Allen MirelesAllen Mireles Social Media Consulting | Allen Mireles

Google Seems to Have Misplaced My Facebook Fan Page—Have You Seen It Anywhere?

Allen Mireles — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:52:06 +0000

Until recently a search on my name in either Google or Yahoo produced the same results: my website and blog, my profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter; and my fledgling Facebook fan page for my social media consulting business. As a social media consultant, I have used my name as a search term to demonstrate that social networking sites come up early as search results. I have also done this to show how Facebook pages show up at the top of search results.

Earlier this week, in a discussion with a local businessman about the power and benefits of social networking, I did a search in Google for my name. My site and blog came up as did my profiles in LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Posterous. No sign of my Facebook fan page. My fan page is relatively new and I use it to share information about using social media for business. I share links to the posts others have written, I ask questions often and occasionally get responses from my 324 fans. I share the rare posts from my own blog. I started my fan page deliberately so that I would have personal experience with the positives and negatives of maintaining a Facebook page for my social media consulting business.

So I searched on a former client’s name. No Facebook fan page. Yet he has a carefully tended page with thousands of fans and his page used to come early in results from a search on his name. I then searched for Coca Cola; a well known brand with an extremely popular page. No fan page. I started to ask questions, first surreptitiously and then openly. I have tweeted, emailed and posted and no one seems to have an answer. Yet. Some of my friends offer the opinion that Google has, once again, changed its algorithms and that explains it. Or have posited that the inclusion of real-time search has changed how pages come up in search now. An SEO expert explained that I needed to write my posts differently using my page name within the post so that Google would read it and include it.

That may be the answer. We’ll see. Feels a bit awkward to include that language but it’s worth trying. However, that doesn’t explain why it used to come up and now doesn’t. My fan page, Allen Mireles Social Media Consulting or http://facebook.com/amsocialmediaconsulting, shows up in a search from within Facebook. As does my former client’s and Coca Cola’s. From outside of Facebook, however, not so much. My fan page shows up on page two of a Yahoo! search on my name (it didn’t yesterday) so that’s something. But what changed? And how much does it matter?

Oh wait! A Bing search on my name yields three references to my Facebook fan page on page one of the results. Has my fan page become a victim of dueling search engines?

What do you think? Do you have any suggestions? What am I missing here?

If you liked this post, please share it with your networks. Follow me on Twitter or find me on Facebook or LinkedIn.

Is Your Facebook Contest Doomed? New Promotions Guidelines Change Everything!

Allen Mireles — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:50:03 +0000

Last week the popular social networking site, Facebook, revised its promotions guidelines. The new terms of services restrict your ability to use your personal profile or page to conduct contests, giveaways or other promotions.

Creating a Facebook presence has been a popular social media marketing tactic, given Facebook’s active 300 million person user base. Contest and giveaways are effective for engaging with page fans and encouraging repeat page visits. Previously a brand could throw up a quick contest or giveaway, promote it to fans and public and award prizes without authorization from Facebook.

This is all about to change with the new promotions guidelines.

Most significantly, the new terms of service state that you must obtain prior written approval from Facebook before launching a promotion using your profile or page. Prior written approval can only be obtained from an authorized Facebook representative. You may obtain written approval from Facebook directly by submitting your request using this form or by working with an authorized 3^rd party application, which has access to an authorized Facebook representative and will obtain approval on your behalf. The form includes a field for indicating your budget range, which starts at $10,000.

Once you have obtained written approval you may only conduct your promotion using a 3^rd party application approved by Facebook, like Involver or Wildfire Interactive. You may only allow users to enter your promotion using the application’s canvas page (the place on Facebook where the application lives) or in an application box on a tab on a Facebook page.

Will the new promotions guidelines change the way business uses Facebook? Probably. Only brands with budgets of $10,000 and up will receive approval from Facebook directly and Facebook is well known for its slow response to customer service requests. While using an approved 3^rd party application is a viable tactic for some businesses and organizations, many will simply forgo the use of contests and giveaways on Facebook.

Will this drive brands away from Facebook? Probably not. Facebook will continue to grow and 300 million active users is nothing to sneeze at. However, this again underlines the importance of using social networking sites to drive traffic to your blog or website where you can promote your heart out without prior written approval.

Does this makes a fan page less attractive for a brand or business? It may. However the benefits of a Facebook profile or page are not limited to a brand’s ability to conduct special promotions. Social networking is about listening to conversations, offering value, connecting and engaging. These things have not changed. The businesses that get this will find and provide value using their Facebook pages.

