Facebook recently changed the way users interact with content on fan pages: any user, including non-fans, can now post on fan page walls and like/comment/share fan page content. In other words, a Facebook user does not have to first like your fan page before they can interact with your content. This is a good thing!

Since this change, the emphasis has shifted slightly from gaining more likes (fans) to increasing the number of shares on each piece of content. When you craft your fan page updates in a manner that naturally inspires fans and their friends and visitors to your page to share with their networks, you set in motion ripples of viral visibility. Basically, free additional exposure.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve been observing which posts from fan pages and from personal profiles (with Subscribe enabled) garner the largest amount of shares. I also recently asked my Facebook fans and friends for examples of great posts with large numbers of shares. Following are seven tips I’ve compiled for you that seem to help create the most shares:

1. Use an eye-catching image.

Your photo should make people laugh, cry, or go “awww!”

Photos on Facebook have always gotten a slightly higher EdgeRank score, which means better visibility in the News Feed. But, don’t necessarily use an image on every single post; keep it interesting by mixing in links, videos, questions (app), and text only updates.

A fun example is this “social network flowchart” by Breaking Copy – shared on Facebook by “Caribbean King” on October 20th that garnered a whopping 14,642 shares – see screenshot below. (Hat tip to Susie Daniels for the link to the post).

Example Facebook post with over 14,000 shares

The only narrative with the image was a smiley face “:D” – but, given the humor and relevance of the chart to pretty much anyone who saw it, the image gathered huge momentum. Currently, though the Caribbean King has just 673 fans (likes), his “People talking about this” number is 5,002. For most fan pages, to have a “talking about this” number over 7x greater than the number of likes is unusual. (I’ll save the in-depth discussion about the new public-facing “people talking about this” stat for a separate post. My quick advice, though, is do not waste too much time obsessing over this number. Instead, focus on posting quality, relevant posts that people naturally want to share.)

I came across Breaking Copy’s social network flowchart on November 1st when a friend shared it on my Facebook personal profile wall. I found the creator so I could give proper credit (Daryl Lang), and shared the image on my Google+ profile, where it ended up with over 1,480 shares. (And, an edited version by Carmelyne Thompson got 1,105 shares). Though Google+ is gaining in users and momentum, clearly Facebook’s vast userbase makes for significantly more shares. 10x in this one example if we just compare Caribbean King’s Facebook post to my own Google+ post.

When you do share photos, make sure they look great and are eye-catching in a smaller version, given most people will see a reduced size in their News Feed and/or mobile app.

Other photo examples with large numbers of shares include:

• NFL Quarterback Tim Tebow‘s photo from a friend in Afghanistan with over 2,800 shares. (Thanks to Amy Thomas Polk for the link).
• A humorous map of Australia with funny Q&A from the Australian Tourism website, posted by Sam Bush, with 19,600+ shares! (Hat tip Mehdi Benaniba for the link).
• Warren Buffet’s “How To Fix Congress” posted by Gene Vallee with 156,600+ shares. (Props to the Direct Marketing fan page for the link).
• Disney‘s “Life is all about perspective” – cute photo of Bambi and possums with 8,200+ shares. (Thank you Hana Zima for the Disney tip). Note this post has a very short narrative (tip #2) and is written in a way anyone can share (tip #3).

2. Keep the narrative short.

A study by Buddy Media showed that posts 80 characters or less in length receive 27% higher engagement rates. Considering how much content flies by fast in the new moving Ticker at the top right of your Facebook home page, and also in the News Feed, it makes sense that a shorter post will catch Facebook users’ attention quicker.

A fun example is this post by my friend Melonie Dodaro with a cute puppy and teddy bear, which got over 1,700 shares. Melonie shared this on her personal profile – with 4,816 friends and 718 subscribers. Note the narrative Melonie included: “How adorable is this?! Go ahead and share it.” This one example, in fact, makes use of the first four out of my seven tips here: it’s a (cute) photo, the narrative is short, it’s not written in first person, and there’s a call to action to share it.

Example Facebook post with over 1,700 shares

3. Keep first person to a minimum.

Even though I’m a big fan of writing in first person whenever possible, as it creates more warmth and connection with your audience, in order to increase your shares on Facebook, you might want to experiment with keeping the wording more generic. Write in a way that could sound like it was coming from others. As with Melonie’s example above “How adorable is this?!” could be said by anyone.

You can always use first person in your comments when responding to bring in the more personal touch.

Here’s a cute image I created using Snagit to illustrate one of my favorite Steve Jobs’ quotes: “You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” The upbeat narrative I included was, “A special thought for the day!! A good reminder to just GO for it. (Probably still a good idea to wear clothes though, hehee!).” 105 shares from my personal profile.

Follow your heart - Steve Jobs quote shared on Facebook

4. Include a call to action.

Invite your friends, subscribers, fans and their friends along with visitors to your page to share your posts with their friends, subscribers and fans. Simple calls to action such as “Click like if you agree” often work well, so long as the preceding statement/question is relevant. Asking people to add their comments is good too. But, it’s the Share that will likely create the greatest exposure for your page/profile.

This image of 3-D sidewalk art posted by Gallery 2166 simply says, “Dare you not to share this. It’s too amazing.” Yep – 11,449 Facebook users have shared the image so far! (Thanks Jamie Burnett for the link to the image).

Sidewalk art - Facebook post with over 11,000 shares

5. Write about timely topics with helpful tips and resources.

Given the rapid changes on Facebook and the constantly moving social media landscape in general, there’s often plenty fodder to share up-to-the-minute tips, new strategies, and useful resources on your Facebook page and/or profile. These types of posts can be any length and might include links and/or photos or videos. The point is your Facebook network and extended community will find extreme value in reading and sharing the post.

This example from my own fan page is a post with seven tips for staying safe on Facebook – which received 247 shares. I wrote the udpate on the back of Mashable’s blog post about Facebook stating that a staggering 600,000 log-ins per day get compromised. Note the use of the simple, eye-catching image.

Example timely post - 7 Tips To Stay Safe on Facebook

Here’s another example from my fan page where I dispelled a couple of erroneous memes flying around Facebook: one asking users to unsubscribe from their friends’ comments and likes, and another talking about Facebook’s plans to charge for membership (both are not accurate!). The post received 516 shares.

If you’re in an industry that changes rapidly, keep your finger on the pulse and see what timely topics you can write about. Then, with the Facebook posts that do well, repurpose by turning them into posts on your blog.

6. Experiment with longer content.

Despite tip #2 above, now that Facebook increased the maximum update size from 420 characters to 5,000 characters, try writing a “mini-blog post!” Per my tip #5 above, so long as the content is timely, relevant and helpful, you stand a greater chance of getting lots of shares.

7. Share a great cause.

Surf Dog Ricochet posted this precious dog photo with a call to action: pet supplies company Iams had agreed to donate 50 bowls of pet food for shelter animals for every comment on the photo, up to one million bowls. The photo broke the record in just over 24 hours. Though the one million bowls of pet food goal has been attained, the image is still gaining comments and shares. So far: 21,439 comments and 4,180 shares! (Hat tip to Kristi Robertson for the link to this post).

