Sacrilicious Marketing

Did You Know These 10 Amazing Facebook Facts:

1.     According to CNN, on March 13, 2010, Facebook became the most popular website on the Internet, even more visited than Google!

This means that Facebook, basically a referral and social network, is replacing “search” as the most popular resource/site on the web. The referral and social aspect of the site allows users to use the small world/6 degrees of separation theory to “recommend” information and businesses to other “friends.” Consider that when your Facebook friends can see all your activities on Facebook like when you update  status, make new friends, post links or fan business pages.  Since people are more willing to check out new sites, businesses and events when a trusted friend recommends it, Facebook’s focus on sharing status and activities acts as a recommendation engine for users.

2.     Facebook claims that 50% of active users log into the site each day. This would mean at least 175m users every 24 hours.

Facebook has one of the largest repeat and session hour audiences on the web which means if you use it right, you have a captive audience of potential customers. You can reach your own sphere of influence through your friend network and groups or you can step out side of that to the larger Facebook audience by using the targeted advertising tools.

3.     Facebook currently has in excess of 350 million active users on a global basis. Six months ago, this was 250m.

Facebook’s growth rate and user adoption continues to grow. Unlike Google and other search engines that index content, Facebook’s focus is geared towards the indexing of people/user profiles and their created content and interactions. It is built and extended upon a referral program where once you sign up, it asks you to connect with or suggest to contacts already in your email contacts, thereby growing itself and inter-connectivity between users with every sign up.

4.     More than 35m Facebook users update their status each day.

Facebook has a very high level of usage and participation which helps keep users interested and participating on the network. The value of a high usage rate is that it becomes easier to target and identify users and their interests based on their own created content and profile so advertising is highly targeted.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: unranked [?]

If you are the administrator of a Facebook Fan Page, you probably know about the Insights program. The Facebook Insights program allows administrators to view demographic details and interactions on your pages, but the downfall is that it is limited to only your fans. It is, by far, not as high-level as Google Analytics! Facebook Insight only allows very limited Javascript where as Google Analytics must run Javascript code to track visitors and it is FREE! By installing Google Analytics you are able to view visitor statistics, traffic sources, visitor country, keyword searches with all other powerful reporting, maps overlays and so much more.

In order to embed Google Analytics into your Facebook fan page, you must place it into the page as an image instead of the standard Javascript. This will allow you to track all visitors coming to your pages. It will require server-side cookie management and an additional <img> tag to the bottom of the Facebook fan page.

So, how do you do set up Google Analytics for your Facebook fan pages?

• Set up a Google Analytics account. If you have one already, simply create a new web site profile. Some naming conventions: facebook.com or facbook.com/your_page_name
• Obtain your tracking code ex. UA-XXXXXXX-X
• Create a custom <img> tag for each of the pages you want to track (Google Analytics link generator for Facebook pages.)
• Add the entire custom image html tag to the bottom of each Facebook fan page

Now you must wait for your hard work to pay off! Give it a few days for Google Analytics to do its work.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 50% [?]

So, if you have been following along the past few days, you have learned how to SEO your Facebook Fan Page, but did you know you can also SEO your Twitter profile? Social media is not immune to SEO and there are a few very simple and a few not so simple tricks that can help you to get the most bang for your buck out of your Twitter account in Google searches.

Most people think about social media in terms of socializing, but forget that it can be a powerful tool for SEO. Your Twitter account can be optimized for search engines so that you get the best possible value out of your profile. Here are a few ways to turn your Twitter account into a searchable work of art:

1. Pick a Username & Actual Name

Select a twitter user name that includes the keyword you wish to rank high in. For example, if you want people to find your Twitter profile when they search for Real Estate, make sure that ‘Real Estate’ is in your name.

Example:

@XYZrealestate

*NOTE: Do not use any dashes and make it short and simple to remember.

You can use your actual name for this or include the keyword again if it is appropriate (this doesn’t help with personalizing your account to you though).

*NOTE: If have an account already, you can fix this by logging into your Twitter account and clicking “Settings”. From there, change your ‘Name’. Do not change your ‘Username’.

2. Shorten Your Website URL

To accommodate Twitter using only the first 20 characters of your url, shorten it with bit.ly and get rid of the www. This will allow people to see the link before they click on it.

Example: http://bit.ly/ayacXC

If you need to change this, go into your Twitter account and click “settings”. From there go to the “Account” page and scroll halfway down the page.

3. Create a Bio

Be short and to the point, but make your personality stand out. You have 160 characters to make your personality stand out, so don’t waste your time with words that have no search value. Your bio should be a representation of who you are and how you want others to perceive you. This can make a huge difference in people deciding to follow you or not. Sometimes Google will include your location, so make sure that you provide this. The more exact the better!

