Are you ready for Facebook's New Timeline View for your Business Page?

Facebook just finished revamping individual users’ pages to the new “Timeline” view. Now its time for all the business Facebook Pages to get a new design, which will be forced upon you by On March 30, 2012, whether you are ready or not.



The biggest advantage of this new look is you get to have more control of the appearance of your business page than before, where the “facebook” logo and blue stripe dominated the page. Now you can use a graphic or photo to take up most of the part of the screen. On the minus side, those who do NOT update their Facebook Pages will have a crappy looking page, with their old Profile Image chopped to 180 pixels square. Those that invested in taller vertical images under the old look & feel, will need to re-invest into a more flexible wider banner.

This presents an significant product promotion and brand building opportunity—even opportunities. Why just tell people you are launching an new product, when your Facbook Page’s Profile Image can be updated, and you can comment about the new photo, making your Status Update newsfeed more interesting and relevant?

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Faux-cial Media: Ugly Truths and Dark Secrets!

First of All is Social Media really "social"? Most of those on Facebook checking up on their friends now spend less face time with their actual friends than they used to. Probably, because they have less time after all the digital chit-chat. And most of those on Twitter are boring their followers with their inane and trivial blah-blah-blah. Or they are re-tweeting somebody else’s thoughts, actions, or links. And most of those following, like the bored stranger at a Christmas party, are feigning interest but ignoring all the chatter.
 
What’s happened to our society? A century ago we started with mass media (newspapers, then radio, then television) to homogenize our society’s activities, expectations and experiences. Now, we’re using “Social Media” like to further homogenize what’s left of our individuality. It’s like broadcasting our accomplishments and disappointments in tweets and “status updates” on our personal online version of TMZ. Or else, we are deemed “just not worthy” by our faux friends. Give me a break!
 
Because of al this Faux-cial Media, most people I know are now spending less time face to face with their actual friends. The ones that are so close they could (or at least used to) reach out and touch them. There’s a reason why it’s been called “wastebook”.
 
But all this is just a distraction from more serious issues, lessons, and take-aways that affect every business using Twitter and Facebook, which use this sugar & spice to obscure their plans for media dominance. How can you insure you are not their next "roadkill" victim? How can you wean yourself off "Faux-cial Media" to interact better with more customers.

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Social Media: what every Business Person / Manager needs to know.

There has been much hyped about Social Media tools, like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and Linked-in (and don’t forget, that FoundLocally incorporates many Social Media elements, too). How much is "hype" by those that have “already drunk the Kool-Aid” (a reference to cult followers of Reverend Jim Jones, and their mass suicide-by-Kool-Aid on his orders) and how much of it is a real benefit for the average business?
 
FoundLocally prides itself on having been able to expand geographically, and add services based on traffic and advertising growth generated by “organic” search engine traffic (based on extensive solid local content) and repeat visitors, rather than using more expensive pay-per-click or much more expensive traditional media advertising. We figure there are some lessons learned worth sharing. And who wouldn’t like to grow website traffic to a million visitors each month without paying for advertising?
The questions everyone keep asking is, how can I use Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to buil my business  (or sales, membership, attendance, or other success measure), without becoming   so distracted from my real bread-and-butter business?
 

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Choosing and Using Web Marketing Services

Tips for selecting web marketing services to help you improve web marketing results

Some webmarketing services can dramtically improve the commerical success of your website, while others are clearly "too good to be true" and a waste of your money (even if the amount looks small and worthwhile). How can YOU tell the difference, and make a good business decision?

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Using Software to speed the web marketing process

Popular sofware tools can automate web marketing.

If you are choosing the do-it-yourself route, whether to save money, to gain experience, or to internalize a skillset that you feel is mission-critical and core to your venture, here are some time-tested and worthwhile software tools, that are often the ones that professionals also use.

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Getting Listed in Directories and Search Engines

Techniques and strategies for do-it-yourself web marketing to get ito directories and search engines.

Here are some tips to help small businesses and internet managers in larger business get started on their web marketing. We've included do's and don'ts based on a decade in the Internet business, and FoundLocally's own success in organically building traffic to a million monthly visitors using only online marketing techniques, which we like to call "word of mouse".

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Web Directories vs. Search Engines (with Directory of Directories)

Differences in web marketing approaches when using directories and search engines.

This article also has a searchable listing of other local online directories web marketers can use to promote their clients' businesses and web sites.

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What is Web Marketing?

Overview of web marketing tools & techniques.

Consider a mix on online meothods including having a website, organic directory and search engine listings, paid submission directories, cost-per-click SEO advertising, as well as display/banner advertising.

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