Example great cause with over 4,000 shares

By the way, keep in mind that Facebook has strict rules around promotions; the #1 rule to know is you need to use a third party app if you’re going to conduct any kind of drawing, sweepstakes, contest, or competition. Your own content in an iFrame app qualifies so long as you include the correctly worded disclaimers. See this post for more information.

Share more videos

And a bonus tip, from Ryan Cohn of What’s Next Marketing:

Among large audience clients (celebrities and brands), we typically see the most shares coming from unique/interesting videos. Usually these are behind-the-scenes peaks, though we’ve seen great sharability from loved-but-forgotten YouTube videos too.

You may find that these tips are equally effective for increasing your number of shares on Google+ too.

…and, one more tip for you on the subject of shares: Whenever possible, take time to click through and thank those who share your content. On Facebook, this is really easy to do as the Shares show in a popup window and you can easily click like and add a quick comment. People love to be acknowledged.

What have you found that’s working well on your own profile and/or fan page? What catches your eye on other profiles/pages and compels you to want to share with your own networks? Please do share below and feel free to include permalinks to examples so others may benefit. Thank you!

Is Google’s hot new social network Google+ a serious “threat” to Facebook? Or Twitter? In the short or long term, I don’t think so. But, Google+ will certainly make Facebook, in particular, more agile and determined to continue improving its array of products.

(In fact, the first thing Mark Zuckerberg said at the start of the Facebook video/Skype partnership announcement on July 6 was,“Welcome to Launch Season 2011.” I took that to mean Facebook plan to roll out new features and products in rapid succession. Though, historically, that seems mostly the case!)

I wrote this blog post for those people who don’t “get” Google+ yet, who are not yet on Google+, and/or who might be in a place of wait-and-see. After a few short weeks, I’m convinced Google+ will become a *major* player in the social networking arena. (Stay tuned for my post shortly after this one which will be a tutorial with marked up screenshots: 10 Simple Steps To Getting Started On Google+). Also, those businesses that want to get a head start must pay close attention to what’s happening on this rapidly growing new social network.

The growth of Google+

I joined Google+ on June 29, the day after the site launched, thanks to an invite from a friend. Since then, I’ve been actively using the site daily, studying member behavior, and reading as many articles as possible about the platform. (My own blog post is certainly long overdue; I’ve had many posts about Google+ sitting in draft for the past few weeks, but have been so busy on all these social sites along with completing my next book!) Well over 14,000 Google+ members have added me to their circles. (There’s no limit to how many peeps can circle you; but the max you can add to circles is 5,000). Yes, the growth is unprecedented.

It’s fascinating to watch the incredibly rapid growth of Google+, the depth of sharing, the availability of heads of companies, the web celebs, the nuggets (and the noise!), and the amazing accessibility and responsiveness of the Google+ team. Not to mention that the user interface is so cool!

As you can see by the graph below, it took Google+ only 16 days to reach 10 million users. Whereas, it took Facebook 852 days and Twitter 780 days to reach the same milestone. Amazing! Of course, Google+ has the advantage of (finally) entering the social world now that this arena is more established by Facebook and Twitter. Not to mention the pre-existing large userbase Google already has from its array of excellent products.

Graph by Leon Haland Data by Paul Allen

Do we need another social network?

As much as I love Facebook, I have to say that I’m extremely excited about Google+. In fact, I haven’t felt this excited about a social network since I first joined Facebook in May 2007. Facebook will always be my “first love,” and the site is certainly here to stay. I plan to continue building out and maintaining an active presence with my Facebook personal profile, my Facebook page, and on Twitter.

To me, it’s a both/and world. It’s taken me many years to build up and nurture my communities on Facebook and Twitter; I’m not about to abandon them because a shiny new toy arrived on the scene. Obviously, there are only so many available hours in the day for social networks, though, and now my intent is to simply divide up the same time between these platforms. (And, I’m not here to tell you what’s right and wrong; individuals and business will need to reassess their own approach to social networking now and find what works for them).

There’s room for ALL the popular social networks to co-exist. People will simply choose the social network(s) where the bulk of their friends hang out, and/or the social network(s) with the coolest features. It’s early days yet, but with the sheer size of Google’s existing userbase of all its products, at some point I can see Google+ overtaking Facebook as the #1 social network in the world. Yep, it’s that good. Kudos to Google: I do believe they’ve finally cracked social. (Businesses, pay close attention!)

According to a survey carried out by Bloomberg, Google+ could become the second biggest social network within the next year, moving past Twitter and LinkedIn. ~Scribbal.com

Google+ vs. Facebook?

For now, I highly doubt we’re going to see any kind of mass exodus of Facebook users to Google+. For many people, it can feel like a foreign land and foreign language to have to learn a whole new social network. Many users on Facebook are still getting to grips with the (constantly changing) features on the platform. Besides, if the average user on Facebook uses the site to connect with family around the world and to play games, they will stay there so long as they can still reach their loved ones and play their games.

I understand games are coming to Google+; I do hope Google tries hard to differentiate and we don’t start seeing “farm” and “fish” updates pouring into the stream!

Some major advantages Google+ has over Facebook include integrating with all other Google products, specifically Gmail and search/SERPs (search engine results pages). Google+ was designed to PLUS all other Google products.

Mashable post showing avatar and link to Ben Parr's Google+profile

Unless and until Facebook bites the bullet and launches a killer search engine – it’s certainly sorely missing! Yes, I know Bing has some Facebook integration. But, wouldn’t it be great to easily search fan pages (your own and others) at the click of a button? There is such a plethora of content on our pages and it would be awesome to have a way to easily archive and search this valuable content (you know, like a blog?!).

However, for now, as a social network, Facebook has the upper hand with its long-established user behavior, length of session time, amount of game players, social ads, and business pages.

What about Google+ business profiles?

Regards the business side, it’ll be interesting to see how everything shifts when Google+ starts offering business profiles. Currently, Google+ only allows profiles in the name of individuals; business profiles are coming soon.

Just like we manage our communities on both Twitter and Facebook and our own blogs, (and for many businesses, also LinkedIn and YouTube and other platforms), at some point (soon!) I see that we will be “forced” to also manage a business community on Google+ to cater to those customers and prospects who simply prefer this network. Plus, you’ll need to include Google+ when managing and monitoring the reputation of your business/brand. There’s much that businesses ought to be doing right now to get a headstart though; I’ll cover this in a forthcoming blog post Don’t Wait For Google+ Business Profiles – 7 Actions To Do Now.

It took some time before we saw major brands integrate calls to action such as, “Find us on Facebook and Twitter” on TV, radio, magazine, and billboard ads. My guess is it will be a while before we see Google+ added to the mix. And, it will be added. It’s not going to replace Facebook and Twitter. (I know, I know – look at MySpace, Friendster, FriendFeed, Plurk et al. But Facebook and Twitter are too long-established, imho.)

What’s cool about Google+?