*NOTE: To fix your location log into your Twitter account and clicking “Settings”. From there, change your “One Line Bio”.

4. SEO Your Profile Picture

Did you know that you can SEO your profile picture? You can’t add tags but, you can rename the photo before you upload it that way when it shows up in the URL it will have the keywords that you named. Be careful not to add spaces. Doing that will not translate the link very well. I don’t recommend changing your profile picture but, I would recommend changing the name of the profile picture and re-uploading it. You can do this by clicking on “Settings” and then “Picture”.

For example, rename your image ohio-real-estate.jpg and upload it and voila – you have a keyword rich url right inside your avatar picture! Sneaky but effective and your image will be indexed better in Google’s image search.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 50% [?]

To continue yesterday’s top secret tips on optimizing your Facebook Fan Page for Google and other search engines, here is Part II!

6.     Use Static FBML Tabs to Add Content and Call to Action Value

Since adding lengthy static blocks of keyword rich text and links is limited on your wall tab (Facebook’s default tab) you can use FBML application to build custom pages with additional text, links and images that can augment the content value of your page! I personally, advocate adding rich media like images and call to actions to not only interest search engines but get fans and visitors to more readily convert to your website and lead generation pages. Adding content boxes or tabs with FBML to your Page can be a great way to boost the content density score of your Page (note, however, that each tab lives at a separate URL in Google’s eyes).

* Power Tip – remember “alt” and “title” tags for images are great ways to add additional relevant keywords into the code and content in addition to helping your images get indexed! It’s also not a bad idea to use a service like PhotoBucket to host your images and make sure your images are names with keyword rich names since PhotoBucket retains the file name better than Flickr.

Resource: Custom Facebook Fan Pages

In order to add a custom content box or tab to your Page, follow these steps:

• Go to the “Static FBML” application on Facebook.
• Click “Add to my Page” on the top left side, and choose the page you’d like to add a custom content box or tab to.
• Once you’ve chosen one, close the dialog box, go to your Page, and click “Edit page” under your Page’s profile picture.
• In the applications list on the resulting page, you should see an application called “FBML 1″. Click the pencil icon on the right, and choose “Edit.”
• You’ll be taken to a page with 2 fields: “Box Title” and “FBML.” Enter the name you’d like to give the box or tab in the “Box Title” field. Enter the HTML you’d like to use in the “FBML” field (FBML stands for Facebook Markup Language, and is a subset of HTML.), and then click the Save Changes button.
• Once changes are saved, click the “Edit” link at the top of your Page to return to your Page’s application settings page. Click the pencil icon next to the name of the FBML application you just created, and choose “Application Settings.”
• If you want to add the FBML you just entered as a box, choose “Add” next to the Box option. The custom FBML box will by default appear on the Boxes tab, so if you want to move it to the left side of your Wall tab, you’ll need to then go to the Boxes tab, click the pencil icon on your FBML box, and choose “Move to Wall tab.”
• Or, if you want to add the FBML you just entered as a tab, choose “Add” next to the Tab option. The custom content should then automatically appear on its own tab on your Page. Note, however, that Facebook truncates tab titles after 10 characters, so you’ll need to choose a short title.

Need help with this? Hire Sacrilicious to create your customized high impact Facebook Fan Page!

You can set your new FBML page to be the default view for new visitors before they become fans by editing your Fan Page and changing the “Settings” by selecting the name of your new FBML page in the drop down menu.

* Power Tip: ALWAYS name your new FBML page something relevant that will get clicked after an initial visit. So, “Search Homes” or “Special Offers” or “Menu” or “Concert Schedule” or “New Music” would be more valuable in terms of clicks than “Welcome” or “Become a Fan.” You can always change the name of the tab after it is created by editing the Page and then editing the FBML application.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: unranked [?]

Most people forget that social media is more than socializing and lead generation – it can be a great source of SEO. Your Facebook Fan Page and Profile can be optimized for search engines so you get the best possible value out of your profile and updates.

1.     Pick a page name with keywords

Select a name for your page that includes keywords people would likely be searching when looking for your service, product or business.

Example:

Colorado Springs Real Estate

Celebration Florida Town Tavern

Capital Grill Boston

*NOTE: once you pick a name for your fan page, you CANNOT change it so select wisely.

Nobody is searching for “you” unless you are a celebrity so don’t create a fan page in your name unless your name has existing brand value. Use keywords that describe your product or service or if you have a physical location like a store-front include your location. For popular bars, restaurants and clubs, you should use your business name and location (town/city). Also, be aware you cannot give your page a generic name like “Boston” or “Real Estate” – Facebook has recently been disabling updates for generically named Pages – effectively neutering their ability to reach their Facebook fans.

