Facebook Revamps “Pages”

Facebook Page Administrators had a little learning to do today, as the world’s largest social media site rolled out an update to not only the look but also the way those pages act. Here’s an overview:

• The update includes a revamp of the look of the pages, making them look almost identical to individual profile pages. They put tagged pictures at the top, and eliminated the tabs (this is a big one for us as it’s where our landing pages lived — take note).
• One important change is that the links for the tabs have been moved over to the spot under the profile picture, and are now just links. Fortunately, the update didn’t change the requirements or measurements of actual custom landing pages, which is a good thing for those who build them.
• Another interesting feature is that administrators can now comment AS their page on other pages or other people’s profiles. To explain, previously we could only comment as the page’s identity (rather than as Steve Mullen, for example) while actually on that page. Now I could go on the Facebook Page for Twinkies (for example) and a comment from me would show up as the identity of my Facebook Page. This will come in quite handy.  Additional changes related to this include being able to receive email notifications of user comments on your Page, something previously only possible for comments on your personal wall.
• Another feature related to the one above, but deserving of its own bullet is the new ability to “like” other Pages as your page.  Previously you could only “like” something as an individual.  Very interesting.

The one change that is causing some consternation among Facebook Page Administrators is the switch from tabs to the small links under the profile picture. I’m not particularly fond of this either, since they’re not as obvious now.  In the end, though, there’s really no way around it.  We’ll just have to work harder to promote the content in those links.  If one of those links is to a custom landing page, it will of course be the default page seen by all “non-likers” (yes .. I just made that up).

If you administer a page and haven’t updated yet, you have until March 10, when it will be done for you!

Using Social Media for Good

This post is, admittedly, partly designed to promote some new work being done by EndGame PR.  However, it’s about a larger issue — that social media can be a force for good.

This week a new social media campaign launched.  It’s called KeepThePromise.com, and it’s the brainchild of a group of Central Virginia churches.  The site has a goal of collecting promises made to God, while at the same time helping people who don’t have enough to eat.  The concept is simple: individuals are invited to post promises, whether simple, complicated, or downright frivolous.  One example: “I promise to be nicer to my sister if you help me pass this math test.”  For every promise posted, a donation is given to the Central Virginia Food Bank.  Visitors are also given assistance in finding a church, if they would like the help.

Critics sometimes point to social media users as being inwardly focused.  In fact, critics would tell you that’s all social media IS — self-centered individuals who post what they’re doing at every moment.  It’s so much more than that.  It’s a way of reaching out and connecting with other people we’d never otherwise meet.  It’s also an extremely powerful force for good.  One example from a recent article on cause marketing in Adweek:

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Online Privacy Doesn’t Exist

We have yet another Facebook privacy flap going on.  This time it has to do with certain application makers transmitting Facebook IDs to third parties.  Using a Facebook ID number, these third parties could theoretically get a user’s name, phone number, friends names, and other personal information … even if the user’s privacy settings are set to maximum.

While this is disturbing and should be handled, as Facebook appears to be doing, it once again brings up the issue of “online privacy” … an oxymoron if I ever heard one.

What we’re seeing in these continued concerns over online privacy is the struggle between the old way and the new way.  The “old way” is when you were able to remain anonymous online and offline.  That way didn’t last long after the advent of large-scale social networking.  The “new way” is that if you don’t want people to know about it, don’t post it online.

You can’t rely on a third party to keep your information private because it’s close to impossible.  If you put your phone number out there on Facebook, it doesn’t matter how high you set your privacy settings, it’s still “out there” and may eventually be found.

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Now Public Relations Actually Relates with the Public

I was thinking yesterday about some of the calls I used to take when I worked in corporate communications for a national retailer.  Most of the time when my phone rang, a reporter was on the other end.  Every so often, however, a customer with a complaint would call.  Customer complaints weren’t really my department, but I would listen and try to help if I could.  Quite often, I would have to transfer them to customer support.  At times, this caused the customer to become irritated.  I would calmly tell them that I worked in public relations, and I needed to send them to someone who could more effectively handle customer issues.  On more than one occasion, this led to the customer to say something along the lines of, “You’re in public relations, and I’m a member of the pubic … why can’t you handle my problem?”

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The PR Circle of Life

I’m probably not blogging anything that hasn’t been blogged before when I type this, but I’ll type it anyhow: There are more tools available to the PR professional now than at any point in the industry’s history.  You probably think I’m referencing social media and social networking.  I am, but there’s so much more to it.  And, it all connects in a way that precious few public relations pros seems to realize.

If you look on the EndGame PR services page, you’ll see a pretty long list.  There’s a reason for that.  I want to be able to do everything I can to help my clients.  I’m talking about not only social media, social networking and traditional PR tactics such as media relations, but also search engine optimization (SEO), web content creation, and even web design.  Imagine these skills and tactics as part of a never-ending “circle of life”.  Quality media relations campaigns can equal links back to a web site, which helps search rankings, which in turn can help a social media audience find you, which in turn can help you promote your quality web content, which can add links back to a web site, which can help SEO …. lather, rinse, repeat.  All of these strategies and tactics work well together, and should not be stuck in silos, as they are in so many organizations.

Perhaps the best part of thinking about PR in this way is that you’re not reliant upon one single tactic. If your media relations campaign isn’t going as well as expected, perhaps another portion of the “circle of life” will kick in and help you.

While I’m not suggesting that all PR professionals should know what a 301 redirect is or what to do with the .htaccess file (I do, but I’m a geek), they should know the basics of SEO.  They should also know how (or have access to someone who does) to create a basic web video.  They should also have the writing skills to be able to write an entertaining and thoughtful blog post.  Feel free to judge whether I possess that last one or not .. I won’t assume.

I am going to assume, however, that most everyone reading this knows at least a little bit about social media.  You ARE reading a blog, after all.  Not near as many have knowledge of the SEO basics.  Here are a few, with an example at the end of how the circle of life works:

• Keywords: The basic strategy for figuring out which keywords to use is to think of what words you WANT web searchers to use on Google in order to find your content.  Then, work those words into your title and copy (in a natural way, please .. no keyword stuffing).  If you want to get more precise about which keywords to use, try playing with the Google Keyword Tool.  Most important, however, is that you include those keywords in the headlines and copy of your news releases and other online content.
• Backlinks are king: One of the most important things you can do to improve your site’s search ranking WITHOUT digging into web site code, is increase the number of other sites linking to your site.  From a PR perspective, this can be done two ways.  First, create original content that people will want to link to.  In other words, people will enjoy it and want to blog about it or post about it on Twitter or Facebook.  Another tool in the SEO PR toolbox is online news release distribution.  Check out my sort-of-annual review of online release distribution sites for more information about this.
• Promote your content on social networking sites: Obviously this isn’t ALL you should be doing on Twitter, Facebook, Buzz and all of the others, but it’s one of the things you should be doing.  Obviously, the more people who know about your unique content, the more people who could potentially link back to it from their sites.  See?!  Circle of life!

What it comes down to is that PR pros need to learn everything they can about these tools, even to the point of teaching themselves a little bit of HTML and even how to use CSS.  These skills come in handy much more than you would expect, and can improve the service provided to clients or employers.

And, don’t blame me if you walk away from this blog post humming an Elton John song from a certain Disney movie.  That’s your problem, and I accept no responsibility for it.  It’s less annoying than Hakuna Matata, at least!

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