Here’s a rundown of what I’m loving about Google+ so far, in no particular order, and why I think you should jump on board now too:

• The energy is fresh and most people are excited to be on the platform.
• User response is faster and more thoughtful compare to some other networks.
• Much like Twitter and Facebook, we have to earn our followers by being follow-worthy. I’m not hearing about ways to ‘game’ the system on G+ so far (thankfully!). Though with the numbers on socialstatistics.com, a few users have blown way past the 5k circle following limit, no idea how… or why.

Easily make “friend lists,” keep spam to zero

• G+ users seem to love the circles and the ability to post specific messages to specific groups of people. For me, so far, I’m making 99% of my posts public and using G+ more like a combo of Twitter, my Facebook fan page, and my blog. (Though I remain active on all those platforms too. As mentioned above, I’ve no plans to quit my long-established other social profiles!)
• So far, the amount of spam and junk is very light and manageable. If someone posts more frequently than you prefer, just uncircle them. Or, focus on curating content from select circles. (My circle strategy is in progress; I change it recently per this post).

Longer posts, format, and edit

• We can write much longer posts – it’s like “instant blogging!”
• On posts and comments, we can easily add *bold* and _italics_ (-and strikeout-) for emphasis. (I keep going to do this on Facebook – oops! I hope Facebook integrates the formatting feature at some point).
• We can also easily edit posts and comments. (On Facebook, you can edit posts made with a photo or video at any time. But status updates can’t be edited. With comments, you have about a ten second window to edit comments: click the “x” as if to delete and the text field opens back up).

Easy tagging

• I love that we can tag anyone in our conversations whether they’re in our circles or not. I hope we can do the same when business profiles arrive, I’m sure we will. Facebook makes it challenging to keep a conversation going and alert fans in particular know that you’ve responded.

Group video chat

• The ten-person video chats (Hangouts) are awesome and a wonderful way to add more intimacy to real-time connecting/social networking. I’m seeing and hearing about many cool, creative uses of Hangouts, such as: cooking demos, live tattooing, seven-hour concerts, pizza parties, and live news broadcasts. The possibilities are endless. (At some point, with the new Facebook + Skype partnership, we may see group video chat on Facebook. Perhaps that’s one of the paid features Tony Bates, CEO of Skype, alluded to?!)

Access to leaders

• One of the top benefits I’m seeing so far on Google+ is the unprecedented access to heads of technology companies, web celebs, and industry leaders. Power G+ users are posting frequently and garnering vast, instant responses. And, these leaders are engaging back. It’s not as though they’re just pushing out content and letting everyone have at it. Everyone is genuinely engaging. I’ve never seen this level of intimacy on Facebook or Twitter. (Again, businesses – take note!)
• You can easily join a Hangout with people like Michael Dell and chat directly with him! Tom Anderson, founder and former CEO of MySpace, is super active on G+ and posts a ton of amazing, thought-provoking posts.

Another cool feature is Sparks – where you can search and easily find content on any subject or categories of subjects and instantly share with your network. I have only just dabbled with this feature so far and have not found it to be that useful yet. Google will be adding improvements. In addition, I understand the mobile G+ app on the Android smartphone rocks. I’m an iPhone gal; the G+ iPhone app is somewhat rudimentary and slow… but a better one is coming.

Interoperability

I’m enjoying reading articles about potential interoperability: the option to interact with our friends in their preferred network on our chosen network. (At the rate Facebook is booting out friend list scrapers – and banning Google+ ads – I may question its desire to be open. Still, it’s a good protection for users to be able to choose what happens to his/her email address/contact info).

Technology journalist and Lead Writer for ReadWriteWeb.com, Marshall Kirkpatrick, wrote that Google Plus’s real goal is not to kill Facebook, rather to force it to be open and allow interoperability:

Back in the bad old days, customers of one phone network couldn’t call customers of other phone networks, then people couldn’t email out-of-network. Today people can’t be social across networks, but few people mind because everyone they care about is on Facebook. [Google] Plus is a big push to change that. – Marshall Kirkpatrick

Tips for getting started on Google+

If Google+ is brand new to you, stay tuned for my very next blog post: 10 Simple Steps To Getting Started On Google+ with marked up screenshots. Meantime, here are a few quick tips to getting started on G+:

1. You’ll need a Gmail account. [UPDATE Aug 11, 2011: You don't have to have a Gmail account per se; but you do need a Google account which you can create with any email address.  I do recommend a Gmail account, though!] Then you’ll need an invite to Google+. With the recent release of invitation links, you may find plenty here. (I’m sure Google+ will open the floodgates shortly anyway and do away with the invitation process).
2. Fill out your bio, links, and add a profile photo to your new Google+ profile. Remember, you need to use your real name for your profile, not a business name. (Note: if you previously had a Google Profile, this is now your Google+ Profile).
3. Then get familiar with the circles: they work similarly to Facebook friend lists insofar as you can view your stream of content filtered by these lists and you can publish content to specific lists. Begin to create a few circles. You can find people to follow here and here. Feel free to circle me.
4. Think about content curation as one approach to G+; create a circle with select individuals that post on topics of interest to you. When you view your stream, this makes it easy to skim and share content with your own followers. (I’m choosing to share 99% of my content publicly vs. only posting to certain circles).
5. If the stream from your circles gets unwieldy, don’t be afraid to either uncircle individuals or simply place in a “Following” circle. Then, stay focused on the streams of your smaller circles, not your main stream.
6. Browse the following mega list of tutorials and tips:

Helpful G+ resources and recommended reading

• The Mother of All Google+ Resource Lists (thenextweb.com)
• Google+ The Complete Guide by Ben Parr (mashable.com)
• Getting Started With Google Plus (chrisbrogan.com)
• How to Get Started With Google+, Your Complete Guide (socialmediaexaminer.com)
• 31 Essential Google+ Resources (mashable.com)
• 40 Google+ Tips and Tricks for Power Users (pcworld.com)
• 20 of the Best Google Guides (freelancefolder.com)
• 15 Google+ Sites & Services for Power Users (mashable.com)
• Google Plus Resources (updated list kept on G+ by Johnathan Chung)
• Google+ Resources (updated wiki kept on Google Docs by Mariva H. Aviram)
• Google+ Shortcuts and Tips (kept updated by localseoguide.com)
• +Simon Laustsen‘s G+ Cheat Sheet
• Find People on G+ (directory of 9.6M indexed users)
• SocialStatistics – Google+ Statistics complete with leaderboards and top posts (from +Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten who brought us TwitterCounter.com)
• Group.as – (cool site to become a “groupee” lol!)
• PLUS, see Pluserati – Guy Kawasaki‘s top Google+ users featured on Alltop.com!

Chrome Extensions:

• G+Me Chrome Extension – allows you to collapse/expand posts and comments (a must have!) and a few more bells ‘n’ whistles.
• Replies and More – adds Reply to Author to all posts and comments. Also allows easy sharing of content on Twitter and Facebook.
• Usability Boost – adds several visual features to enhance readability, among other nifty features.
• Plus One Anything - adds a nifty +1 button to your browser toolbar for plussing any website whether they have the +1 button or not. Any webpage you +1 shows up under the “+1″ tab of your Google+ profile.