2.     Select the proper category for your page

When you create a page, Facebook allows you select a specific category for your page – always select the MOST relevant category to index your page within. READ THROUGH ALL THE SELECTIONS BEFORE MAKING YOUR CHOICE. This is how Facebook will index your company, brand, celebrity personality so be very thoughtful when making your selection.

3.     Use the Vanity URL Feature

Facebook allows you to choose a vanity URL or as Facebook calls it, a “username” for your fan page once you have 100 fans. This is hands down the most valuable SEO tool you within Facebook, so select your vanity URL wisely.

Example:

www.facebook.com/coloradospringsrealestate

www.facebook.com/papajohnspizza

www.facebook.com/capitalgrillboston

This is where you have a better opportunity to include generic keywords than the page name, so be sure to include your most valuable keyword but still be sure to keep the vanity url short. The best solution is to combine your business name with a relevant keyword.

Usernames can be selected at www.facebook.com/username

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: unranked [?]

Everybody is so caught up in the idea of blog to book deals, but really when you look at the Internet fame deals recently they have more in common than just blogging. They are mostly consumer centric, driven by the micro content phenomenon and appeal to the Gen X/Gen Y demographic. Now, let’s dissect that statement.

Top 10 Best Micro Content to Fame Deals

Recent Micro Content to Book/TV Deals

1.     Shitmydadsays (TV Deal)

2.     Fakeapstylebook (Book Deal)

3.     Fmylife (Book Deal)

4.     Texts From Last Night (TV Deal)

5.     F U Penguin (Book Deal)

6.     This is Why You’re Fat (Book Deal)

7.     Chuck Norris Facts (Book Deal)

8.     I Can Has Cheezburger (Book Deal)

9.     Stuff White People Like (Book Deal)

10.  Fail Blog (Book Deal)

Resource: Exploiting the Blog to Book Deal: A Guide

Resource: From Blog to Book, How 6 Authors Did It

1. Consumer Oriented

When you think of publishing fame do you think Seth Godin or JK Rowling? Seth has penned 12 best sellers but only sold 20 million copies, has an ad network/wiki called Squidoo and a social network called Triiibes. On the other hand, JK Rowling has penned a mere 7 bestsellers, sold over 400 million books and yet her fortune exceeds $798 million, ranking her the 12^th wealthiest woman on earth… The difference? Mr. Godin writes to marketing professionals, businesses and entrepreneurs while Ms. Rowling writes to a family friendly consumer audience of children and adults. What this should tell you unequivocally is that producing something you can market to the mass consumer market is more profitable than producing content you market to the business market.

Resource: Squidoo: Seth Godin’s Purple Albatross?

2. User Generated Content

The user generated model has really taken off within the micro content community with Fmylife and Textsfromlastnight. Each has successfully built a very robust and engaged community of commenter’s, voters and contributors. The product is simple. Hilarious situational humor coupled with a standardized format. The lesson? Find a universal situation or topic that all people can relate to and experience and open a micro forum where they can share their experience and interact with other similar experiences. The Fmyscript script can help you create just such a forum. It’s your responsibility to come up with the situation, the standardized format and populate the first few posts then spread the site among your inner circle. With any luck and good idea, it should go viral quickly.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 50% [?]

Facebook is an essential component of any business. When you consider that Papa John’s Facebook Strategy was directly responsible for improving sales by 28% in 2009, you start to recognize its power. For real estate, a business page is critical, but the fact is, most real estate professionals do not utilize the features and functionality of the page to the best of their ability. So, here is my definitive guide to building a successful real estate business page that does NOT require tons of your time. I like automation and conversion, so that’s what this guide will focus on. Building a page with features and content that are designed to impress visitors, create fans and push them back to your website and lead generators where they can convert to contacts, leads and clients.

About 6 months ago, I noticed that every Realtor on earth started a Facebook fan page and for some ungodly reason, every Realtor on earth with a fan page asked me to fan their page. Needless to say, I didn’t. Why you ask? Because their pages were just lame and irrelevant to me. Then came Kevin Tomlinson… Kevin wanted a fan page that rocked the web. Now, Kevin is no slouch when it comes to content creation or hiring the best people to do the right job so, of course he came to Dakno and Sacrilicous. Together with Kevin’s already rockin’ fan page content Brad and I added listing search and welcome tabs through the FBML application. The secret sauce is creating a call to action welcome page and a Listing Search page then supplementing the functionality with applications like LinkedIn, Realtor.com’s MyListings and Slideshare. Creating a multimedia experience along with the delivery of quality content all within an interactive user experience.is the key to creating the most valuable experience possible for visitors. Here are 5 Tips that will help you build one of your own.

