giving these visitors a direct link to your professional page is nice.
This way these visitors can go to your page and klick the like button.

Link on your professional page

There is no need to refer people from your professional pages to your personal profile. Since the visitors are here and interested in your business it could be a good idea to show them where your website is. Also you can give them the direct link to your twitter account, or that free report, or your newsletter.

Let me share some examples of Facebook pages and profiles.

Charlene Li on Facebook

Charlene Li has a personal profile and a professional page.
In her personal profile she points you to her professional page. In her page Charlene misses the opportunity to point to her website or blog. Include a link for more information about her new book – since she mentions this – is my tip for Charlene. You can find Charlene on her blog

Stephanie Ward – Firefly Coaching

Stephanie Ward uses a link to her website in her personal profile. In the Information box, directly below the info box, there is a list of clickable links including one to her professional page on Facebook. Her professional page is Firefly Coaching, also here a direct link to her website.

In this case the link to her page is somewhat hidden and requires extra effort from the visitor. Attracting more fans for your professional page is an important goal for your personal profile. Having the link directly visible in the info box is my tip for Stephanie. Look for Stephanie on FireflyCoaching.com

Mari Smith

Mari Smith connects with people on Facebook and Twitter. On her personal profile she points the visitors to her fan page. She is at the current limit for the number of friends you can have for a personal profile (5,000 friends). So she invites them to go to her professional page. On her professional page she invites visitors to connect also on Twitter. Check her website Mari Smith

Rohit Bhargava

Rohit Bhargava points in his personal profile to his professional page. In his page there are some elements in his photo that look like buttons. Actually these are not buttons. There is no link in the info box, so you have to enter these links manually in your browser to connect with Rohit on the other platforms. Include the 4 links in the info box is my tip for Rohit. You can read more about him on his Influentual marketing blog.

Some other page examples

Three examples from various pages.
Wired mentions the link for their Twitter account but it is not clickable. Tip include ‘http:\\’ and the link works.
Corner Bakery Cafe – a link to their newsletter with special offers for the subscribers (smart – a clear WIFM)
Enjoy Life food – a link to their Twitter page.

So this is some inspiration for links in your info box for your personal profile and professional page.
My tip:

• A link to your page in your personal profile
• A link to your blog/website/newsletter in your professional page

How to do it

The info box.

1. Klick on the pencil – now you can edit the text
2. Add the link including the www or http://
3. Click somewhere next to the info box – the changes are being saved

Want to connect with me on Facebook?
Personal profile ernohannink
My page – ErnoHanninkEN – like my page and you will get more tips for Facebook.

Inspiration for this post from The 10 Second Facebook Fix Guaranteed to Send You More Traffic

Post from: Erno Hannink veel free to use the content but give credit to the writer (CC BY/SA)

Want more traffic from Facebook?

You become friends with people, not with companies. You connect with people, not with companies. You connect with people in the company not with the logo or building it selfitself. However; you may want to follow or “like” a company so you can receive updates from them.

On social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn you have the option to create a special page or profile for your company. This makes it odd that people use their company details and logo to create a ‘personal profile’ on these networks.

Keep the user profile personal

So keep your ‘user profile’ really personal. The profile should state your first and last name. Make sure you upload a picture of yourself into your profile and not your company logo. The profile details should be about you. This way people can know about you before they connect and build a relationship with you. You can more easily form real relationships.

Terms and Agreements

Let’s see what the official Terms and Agreements say about it. Most people don’t read the Terms and Agreements, so let me share this with you:

LinkedIn

Don’t undertake the following: 5. Create a user profile for anyone other than a natural person;

Facebook

4. Registration and Account Security

• Facebook users provide their real names and information
  2. You will not create more than one personal profile.

This means that Facebook and LinkedIn can (and will) at any moment decide to delete your non-personal profile.

“And what about Twitter”?, you ask. Twitter is not a social network, per say, it is a micro blogging system. Twitter can be personal but also just small blogposts of companies. The Terms of Twitter do not state that your profile needs to be either for personal or business use. However; I do think it is a lot nicer to understand who is sending these tweets on behalf of the company.

If you have a Twitter account for your company, and a personal twitter account, it is smart to show who is writing the status updates. For your business account, you can use a company logo as profile picture, use your company URL but also add a name of the person(s) doing all the work.

Examples of non-personal profiles

Bijzondermooi Dutchdesign in Facebook

Players for the Planet in LinkedIn

Here you see a personal name in the profile, but the completed profile is about the organization.

Example of personal profile and company page

Here you see the personal profile page of Eydie

And this is her professional page: Eydie’s Office

This is a great example of how you can make a personal page for yourself and create a page for your business on Facebook.
On her personal profile and the company page she is engaging with friends and fans. So on both profiles the conversation is personal, the best way to connect and develop real relationships.

Let’s connect

This is my personal profile on Facebook and my professional page on Facebook – “Like” the page and you will get updates and follow the discussions.

My personal profile on LinkedIn and my company profile on LinkedIn. And as you send a connection invitation, please tell me why you want to add me to your network. That is another thing that I will write about another time, impersonal invitations to connect in Facebook or LinkedIn. Hate it when I get these. Makes me guess why you want to connect with me.

Lately I’ve received more friend requests and connections requests from non-personal profiles (business profiles). Talking to some of the people behind these profiles it has become clear to me that some people don’t get the idea of personal profiles, social networks, and relationships.

I found this great article by Tamar Weinberg – Dear Facebook Friends, You’re Doing it Wrong. In her article, Tamar talks about social media etiquette, and other online do’s and don’ts.

Do you connect with people in social networks personally, professionally or both?

Update: the text was edited to improve English reading with the help from Eydie.

Post from: Erno Hannink veel free to use the content but give credit to the writer (CC BY/SA)

User profiles are…. personal