Google+ widget for your blog:

• Google Plus Widget – place a widget on your blog/site to display your follower (people who have circled you) count and realtime rotating updates.

In conclusion (for this post!), I just love this nugget from Tom Anderson, who is one of the most active and most followed users on Google+:

…more than anything, I think, you need to remain flexible and pay attention to how the Internet is evolving. There’s no one-size fits all strategy, and you’ll probably want to modify your own strategy as it suits your needs. ~Tom Anderson (former President, founder and first friend on MySpace) excerpted from this guest post on TechCrunch.

I know this turned out to be an uber long post, and there’s even more to share about Google+. Stay tuned for the following two posts coming right up:

1. 10 Simple Steps To Getting Started On Google+ [SCREENSHOTS]
2. Don’t Wait For Google+ Business Profiles – 7 Actions To Do Now

SO, are you active on Google+ yet? What do you think so far? Do your friends and colleagues use Facebook more, or Google+ more now? If you’re not yet active on Google+, why? Do share your thoughts with me in the comments below:

Remember, Facebook is still home to 750 million active users, half log on daily for an average session time of 55 minutes. Well over 250 million users access Facebook via their smartphones and these mobile users are twice as active as web users. There is a massive captive audience on Facebook and if you’re serious about taking your business or brand to the next level, you owe it to yourself to truly understand and tap into all that Facebook offers. Come join me for the Facebook Success Summit 2011! It’s entirely virtual, no travel or hotels. Learn from 19 Facebook marketing experts as they share exactly how you can maximize your marketing on the world’s #1 social network. Featured presenters include Guy Kawasaki, Robert Scoble, Jesse Stay, Paul Dunay, Mike Stelzner, myself and many others! Tickets are currently half-price, but you can also try before you buy with a free online class lead by yours truly: Facebook News Feed Optimization: How to Dramatically Increase Your Visibility and Engagement.

[Yes, I know; it's ironic plugging a Facebook program on a post raving about Google+; but, like I say, Facebook is here to stay and there's massive business to be had by using the site properly!]

Facebook launched many great new products this year, not least of which was Facebook Places – which went live on August 18, 2010. Facebook Places is a terrific product for both local businesses and Facebook users alike, especially since the launch of Deals.

When a Facebook user checks in to a location using their iPhone, Android, BlackBerry or via touch.facebook.com, they are automatically connected to what’s called a “Place Page” for that local business on Facebook.

Claim your Place Page

Place Pages look similar to a Business (Fan) Page, with emphasis on an interactive map from Bing at the very top. Just like a Business Page, there is a wall and you can also see your check-ins plus the total check-ins per this screenshot of my own chiropractor:

The first time a venue gets “checked-in” to by any Facebook user, Facebook instantly creates a Place Page for their business. The owner of that business then has the burden of searching and finding the Place Page on Facebook and claiming the business. (Scroll to the foot of the Place Page and click on the link, Is this your business?). Once claimed, you have some editing control in terms of the profile picture and ability to publish content to anyone who has Liked your Place Page.

To merge or not to merge?

With these new Place Pages, at first local businesses were justified in feeling overwhelmed at yet another piece of logistical management, on top of their regular Business Page, Community Page(s), Events, and possibly Groups. However, before long, Facebook offered the ability to MERGE your Place Page with your Business Page - assuming you had an obvious connection between the two. (In other words, if you have multiple locations with multiple Place Pages, you can’t merge all of them into one Business Page).

For some small businesses, this new merged Page might be ideal. But, from what I’m seeing, many business owners are extremely dissatisfied and confused by the merge. Here’s why:

• Just like the new Profile layout, all your tabs disappear along the top and are now links down the left hand column.
• You cannot set a default landing tab - so all that work (and money) you put into having a beautiful custom landing tab and testing your conversion has gone to waste.
• The central focus is the Bing map plus links that were previously on your Info tab.
• Even for Facebook users who have liked the page, it’s not easy or obvious where to write on the wall. The page lands on “Profile” by default and users have to click “Wall” to be able to make a post.

For the past several weeks, The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s Facebook Page is the new merged style – and somehow her 4M+ fans are managing just fine to engage on the Page:

Does the option to unmerge make sense?

For close to 700 – and growing – small business Facebook users, they are not happy at all with the new layout. The “Unmerge Places & My Business Page” fan page sprung up and users are posting their concerns about the merged Pages on the wall, along with adding to this lengthy discussion thread on Mark Zuckerberg’s fan page. Many users are choosing to abandon their merged Page and start from scratch. [UPDATE: 12.23.10 - Facebook have now added the option to UNMERGE your Place Page and Fan Page. Scroll to the lower left and you'll see the new link to "Unmerge all Merged Places."]

I asked my Twitter followers for their input, and the response was mixed – some don’t mind the merged Page, others are in the same frustrated camp as the members of the Unmerge fan page. @ChadRichards made a great point about fans being happy once they had access to Deals:

Facebook’s Guide to Facebook Places

Take a look through Facebook‘s guide to Places – page five clearly states that the user is at choice as to whether they merge or not. There is a notification that comes up with a preview of what your new merged place will look like.

Advantages to merging?

For some businesses with a physical location – especially those taking advantage of the new Deals – a merged Page may prove to be more advantageous. Iron Horse Vineyards had their Place Page and Business Page automatically merged by Facebook, with no notice or option to do so.  Iron Horse now offer Deals and are managing to train their fans to navigate and engage on the new merged Page.

The benefits of a merged Page include:

• You have one central location to manage your Facebook fans and activity.
• You can promote Deals to entice more fans to come to your premises.
• You can appeal to those early adopters who are all into location based services and love to check-in (or you can educate them how to do so!).

I’d like to hear from you! Let me know in the comments below your thoughts on the merging of Place Pages and Business Pages. Have you merged? If so, what feedback are you getting from your fans? Would you like Facebook to add the ability to unmerge?

Related articles

• Facebook Places To Replace Your Local Fan Page (smallbiztrends.com
• A Field Guide to Using Facebook Places (mashable.com)
• New Group Calls For Feature To Unmerge Places And Pages (allfacebook.com)
• How To Contact Facebook: A Directory of 120+ Forms

Today is an exciting day!! The pilot episode of Social Media Examiner TV launches and I’m thrilled and honored to be the Host!

Social Media Examiner was founded in October 2009 by Mike Stelzner; it’s a popular online magazine and has been named one of the top business blogs by Technorati. Mike is also founder of the annual Social Media Success Summits and now the Facebook Success Summit 2010.

Teamwork

Mike and I first met in December 2008 via our mutual friend, Denise Wakeman, at a social media event in San Diego. We immediately hit it off and I’ve been delighted to team up with Mike and contribute to his ventures ever since!

Four of the Social Media Examiner team members:
Amy Porterfield, Denise Wakeman, Mike Stelzner (founder) & Mari Smith.
[Pic taken at Seth Godin event by LinkedOC, Feb 2010]

Meanwhile, over the past six months or so, I had been thinking about starting an internet TV show. Many friends of mine would say, “You should do an internet TV show!” I’ve loaded several fun videos to my Facebook Fan Page. I was a guest on BraveHearTV and got the chance recently to shoot a TV infomercial for Jim Britt along with host, Valerie Brooks-Flores, (details coming!). I just love the medium of TV to communicate so much more.

