These days creating a great Web site is just the beginning. To build an audience, grow your network, and make the most of today's online opportunities, you'll need Social Media -- from Facebook to Twitter to Blogging and Email Newsletters.
Check back here for regular updates, or sign up for the newsletter and I'll make sure you never miss a tip.
Facebook: Should you show your face on a Fan Page, Group, or Profile?
Facebook is the unquestioned market leader in the social networking space. Their growth over the last three years has been mind-boggling. In December 2008, the site had 42 million registered users in the U.S.
As of December 2009, there were 100 million U.S. citizens on Facebook, and 350 million worldwide. That’s an enormous audience, one that authors, actors, and others around the world are trying to figure out how to use to promote their books, connect with their fans, and do market research.
But Facebook can be confusing so this month, I’m going to focus on the question: What’s the difference between a Facebook Profile, a Facebook Fan Page, and a Facebook Group, and how can I figure out which one is best for me?
In a nutshell, Profiles are for individuals, Groups are meant to foster discussion, and Fan Pages are designed for actors, authors, businesses, bands, and the like to broadcast information to an audience. (Read full comparison of Facebook Fan Pages, Groups, and Profiles.)
Email Services Reviews and Comparison Table
I’ve spent way too much time in the last few weeks working my way through five different email services. I signed up for each one, took the time to hand-enter and import addresses to test the features, browsed their various templates, and experimented with their template editing tools.
None of them got a perfect score. Big surprise, right?
Follow these links to:
- Learn more about what you should consider when choosing an email service, read this review.
- Compare all of the different these bulk email services, I created this comparison table.
- For this review, I tested these popular services: ConstantContact, iContact, BenchMark Email, AWeber and StreamSend.com.
How to send email newsletters (without looking like a spammer)
As promised, this week I'm using an email service that includes a way to unsubscribe. Consistent with my "practice what you preach" ethos, I've used my research into finding the best email newsletter service to construct my tip this week.
The first thing you should know about building your online network through a newsletter is how not to look like a spammer. Anyone who has an email inbox knows that clogging it up with unwanted messages is the quickest way to infuriate the very people you want to reach.
Bulk email services offer a panoply of tools designed to help you get your messages out, while complying with both Federal laws and "netiquette." (Read more)
Earn ‘status’ in your networks
If you haven’t updated your status on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter lately, consider using one of these ideas.
- Ask a question related to your latest book, research project, or business venture. This week, I asked my followers and friends to send me links to web sites that look good on mobile phones to feature in my latest book.
- Let people know if you’re traveling – status updates make it easy to reach out to people where you’re headed so you can connect IRL (yes, the most important part of network building is still done ‘In Real Life’)
- Share a favorite link or hot news item in your specialty area – odds are, many of the people in your networks on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn share your interests
Make updating your status at least a weekly habit – and if you’re a daily poster make sure your followers welcome your status updates.
For those who barely have time to update Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, spend a few minutes this week linking the three together. Yes, you can now set up Twitter to update both Facebook and LinkedIn at once.
