FaceBook Updates....

Recently, FaceBook has made some changes to their policies that you should be made aware of. FaceBook was was in the news which forced them to change their privacy policy, then there was the whole thing about not using contests to grow your FaceBook friends list and a bunch of other rules about what you can and can’t say about FaceBook. Facebook announced what they call “New Tools to Control Your Experience”.

According to FaceBook, the privacy settings are now “simpler” and there will be a tool to set the privacy levels on every post you make (doesn’t that seem simpler?)

When you log in to FaceBook you’ll be asked to make choices about opening up parts or all of your FaceBook updates to be publicly visible. You can set these levels yourself but it appears the default will be public. This means that for every post you’ll want to click the little lock icon in the bottom right corner and set your privacy settings for the post.

Minors however will have tighter settings so that anything they make “public” will stay within FaceBook and any networks or groups they’ve joined through the site. Minor information will not be released to the search engines.

I think this is a great idea. I think all social networks should work together on protecting minors. I hear way too many horror stories about children and online predators!

That got me thinking - have you ever Googled yourself? I did a Google search on Lisa Bevan and found some interesting stuff - you should try it!

I'm sure FaceBook will have more changes in the future, some we will love, some we will hate - but all in all, I still feel like FaceBook is the best social networking site for both business and personal chatter :)

Need a Social Networking Coach?

I have been helping people use social media and internet marketing to generate sales for years. When people ask me what I like most about what I do, it’s a tough question. There’s so many things I love about it. I meet the most amazing people, get to learn about what they do, how they look at their business and find ways for them to reach out to new clients, build their brand and establish themselves at the center of their own networks. I show them how this stuff works and that means I get to learn about new tools and networks as they come out so I can find just the right fit for each of them.

I'm in the process of creating a whole line of social media and internet marketing videos and e-books to post on Gateway - a new informational portal from The Gift Basket Association.

So, how can I help you NOW!? I woke up this morning in the Christmas spirit and wanted to make an offer. If you have any questions, need help setting up or fixing your profiles, want a quick tutorial on how to use social networks to generate sales..... just send me an email at lisa@lisabevan.com and I will give you FREE answers and advise - until Christmas

Everything I teach is from experience. I use my own Gift Basket online store as a guinea pig to see what works and what doesn't. I also am a member of a group called StomperNet.com that has experts in all aspects of social networking and internet marketing who give us advise on what's new, what is no longer working and what is coming up.

Let me help you be seen online and generate more sales this Christmas :)

Social Media and Cyber Monday

The term Cyber Monday refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday and marks the beginning of the online holiday shopping season when Online retailers strive to offer the lowest prices and great deals...

More than 8 out of 10 shoppers will be looking for discounts on Cyber Monday and 69 percent will be searching for free online shipping.

Using your Social Networking skills can enhance your sales dramatically. Here are a few tips for this year.

1) After updating your site with your Cyber Monday promotion, make sure to post the sale to your blog.

2) Then update your Facebook and Twitter status with a link to your new blog post.

3) Log into your StumbleUpon account and make sure to add a link there as well.

4) Also, you can go to online-sweepstakes.com and post your sale there as well.

I personally offer FREE ground shipping - use your imagination. Maybe, buy one - get one free, offer a free size upgrade or an extra little something with every gift :) Just make sure that you measure your ROI (Return on Investment) and not end up loosing money on the sale you choose.

Consumers are more likely to recomend products from Social Networking sites

I was emailed this consumer market research study from one of my social networking subscriptions and thought I would share it with you. I found it rather interesting.....

Consumers are more willing to engage with and buy from brands on social networking sites, according to a new study by Performics and ROI Research.

The study found 34% of customers who have used a search engine to find information on a product/brand after seeing an advertisement on a social networking site. In addition, 30% have learned about a new product, service or brand from a social networking site.

"Social networks are creating a monumental shift in how people communicate with each other and with brands," said Michael Kahn, SVP of Marketing at Performics.

"The results of this study can help marketers better understand where and how consumers interact with social media sites and what types of offers and communications engage them and motivate them to act."

The study also found the opportunity for engaging with consumers on specific social networking sites:

• 46% of consumers say they would talk about or recommend a product on Facebook
• 44% of Twitter users have recommended a product
• 36% of YouTube users say that they have gone to an online retailer or e-commerce site after learning about a brand on a social networking site

"The numbers are staggering. One in four consumers have four or more active social network accounts and more than one quarter access their Facebook or Twitter accounts at least once a day via their mobile phone," said Scott Haiges, President of ROI Research.

"We knew that these sites are extremely popular for socializing, but the level of interest for branding and promotional marketing content is surprisingly large.