I looked at all kinds of approaches for TV shows and, quite frankly, the logistics seemed overwhelming. I’ve always been inspired by the amazing Gary Vaynerchuk and his wildly popular WineLibraryTV. Gary definitely has a fabulous personality for TV!!

Social Media Examiner TV is born!

Well, there’s much to be said about the power of intention. Over a recent business lunch, Mike and I had one of those simultaneous, spontaneous sparks of genius … and Social Media Examiner TV was born!! This episode is the first of three pilots and we’ll begin running regularly after that!

In this episode, I review the awesome new iPad app, Flipboard—an amazing way to consume your social media news and see your Facebook and Twitter contacts—along with my passion for Facebook‘s 500 million users and the game-changing social plugins. Plus, we take a look at how Foursquare could help your local business.

Take a peek at our inaugural show below – be sure to max up to full screen (click the wee four-arrow icon in the bottom right corner). [And, look for a funny line at minute 6:30; it still cracks me up!]

If you enjoyed this pilot episode of Social Media Examiner TV, please do tweet about it (use hashtag #SMEtv), share it on Facebook or even embed this episode on your blog.

By the way, here’s my excited tweet when I met up with Ross Epstein, Regional Marketing Coordinator for Jimbo’s Naturally:

And here’s that funny original tweet I talk about at minute 6:30 in the Social Media Examiner TV show:

The Power of Intention

When I got back to my home office after filming this first Social Media Examiner TV pilot, I was so ecstatic and made a video for my Facebook Fan Page on the subject of manifesting what we want.

When you have clarity on something that you want to create (the “What”) and why, you can leave the “How” part up to the Universe. We often get caught up in the “How” and try to control all the details. But when we’re committed to serving the greater good, magic can really happen in an even bigger and better way than you might’ve first imagined.

Please do leave your comments below — I’d love to hear what you think of this first TV show. Feel free to add your suggestions for future show content and your comments about Internet TV in general.

In fact, do hop over to this post on Social Media Examiner‘s blog today. Plus – guess what?? In future episodes, you’ll have an opportunity to get your questions answered! And, if you leave a video response on YouTube, Mike and I may just put your video into one of our future episodes!!!

NEWSFLASH: After yesterday’s disappointing news that Facebook Fan Page Admins could no longer direct non-fans to a default custom landing tab unless they had a minimum of 10,000 fans… in less than 24 hours, Facebook has changed the new “rule” back again.

The same Facebook staffer who made the forum post yesterday updated the forum today with this post:

The motive behind this change – and back again – is unclear. But, it’s certainly clear that the ability to direct visitors to your Facebook fan page custom tab can have a direct payoff to the bottom line:

InsideFacebook.com wrote today about BrandGlue split testing the efficacy of a landing tab. They found the conversion rate to be 47% with a landing tab and around 23% without. That is a BIG difference!

Phew, at least the thousands of small businesses, developers, consultants and agencies can breathe a sigh of relief that this very important feature has been restored!

I just wonder how much influence Matt has to adhere to “[we] will not make any further changes without first giving our community standard notice and lead-time.” What is standard notice and lead-time?!

[ignore this code: EAVB_JHSTMCBYIE]

[UPDATE #2: May 20, 2010: A few members of my community alerted me their Default Landing Tab had "reverted" back... or was working now.

So I conducted a test: I logged out of Facebook, then pulled up about a dozen fan pages with fewer than 10,000 fans that would normally land on a Welcome tab. Some did, some didn't.

There doesn't seem to be any pattern. I'm guessing Facebook are rolling out this new "Default Landing Tab Only for Authenticated Pages" rule in phases. Or, perhaps they've listened to us and are rolling back?!]

[UPDATE #1: As a workaround to this new inability to direct non-fans to your custom landing tab, you could make your own redirect link, e.g. http://marismith.com/fanpage goes to my fan page and could just as easily go to any tab. (You could also use any link shortener, e.g. bit.ly)

Remember, each tab still has its own unique URL and all your tabs/apps are still intact.

This approach with your own redirect link could work well for promotions outside Facebook.

However, any promotion inside Facebook (e.g. @ tags) would automatically go to whichever default landing tab you've set - either Wall or Info. I recommend Wall.

Once you reach 10,000 fans, you'll be able to set your cutom landing tab. Though, so far, a couple members of my community have mentioned they cannot make the change and they're over 10k fans. Sounds like the change is buggy.