Are you looking for other posts about this topic? Read Mari Smith, Nick O’Neill and Justin Smith’s Inside Facebook, for additional thoughts on the revised promotions guidelines.

Did I miss anything? I’d love to know what you think about this. Please take a moment to comment here or tweet your response.

If this post was helpful please share it with your networks.

@allenmireles’ #FollowFriday Twitter List for November 6

Allen Mireles — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:19:10 +0000

How is it Friday again already? Sigh…the week went by very quickly.

So today is Friday, which means it is also #FollowFriday on Twitter. For those of you who haven’t discovered the allure of Twitter yet, let me explain. #FollowFriday is one of the ways we recommend other Twitter users. On Twitter I tweet about social media and its use in business. This theme is reflected in the people I recommend for #FollowFriday. You can follow my Nov 6 #FollowFriday Twitter List here.

@Pistachio

I have followed Laura Fitton since January of 2008 after reading a post about her work and her passion for micro-blogging. Over time I have learned so much from reading the information she shares. I’ve also been touched by the unfolding of her personal stories and admire the balance she maintains between sharing personal information and maintaining a public profile. Co-author of Twitter for Dummies and founder of OneForty, Inc, Laura Fitton is someone I hope to meet face to face one day. Are you hoping to learn the ins and outs of microblogging and its benefits for business? Following @Pistachio is an excellent place to start.

@OneForty

OneForty is one of @Pistachio’s projects; a site that provides reviews and links to the latest Twitter applications. Twitter can be very confusing at first and the number of applications overwhelming. @OneForty provides a handy starting place for anyone new to Twitter or looking for Twitter apps to make your Twitter experience more wonderful or less time consuming—or both.

@CoachDeb

I also started following Deborah Micek, co-author of Twitter Revolution, early in 2008. I was lucky enough to be provided with a pre-publication copy of Twitter Revolution. I sat down and read it almost in one sitting and found the information tremendously valuable. It was so exciting to read about the way mobile marketing was (and is) changing the way we do business and Twitter Revolution gave me insight into the potential power Twitter offered my clients and prospects. I have followed @CoachDeb’s updates ever since and continue to learn from the information she shares.

@GeekMommy

One of the things I value about following Lucretia Pruitt (in addition to her technical knowledge and social media expertise) is that she is a generous and kind person who responds thoughtfully when asked a question. Many of the people I follow are, in turn, followed by thousands and find it difficult to respond to individual questions or comments. @GeekMommy replies and provides value. By following @GeekMommy I am able to tap into a world of social media information that I find fascinating.

@ScottMonty

Scott Monty is one of the superstars of social media and the social media face of Ford Motors. Scott Monty is an engaging speaker, communicating his extensive knowledge of social media and his passion for his work, with charm and humor. His blog posts provide information and insight with just the right light touch that he offers in face to face communication. He is genuine and generous with his time and attention. Following @ScottMonty offers you an ongoing flow of the latest information in social media.

@BrianSolis

Where do you start when talking about Brian Solis? I read everything he writes and admire the depth of information he provides. Makes my head spin. Following @BrianSolis will keep you informed about the latest breaking information in social media (with observations about sociological impact), public relations and marketing. A prolific blogger, and co-author of Putting the Public back in Public Relations, and Now Is Gone, Brian also takes amazing photos and shares them via social sites. Another person I hope to meet face to face someday.

@DawudMiracle

Dawud impresses me with his knowledge of online marketing, his consistency, and his obvious passion for his small business clients. He shares valuable information and answer questions when asked. This is an endearing trait in a Twitter user. Conversations with @DawudMiracle are entertaining and often educational.

@JFouts

Janet Fouts is doing some impressive things in social media and yet is very approachable. She feels like a friend. I enjoy reading her updates and watching her latest projects, which she tackles with enthusiasm. For anyone hoping to understand social media and how it impacts business, following @jfouts is imperative. Janet is another Twitter user who answers questions and also someone I look forward to meeting in person.

@Jakrose

I discovered Jason Keith recently while searching for blog posts to share on Twitter. I enjoy his sense of humor and the knowledge he expresses in his blog and vlog posts. His Twitter updates and observations are often pithy and right on target. I have the sense of someone who is building to something really fabulous and I am enjoying watching it unfold. I recommend him. He is fun and informative.

