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The Top Do's and Don'ts for Facebook Fan Pages for 2010 (and why you want to be in the game)

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The Top Do's and Don'ts for Facebook Fan Pages for 2010

According to The Social Media and Online PR Report, published by Econsultancy in association with bigmouthmedia, 86% of companies plan to spend more money on social media in 2010, and another 13% are planning to keep the same budget. 54% of companies say that the biggest barrier to increasing social media usage is a lack of resources. The study shows that only 10% of companies are not using any type of social media. Social media is here to stay.

Facebook statistics:
  • More than 350 million active users
  • 50% of their active users log on to Facebook in any given day
  • More than 35 million users update their status each day
  • More than 55 million status updates posted each day
  • More than 2.5 billion photos uploaded to the site each month
  • More than 3.5 billion pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc.) shared each week
  • More than 3.5 million events created each month
  • More than 1.6 million active Pages on Facebook
  • More than 700,000 local businesses have active Pages on Facebook
  • Pages have created more than 5.3 billion fans
Average User Figures
  • Average user has 130 friends on the site
  • Average user sends 8 friend requests per month
  • Average user spends more than 55 minutes per day on Facebook
  • Average user clicks the Like button on 9 pieces of content each month
  • Average user writes 25 comments on Facebook content each month
  • Average user becomes a fan of 2 Pages each month
  • Average user is invited to 3 events per month
  • Average user is a member of 12 groups
The current question is not whether or not you should be using social media, the question to be asking yourself is "How should I be using social media?"

Fan Page Do's and Don'ts (and How to Annoy Your Fans)

Do:

Target event invitations by location. You can target by country, state or even city. If you are having a happy hour or a wine club pick up party, do not send your invite to all fans - send it only to those in your area. The bigger the event the larger the radius. No one is going to travel 2 hours to go to today's happy hour.

Post interesting and relevant content! Keep your fans interested and engaged by providing interesting news, information, etc.

Create a short vanity URL. Any Fan page with more than 25 Fans can create a shortened URL for their page as opposed to the lang ones automatically created by facebook, similar to ours: facebook.com/whnetwork and facebook.com/whjobs

Get your URL out there! Once you have a short URL, put in in your signature, on business cards, marketing material, etc.

Link your fan page to your website with a "become a fan" button.

Link your blog to your fan page. If you have a blog, use Social RSS to have your blog content automatically transferred to Facebook.

Use the "send an update to fans" wisely - and sparingly. Most people's in-boxes are inundated and overuse will cause you to lose fans, not gain them, so save this for important messages. Post general updates and product info to your wall.

Accept or ignore causes, pages, etc. as appropriate and as you wish your customer’s to perceive you and your business (religious, political, etc.)

Engage your fans. Reply to their posts and respond to emails as you would your regular email in-box.

Update your page as frequently as makes sense for you and your business. Post photos, specials, recipes, ask opinions, etc. Keep it interesting!

Seriously consider allowing your fans the option to post. Many businesses have their page set so that only they can post, which can come off as very self-serving. Encourage engagement by your fans!

Save time and energy. Link your fan page to your Twitter to update both at once.

Post and tag your fans in photos of your events. However, use discretion when posting! You will not create good will if you post unflattering photos of anyone.

Post specials or special offers. Such as these recent posts: Cindy Winery: Join us for lunch today and receive 50% off our flatbreads or 1 glass of CW wine with mention of the word of the day: Pancetta. Starlight Wine Bar and Restaurant:Red Beans and Rice Tuesday! Heaping bowl of beans and rice served with grilled andouille and cornbread. ONLY $13 Every Tuesday.

Don't:

Send an invite to become a fan over and over. Once, maybe twice is enough. Sending more than is rude and intrusive.

Over use event invites. I have sometimes receives 4 or 5 invites from the same business within minutes. This is not a way to gain fans - it is a way to lose them.

Only use your fan page to sell, sell, sell. Yes, people realize that you are business, and you wish them to buy your product or wine, but who wants to go anywhere where they are just going to feel "sold to?". Mix it up and post some things just for fun and interest.

Instant message people as a means to sell something! (No, for the third time, I don't want to become an Avon Rep)

Instant message people with nothing to say. Assume that people are working, or at least have something to do. I get IM'd by people with a purpose "Can you be of assistance?" or with something specific to say it is fine. Getting IM's by someone I don't know with the only message being "Hi" is just annoying.

What has worked for you? Do you have tips for social media? Send them to me!

-Margie

PS - I will be heading down to Firestone Vineyards on the Central Coast this Sunday to compete as one of the top three Firestone Pathfinder contestants. - the top three chefs will be joining us. Follow the action on Sunday, Jan 10th and Monday, Jan. 11th during the cook off and announcement of the 2 lucky winners, who will be hiking the Inca Trail in April. And of course, any posts of support on the Firestone Discoveries Fan Page are greatly appreciated.

I also hope you'll join me in Washington DC on Jan 21st & 22nd for the Wine Entrepreneurs Conference. I'll be speaking on the Social Media Panel. See below for info and for a 10% discount!




Wine Conference 2010

Blending Old World rules with New World business models to revolutionize the wine industry

Wine Hospitality Network is a partner of the 2010 Wine Entrepreneur Conference, which will take place in Washington DC on January 21 & 22. Hosted by the Argentinean and Chilean embassies, the event will feature a dozen discussion panels, keynote luncheons and networking events where wine entrepreneurs will meet and share about new business models that fulfill their passion for wine.

The conference, the first ever to focus exclusively on wine entrepreneurship, will also be an opportunity for wine entrepreneurs - at various stages of their projects - to learn from some of the most forward-thinking professionals of the wine industry. On both days, panels will feature innovative wine entrepreneurs who were able to follow their passion for wine AND leverage tools such as the internet & social media, alternative financing techniques, innovative design, socially conscious philosophies, a recycling cap, out-of-the-box business models or a combination thereof.

For more information about the conference and to discover the impressive lineup of speakers, go to www.enterwine2010.com.

As a Wine Hospitality Network member, you get a 10% discount on registration prices (enter code WHN2010WEC).

WHN WHJ Com Logos Copy

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Comment by Mary Maddux on January 7, 2010 at 1:02pm
Thanks, Margie. Absolutely sometimes you just have to stop. Always a challenge for me! This explanation helps. I'll see what makes sense for me as I spend more time on these two venues. They've been very useful for me so far!
Comment by Margie Tosch on January 7, 2010 at 12:57pm
Mary,

Great question. I should have expanded on this one (sometime you just have to stop through, you know?) If your post is too long it automatically converts to a short URL to the entire posting. Whether or not to do this is personal. You must consider the time put into each and what you want out of both facebook and twitter. For my fan pages they are linked, but my personal is not always (just sometimes!) It is a constant re-evaluation process!
Comment by Mary Maddux on January 7, 2010 at 12:50pm
Great post, Margie! It mostly affirmed what I am doing and since I've been evaluating my approach, this is useful. I have a question about linking FB and Twitter. Doesn't that mean FB posts would have to have the Twitter character limit? (May not be appropriate for me to do since I find a different kind of connection and tend to post differently on FB, but am considering it.)

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