Props to my fab friend, Mike Stelzner for the redirect link suggestion.]

~~~

Original post follows:

For some time, I’ve been raving about the benefits of having your non-fans land on a specific, custom landing tab on your Facebook Fan Page.

When you send visitors to your Facebook Fan Page, previously, you could have them land on a Welcome Tab, for instance – the purpose of which was to help visitors understand what your business is about and to compel them to want to join your Fan Page.

The option to set this was fairly easy – click on Options underneath the publisher on your Fan Page wall, then click on Settings and select the landing tab from the drop down menu:

However, in a rather odd move, today Facebook quietly let a few disgruntled developers know in the Facebook Developers Forum that they would no longer be offering the option to have a custom default landing tab. That is, unless you have a minimum of 10,000 fans or you have an account rep at Facebook.

New settings for fan pages with <10,000 fans:

(Image credit)

Here’s the forum post:

Amidst all the hoopla of the privacy concerns and morass of Community Pages, this default landing tab change just seems grossly unfair to the small business owner, in particular.

As Nick O’Neill writes, “We’d assume that this change was made for two reasons: to combat spam and more importantly, to boost revenue…”

Hmm.

To clarify, ALL of your custom tabs still exist. And – this is important – each tab still has its own unique URL. So, theoretically, you could shorten the URL’s and split test landing tabs as I’ve talked about before.

If you don’t have an account rep, here’s the contact form per Facebook.

How do you feel about this change? Was the default landing tab for non-fans a big part of your Fan Page promotion strategy? Let me know in the comments below:

Props to my bud Dave Kerpen for the phone call today about the Developer Forum post, and to my Twitter bud Ryan Burns for drawing my attention to this change last night (at first we thought it was a bug!), and to my bud Nick O’Neill for promptly blogging about the issue.

[UPDATE] – we had a marathon seven-hour Virtual Launch Party today (May 3). Here’s a wee video greeting I recorded for my Facebook wall on my iPhone:

First, Chris Treadaway and I co-hosted a three-hour presentation via TinyChat where we discussed many of the chapters in our book, along with the recent changes announced at Facebook‘s f8 conference, and the implications for marketers. The replay of this part will be available shortly! (I recorded my desktop with TinyChat via ScreenFlow and will give it a slight edit).

Then, I went on to lead a four-hour webinar meeting and greeting many of my peeps, and where I continued on to give Facebook marketing ideas, tips, tricks, Ninja secrets, dive deeper into the Facebook changes, do fan page critiques and more.

[ORIGINAL POST FOLLOWS]

I’m super excited for a project that’s been a long time coming: my first published book! I’m honored to team up with the talented Chris Treadaway to coauthor Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day, published by Sybex (a division of John Wiley & Sons).

Our book officially comes out on Monday, May 3, 2010. Copies are already shipping and we are climbing the charts on Amazon.com!

Virtual Launch Party – You’re Invited!

On Monday, May 3, we’re hosting a VIRTUAL LAUNCH PARTY from 10:00am PST / 1:00pm EST onwards! Come meet Chris and me and a few surprise guests – we’ll be LIVE virtually!

Drop in any time during the day for Facebook marketing Q&A, book excerpts, interviews, prize drawings, lots of fun - you name it! We’ll even have virtual champagne!

Let us know you’re coming via the Facebook Event page – RSVP here.

An Hour A Day series

You may already be familiar with Sybex’s popular “An Hour A Day” series, which include:

• Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day – by Dave Evans
• Twitter Marketing: An Hour a Day – by Hollis Thomases
• YouTube and Video Marketing: An Hour a Day – by Greg Jarboe (Greg is a fellow presenter at the upcoming Social Media Success Summit!)
• Web Analytics: An Hour a Day – by Avinash Kaushik

Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day is the ideal comprehensive guide for marketers, business owners and practitioners alike. I’m sure this book will end up flagged, scribbled on and dogeared as you study it! Chris and I outline all the ways businesses can maximize everything Facebook has to offer, from simple quick techniques to full-on campaigns.

Table of Contents:

Screenshots taken from my iPad on the Amazon Kindle app for the iPad! Yes, our book is available on Kindle (and eBook / Nook).

Expert Contributors to “The Future of Facebook” Appendix:

Chris and I are truly honored by and grateful to the following six professionals, all of whom contributed valuable expertise to our book:

Dave Kerpen	Jesse Stay	Nick O’Neill
Lauren Cooney	Scott McCaskill	Kevin Tate

Free Facebook Marketing Online Class!

With Facebook’s product changing so frequently, Chris and I wanted to offer special follow up support for our readers. You can join us in a special series of online trainings, designed to help you get the absolute most out of this book and from your own Facebook marketing efforts!

In our three-part online webinar series, we’ll walk you through exactly how to:

• Integrate the new Facebook Social Plugins
• Assess the power of the new Like button for your site
• Create a compelling Facebook Fan Page
• Source consistent, relevant content to keep your fans coming back for more
• Build your raving fan base using creative ways to drive targeted traffic
• Increase your brand awareness and brand sentiment
• Easily drive traffic back to your website and blog
• Engage your fans and turn them into paying customers
• Rapidly build your opt-in email list
• Place effective Facebook ads that make people take action
• And much more.

This workshop series stars on June 3, 2010 and is entirely virtual, so you can attend via your computer from the comfort of your home/office. Each session will be recorded and replays will be available with unlimited access.

Chris and I will share screenshots and our desktop as we guide you through the exact steps you need to build a vibrant, profitable presence on Facebook.

Here’s how to register:

It’s super easy to secure your place in the free 3-part Facebook Marketing online class:

	STEP 1: Purchase your copy of Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day at any of the online retailers listed below.
	STEP 2: Access the replays here.

Order Facebook Marketing Now At These Online Retailers:

Amazon.com	Barnes & Noble	Borders
BooksAMillion	BestBookBuys	800ceoread

Also available in Amazon Kindle version for your Kindle and/or iPad! Plus, ebook version for your eReader.

Advance praise for Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day

Chris and I are truly grateful to the following professionals for their support and encouragement:

“This is the ultimate Facebook marketing guide. It provides the most important strategies to take full advantage of Facebook’s best features, make your Facebook presence pop, and generate profits. A must-read!”

-Guy Kawasaki – Co-founder of Alltop and former Apple chief evangelist

“The best marketing engages buyers with valuable information at the precise moment they are receptive. That’s why my chiropractor shares video exercises with me on Facebook! And it’s darned effective, too. If you want to learn how to tap the communications tool of choice for hundreds of millions of people around the world, study Facebook Marketing. The real-world examples from organizations of all kinds are especially valuable for those who still need to be convinced (like your boss).”

-David Meerman Scott, bestselling author of The New Rules of Marketing & PR, now published in 24 languages

“Facebook is a powerful new marketing platform and thanks to this book it just got a whole lot easier to understand and tap.”

-John Jantsch author of The Referral Engine

“The social media world is full of people saying they know this tool or that tool. But there’s a reason the first name a lot of people think of when they think of Facebook marketing is Mari Smith. This book shows you how the world’s largest social network can be leveraged for your business. And it’s written by one of few people out there who actually has shown companies how to succeed on Facebook. If you’re trying to leverage Facebook to reach your customers, this book should be on your shelf. It’s on mine.”

-Jason Falls, Social Media Explorer, Social media educator, speaker and consultant

“This is the only book that walks you through every step of creating, implementing, measuring, and optimizing a successful strategy for engaging on Facebook. Featuring proven strategies and techniques, this approachable guide walks the walk. It shows marketers at all levels how to roll up their sleeves, jump in, and get winning results quickly.”

-Brian Goldfarb, Director, Microsoft