@SuzeMuse

Susan Murphy is a must-follow. She just is. @SuzeMuse is entertaining, intelligent and really knows her craft. I learn so much and I smile often as I read her updates. Her passion for helping others is evident in her blog posts and updates. She is consistent in her message and often absolutely hilarious in her delivery. Yet another I hope to meet—soon.

Listing the reasons I recommend following these folks is time consuming and I have probably overlooked as much information as I have included about each of these tweeps. Perhaps next week a shorter list is in order…I hope you enjoy these people as much as I do.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, follow my Nov 6 #FollowFriday List and retweet it. Please share my recommendations with your networks.

Twitter Account Suspension: What Now? Tips for What to Do Next.

Allen Mireles — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:34:59 +0000

Over the weekend I got a call from a friend and Twittermate who woke to find his Twitter account suspended. He was truly perplexed about the suspension. Twitter recently released new terms of service and is intent on cracking down on spam (a good thing) and perhaps his account was mistakenly included in that effort. Hard to say, since Twitter can suspend an account without warning and without notification. Fortunately, this friend maintains a blog and Facebook profile and was able to communicate with his friends and followers through those outposts.

What a good reminder though.

These things happen. Twitter accounts are suspended. Facebook profiles hacked into. What can you do?

My friend’s suspension could easily have been related to a spam cloud or problems with his hosting service (this happened to one of my clients as he started using Twitter). Unfortunately, my friend’s only recourse was to file a support ticket and wait for Twitter’s response. As it turns out, he was reinstated and back in business by the end of the day.

It’s happened before.

In July, Twitter mistakenly suspended hundreds of accounts, among them some of the big names in social media. The accounts were reinstated after several hours, when it became clear that a mistake had been made. Mari Smith was among those whose account was suspended in July and she blogged about some of the lessons she learned from her temporary suspension. Losing her account made her aware of how important twitter had become as a filter for information for her business. At the same time, she realized that “Twitter is only one platform for visibility, branding, community building and connecting.” Mari’s Facebook and other social networks served her well during the short time that her Twitter account was suspended. She stresses that even though these social networks are completely free they should never be taken for granted.

At about the same time, Denise Wakeman, of the BlogSquad, had her Facebook account hacked while she was involved in a daylong seminar. I was on Facebook as it happened and watched the dialogue between Denise and her hacker (truly bizarre). The person hacking into her Facebook posted that Denise was stranded in London and began soliciting money from her many Facebook friends.

Denise quickly posted a note informing her Facebook community of what had happened and many of us tweeted the information for her. She was able to communicate with her networks using her other social networking sites, her blog, and email. In blogging about the experience Denise reminds us not to put all of our social media eggs in one basket. She stresses the importance of being active on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn (and I would add YouTube) and of connecting with friends, colleagues, fans and followers–on all of them. She also cautions us. Although these networks offer tremendous value, we have no control over them. When one goes down, or a profile is suspended, being able to continue your conversations via the other communities you belong to is essential.

This weekend’s Twitter suspension are a valuable reminder that the only sites we really have control over are our own. Remember to use your social networking to meet people, build relationships with them and then invite them to join you at your blog or website. Offer them content that they find informative, valuable, compelling or useful and they will return. They may even become your next best customer or client.

Is there anything you can do to safeguard your Twitter account? While there are no assurances, taking these steps will help:

Read Twitter’s Terms of Service (TOS). They have recently been revised, and although they are not as specific as we might wish, you should take time to familiarize yourself with them. Twitter is cracking down on spammers and those who violate the TOS.

Backup your Twitter account. TweetBackup is easy to use, no installation is required and it backs up your tweets and followers lists.

Be cautious giving our your Twitter user name, email and password to third part applications (especially those that promise: “more followers fast”).

Steps you should take if your account has been suspended:

Go to Twitter Support and file a claim ticket or send an email to suspended@twitter.com but DON’T DO BOTH!

Use your email, blog, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and other social networking sites to stay connected and keep your networks updated.

Visit Twitter Search and check for #Suspended. Other Twitter users may be affected by the same thing

Check Twitter’s Help Page for hacked or compromised accounts

Remember this is not personal and may have nothing to do with you at all. Accounts can be suspended for many reasons and Twitter works hard to evaluate risk and reinstate accounts quickly. Focus on your other social networking and blogging activities until you have updated information about your account.

Most of the accounts suspended over the weekend were reinstated by the end of the day. I haven’t heard what caused this rash of suspensions but I’m fairly certain it wil happen again.

Will you be prepared?

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