“Mari Smith quickly became THE go-to expert before the crowds flocked to Facebook, realizing how powerful this channel is for business. Mari, teamed up with Facebook analytics expert, Chris Treadaway, have created an absolute masterpiece! Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day is long overdue, and every reader is lucky to have this book at their fingertips so they can tap into the mind of these pioneers and accelerate their success on Facebook by applying these tips.”

-Deborah Cole Micek, aka: @CoachDeb, Founder of QuanSite.com and Author of Twitter Revolution and Secrets of Online Persuasion

“Even though (or perhaps because) it’s transforming the way businesses interact with customers and prospects, Facebook is often confusing, and counter-intuitive. Not any more. Chris and Mari have created the Holy Grail, a book where nearly every page is worthy of an underline, highlight, or dog ear. With some companies posting to Facebook twice a month, and others posting banalities four times daily, the content strategy guidelines alone make this book indispensable. Buy two copies – keep one for yourself, and mail one to a company whose unfocused Facebook approach drives you crazy.”

-Jay Baer – Convince & Convert

“Mari and Chris have a very unique gift in that they can’t take the very complex and sophisticated paradigm of marketing on of the world’s largest social networks and present it in a way that anyone can understand and more importantly, put into practice.”

-Brian Solis, author of Engage, the complete guide for businesses to build and measure success on the new web

“I love books that start with strategic planning. Just about every Facebook title I’ve seen is obsessed with secret tips and tricks, without ever encouraging the reader to identify what they’re trying to accomplish in the first place. Chris and Mari have done a splendid job putting those tips and tricks into a meaningful context and I know I’ll be studying my copy to improve my own Facebook presence. If you’re looking for the full picture, the “why” along with “what” and “how”, then this is your book.”

-Dave Taylor, online entrepreneur. AskDaveTaylor.com

“Every marketer knows they need to be on Facebook and other social networks, but few know how to do it right. Chris and Mari have created what is essentially a user’s manual for anyone managing a brand or advertising a business on Facebook. Whether you’re new to social networking or a savvy user, this book provides the tools every marketing professional needs, from getting setup the right way to managing successful, targeted advertising campaigns. The book’s step-by-step format makes what many consider a daunting undertaking seem like a more manageable process for even the busiest marketers by helping you prioritize your time online.”

-Peter VanRysdam, Chief Marketing Officer, 352 Media Group

“Not only does FBMHD provide a practical framework for Facebook marketing, but it also offers a 360-degree perspective on how social media connects with a cross-section of marketing disciplines. By reading and using FBMHD, social savvy marketers gain the strategies, tactics and tools to cross the chasm from a hope-it-works community to a well-performing channel for marketing and communications.”

-Adam Weinroth, VP of Strategic Marketing, Demand Media [See Adam's Twitter page. Yes, his pic is sideways. ]

Additional Recommended Facebook Marketing Reading

And, just to whet your appetite while you’re waiting for your book to arrive (unless you’re anything like me and get the Kindle/iPad version right now!), here are several tutorial blog posts that you may find helpful too:

• How To Add A Custom Landing Tab To Your Facebook Fan Page
• How To Attract and Engage Quality Customers With Social Media
• 13 Ways to Move Your Facebook Fans to Action
• How to Better Engage Facebook Fan Page ‘Fans’
• 21 Creative Ways To Increase Your Facebook Fanbase
• How to Better Engage Facebook Fan Page ‘Fans’
• How to Create a Facebook Fan Page Editorial Guide
• How to Add Google Analytics to Your Facebook Fan Page
• 10 Tips for Creating Buzz With Facebook Events

If you have any comments, questions, concerns, challenges, (rave reviews!) – anything to do with Facebook Marketing, please do share in the Comments below:

[UPATE: Thank you for your interest in ISMA – this organization is in process of being dissolved. You may read about the transition below. If you were a member of ISMA, you will continue to receive access to all materials via my website on a special platform – please keep an eye on your email Inbox for information.]

This is not an easy post to write, but here goes — after much deliberation, my partner in ISMA and I have decided to dissolve the International Social Media Association. There are many reasons behind this decision and it was certainly a tough one to make.

Mark and I have enjoyed this journey together since September 2009 and are most grateful to our more than 3,000 members. Between the tw

o of us – along with Mark’s entire family – much effort has gone into building ISMA to this point.

However, like I say, for a number of reasons we have chosen to wind up our partnership and ISMA.

All our members received a special, heartfelt email message this morning with details of our announcement.

Live Q&A Broadcast

In order to communicate the transition of ISMA in person and answer any questions our members and other industry professionals may have, I will be LIVE on Ustream TODAY, Friday, April 30th at 1:00pm PST / 4:00pm EST.

Do drop in any time if you can at http://marismith.tv

I will broadcast live for approximately 90 minutes. The show will be recorded and the replay will be available at the same link if you’re unable to join me live.

UPDATE: I have embedded below the replay of the live Ustream broadcast:

What Went Right?

Rather than dig in and analyze what went “wrong,” I’d rather focus on what went right. [Props to Ian Newby-Clark, psychologist at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada for this great reframe in Psychology Today.]

Facebook beginnings

By way of background, I began my journey in the social media industry back in early summer of 2007. For the previous seven years, I was a relationship marketing specialist – focusing on internet marketing, information product creation, copywriting and email marketing. I would travel, speak, consult and lead online trainings – similar to what I do now, sans social media!

When I was introduced to Facebook, I was convinced that I didn’t need yet another online social network to help me network. I’m already a natural networker. However, I dove deep into this  magical world on a team of beta testers for a Facebook app.

Social media = paradigm shift

Of course, what we had begun to experience as a society and beyond was a complete paradigm shift in how we function, communicate and do business on the planet. Suddenly, it was ALL about the relationships. Not what you know, but who you know. And – often more importantly – who knows you.

Words like “authentic” and “transparent” were all abuzz. As consumers, we began to expect that individuals and companies would be more open, more sharing, more inclusive. Social media became “word of mouth on steroids,” as my friend Gary Vaynerchuk calls it.

Towards the end of 2007, I was creating Facebook training products, leading seminars and traveling to speak about Facebook marketing.

Best practices

But, I felt uneasy about what was beginning to look like a giant free-for-all: a new industry without best practices. There were so many unspoken rules of etiquette. With all due respect to the well-intentioned marketers who push the envelope and try new ways of using these new technologies, I just felt strongly about leading by example… and, I envisioned creating an organization grounded in best practices. I had a vision to create Certification Programs and an international community of like-minded, supportive professionals.

Fast forward more than two years on, and last fall – after leading my six-month “Mentor With Mari” program – I co-founded the International Social Media Association with Mark Eldridge, co-author of The Obvious Expert.

Gratitude

What went right is that I followed my heart and took action. What went right is I surrounded myself with a solid, supportive team. What went right is we attracted over 3,000 wonderful members and each week we were able to bring them wonderful industry experts who generously shared their knowledge and expertise.

We built community. We built a special place for loyal professionals to support each other. We spawned new businesses, new collaborations, new relationships.

I will always be deeply grateful for this profound opportunity to go for my dreams and birth an amazing social media association. I couldn’t have done it without the relentless support of Mark Eldridge and his family. And, we couldn’t have come this far without our members.

Closing a door is never easy. Yet, as you well know, another door always opens. This isn’t an ending – it’s a beginning. I won’t rule out other associations in my future. And, I’m certainly open to joining forces with other social media industry leaders… but not before I free up a wee bit more time in my hectic schedule!

My major focuses right now are:

• The launch of my first published book - Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day (Sybex, May 3) co-authored with Chris Treadaway. Do come join us at our virtual launch party on Monday, May 3! Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day is a comprehensive guide for marketers, business owners and practitioners alike. Discover all the ways your business can maximize everything Facebook has to offer, from simple quick techniques to full-on campaigns. Order your copy today and get a free series of online classes!

• My favorite event of the year: the extraordinary online Social Media Success Summit – brainchild of my dear friend, Mike Stelzner – which begins on May 4 and runs for four weeks. (It’s entirely virtual!) The Summit features twenty-four of the world’s leading social media experts, practitioners and leading brand representatives. See my post here for additional details. And, take a look at my video on YouTube: Ten Reasons to Attend the Social Media Success Summit.

• My own two-day live training programs: Social Marketing Mastery Immersion coming up on June 11-12 and again September 3-4 in San Diego. Attend live at a great San Diego hotel, or virtually via webinar!
• A long-awaited collaboration with my dear spiritual mentor, Esperanza, called Conscious Social Media. VERY excited about this – I can share details in just another few days!

• Plus, continuing my travels to speak around the globe on social media success and lead training programs on Facebook marketing.
• Plus, continuing to lead private trainings and provide social media strategy consulting for my dear clients.

I look forward to evolving and growing with you, my peeps!

Do feel free to add your comments, questions, concerns, ideas and feedback below! I’d love to hear from you.

I’m about to set off on a wee tour – which originally began as a private mastermind retreat in Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 12-17

Then, my friend, Peggy McColl, asked me to speak at her amazing Viral Explosions book launch extravaganza in Ottawa, Ontario, April 16 and 17. It’s such an amazing event, and my big sis lives near Ottawa so we get to meet up!

And, my friend, Joel Comm contacted me to let me know the Loveland Chamber of Commerce *really* wanted me to come speak at their next Social Media Social. We ended up selecting a date that worked for all of us, and I added on extra time on the front end of my trip! w00t!

So, if you’re in the Northern Colorado area, or Albuquerque or Ottawa – I’d love to meet you IRL (in real life!) at these upcoming events:

Northern Colorado Social Media Social – Loveland, CO 

WHEN: Thursday, April 8, 2010 from 5:30-7:30pm
WHERE: Embassy Suites Loveland, Clydesdale Parkway, Loveland, CO 80538
COST: Loveland Chamber investors: $8 to pre-reg; $10 at the door. Everyone else: $12 to pre-reg; $15 at the door
RSVP: CLICK HERE to register. [NOTE: I have 4 guest passes left. If you know for sure you can make it, DM me for a guest pass!!]

Mix, mingle and meet the people behind the avatars and Twitter handles! I’ll be giving a short presentation on social media marketing, especially a few of my Facebook and Twitter ninja tricks. PLUS, the Loveland Chamber are serving Aqua Mari’tinis in my honor – gotta love that!! Follow the @LovelandChamber and @NoCOSocialMedia on Twitter.

 
[Pic: @JoelComm & @MariSmith at the Affiliate Summit West in Las Vegas, Jan 2009]

Spring Tweetup – Denver, CO

WHEN: Friday, April 9, 2010 from 6:30-9:30pm
WHERE: The Lobby Denver, 2191 Arapahoe St, Denver, CO 80205
COST: No fee, but Happy Hour Specials & food available for purchase, of course!
RSVP: http://twtvite.com/springtweetupdenver [Please let us know you're coming asap so we know how many to expect!]

NOTE: It’s opening day for the ROCKIES, parking may be a wee bit tight. Carpool and take public transit if you can.

“To mark the beginning of Spring to see old friends and new, and to welcome Mari Smith to Denver.”

Thanks to my Twitter bud, Ashley Kingsley, for spearheading the organizing of this fun tweetup!! To see who’s attending, just go to the Twtvite page here.

Who’s going so far: 
 

New Mexico American Marketing Association, Albuquerque, NM

WHEN: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 from 7:30am-9:30am
[7:30-8:00am - Check-in & continental breakfast; 8:00-9:30 am - Mari Smith presentation]
WHERE: Hotel Albuquerque, 800 Rio Grande NW
COST: $25 NMAMA members / $40 non-members
RSVP: CLICK HERE to register.

JAVA TALK Workshop – Facebook Fortune & Twitter Treasure. How to grow your business using the top two social networks. 90-minute presentation for local business owners and entrepreneurs.

Huge shoutout to @KimGusta who happened to see me tweeting about my retreat at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya and she tweeted/DM’d me inviting me to speak to the AMA. Gotta LOVE Twitter, social media and the sheer power of networking!!

The Ultimate Success Event – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Presented by Peggy McColl. Includes mega book launch party extravaganza for VIRAL EXPLOSIONS

WHEN: Friday April 16, 2010 from 6:30pm-11:00pm (FREE book launch party)
Saturday, April 17, 2010 from 8:00am – 6:30pm (The ULTIMATE Success Event)
WHERE: Chateau Cartier Hotel (relatively close to downtown Ottawa, Ontario)
COST: Friday’s party is FREE! Saturday’s seminar is just $199!
RSVP: CLICK HERE to register.

To kick off the official launch of Peggy McColl’s 7th book, Viral Explosions, and ensure you have everything you need to make this your biggest and best year ever . in Life and Business!

LIVE entertainment by Diego the Humor Hypnotist! And Magician, Elliott Smith! And, Singers, Alison Comrie and Kristen Stephen!

Presenters at The ULTIMATE Success Event include Gay Hendricks, Joyce Bone, Scott Stratten, Mike Koenigs, Brian Proctor, David Riklan, Arielle Ford, Steve Shapiro, Ken Brown and more!

This will be one magical event – I look forward to seeing you there! Register now if you can attend.

Let me know in the comments below (and/or on Twitter) if you’re able to attend any of these fun four events!!

I was recently approached by the team at Vpype to test out their brand new Facebook app that allows you to stream LIVE video directly from your Facebook profile or fan page to your friends and fans!

This app is a gamechanger! Live video streaming meets Facebook. and the best part? It’s FREE!

Vpype allows you to:

• Schedule regular shows
• Broadcast live anytime
• Broadcast as yourself or broadcast as your fan page
• Select specific friends to broadcast to (think private conferencing, trainings, etc!)
• Archive your shows
• Embed any show
• Browse through your Facebook friends’ show recordings
• .and more.

So, last night around 7:30pm PST, I put out a tweet, updated my Facebook profile status and began broadcasting – within a few minutes, we had over 40 participants view the show (ultimately 247 live views) and engage in the chat room from around the U.S. and as far as Singapore, Iceland and Gold Coast, Australia! (See this prompt recap of my Vpype debut by Marianna Fridjonsdottir in Iceland!)

The Vpype Facebook app displays on your Fan Page as a tab called “Shows.”

By the way, here’s a hot Facebook fan page tip: All tabs to the left of Wall and Info can be reordered by dragging and dropping. In the screenshot below, I’ve placed my Shows tab inbetween my Blog and Welcome tabs:

Possible uses of the Vpype Facebook app – some are my ideas, some I asked my peeps in the chat room:

• Live Q&A for fans on your fan page
• Private conferences
• Family chats
• Daily/weekly show with guest experts
• Short tips/tutorial videos – live or pre-recorded
• New product demos
• Classes
• Video book reviews
• Virtual party
• Cooking demonstration

And a few excerpted enthusiastic comments:

We only ran into just a couple hiccups; for some viewers the stream was sticking from time to time (but that depends on variables such as internet speed on the viewer end, of course). Also, the chat area froze one time and I ended up hitting refresh – which temporarily stopped my live broadcast, but the users stayed connected and we ended up picking right back up where we left off. However, the second part didn’t seem to record.

Also, I first published this post with the video embedded – but was a wee bit alarmed to see the video plays on load! So, I took it out.

You can watch the show here. And, I’ve pasted below a screenshot of what the embed looks like. (Btw, the default width is 750px which is rather wide and needs to be sized).

A few items on our features wishlist as a result of this debut show:

• Embedded player does NOT play on load
• Default embed size is 600px
• Notification of who joined/left
• Participants’ names/avatars linked to their Facebook profile
• Ability to pause the chat area (similar to Tweetchat)
• Broadcast inside the “frame” of a fan page tab
• Ability to assign mic/webcam rights to others for live video interview

Vpype officially launches on Monday, March 15, 2010 at the Social Media World Forum in London.

So, what do you think? How will you use live video broadcasting on Facebook? Let me know in the comments below!