Become a Fan of Real Estate Fan Pages on Facebook and get updated news and tips on how to make your fan page more valuable.

1.    The custom welcome page and/or custom IDX search page

Landing on a Facebook wall is just boring. It is a wall of information that really doesn’t give people the full picture of your real estate business. And let’s face it, most of the real estate content there is somewhat boring, so create a custom Welcome page that uses proven conversion psychology to call visitors to action to fan your page and push over to your website and lead generators. Make sure you include a brief bio, all your contact information and call to actions to your lead generation tools like property search, market reports, contact form and even community profiles. Resources for buyers and sellers would also be helpful.

Examples: Samantha Nichols Thomas Druck Kevin Tomlinson Leigh Brown Sotheby’s Sam Miller Castles Magazine George Tallabas Carl Martens Lee Taylor John MacArthur Missy Caulk Janis Gigliardi Ken Jansen

Bonus Tips: Be sure to use the FBML application to customize your landing page and set the new page as your default landing page for new visitors. Also, remember that calls to action that push visitors back over to your website are the most crucial thing you can include on a custom welcome page!

So far Sacrilicious has been successful at integrating Tiger Lead, Wolfnet, 1parkplace, Z57 and HomeFider IDXs, but challenge us with yours and we will do our best!

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 50% [?]

When it’s simply not enough to release a raunchy sex tape, try becoming a true Twitter Whore and selling out for 10,000 per tweet to advertisers like Bumpit and Shoedazzle. So, not only does this girl act like a shameless whore in real life selling out her family to reality TV, her body to Golden Shower Sex Tapes but now, even her Twitter page to sponsored tweets. What concerns me most is that she is clearly skirting the FTC laws that require bloggers to clearly label sponsored posts and endorsements.

Personally, I really can’t respect any advertiser that thinks the credibility and trust value of someone like Kim Kardashian warrants $10K per tweet.

Resource: Twitter stunned Kim Kardashian earns $10k a tweet

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: unranked [?]

So, Paul Chaney and I were having a discussion about, well, everything and then we started talking about social media pet peeves and things you can and can’t do and we discovered there are no hard fast rules or absolutes, it’s all in the way you do things that separate the fail from the un-fail. So, in honor of our conversation, we are starting an AA meeting meme for recovering social media purists. So, here goes…

The first step in any recovery program is to admit you have a problem…

All The Twucked Up Twit in Social Media!

My Name is Mary and I am a Social Media Purist. It all began when I created my first Twitter account. It started off slowly by just broadcasting some blog posts then I started interacting with my friends, next I knew I was engaging with everyone and anyone, retweeting posts in my stream like a crack head on a bender and even getting snarky with the industry insiders on the “conversation proposition.” I became an “engagement junkie.” It was bad… I was the first to shout from the rooftops how Twitter was all about engagement and conversation and if you had a brand or were building one you MUST interact. I poo pooed on “broadcast only” accounts saying there was no place for them and how they “missed the boat.” I’m not gonna lie, I’d hit rock bottom. I was basically mainlining the industry jargon and social media propaganda…

But then, it happened… I found no engagement accounts that worked. They served a purpose, created a follower base and converted followers to leads, referrers and even sales effectively. They were gems among the coal mines of accounts, they were shining little points of light that made me rethink the whole idea of broadcast only accounts.

So what makes a successful broadcast only Twitter account? Most the successful broadcast only accounts have a proven format for tweets they stick to – see Fmylife. They provide humor, news, tutorials, tips, quotes, etc. They serve to collect large user bases and seek to drive traffic either back to their site for conversion there or build enough social equity and content to entice publishers to offer them book or editorial deals. These types of accounts have reformed my perception of broadcasting instead of socializing on Twitter. They have helped me to understand that there are no absolutes when using Twitter. If you have a goal and a strategy, you can bend Twitter to your will and do what others say cannot be done or should not be done. But, here’s the clincher, if you are going to go against the glut of social media “gurus” and use a broadcast only account, you just have to do it well. You have to offer something valuable in the content and push your visitors to a place where they can convert to customers. Below are a few broadcast only accounts that do it very very well that helped me realize I needed a 12 step social media program to cure my purist thought ways!

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 50% [?]

How to build a brand online with social networks

There is a school of thought on the Internet that says if you want to build a community for yourself –go out and find the fringers and give them a place to connect to you and each other through your brand. Find the outcasts and unite them. I say NO! No. It’s simple. The popular kids never give tutorials on how to become popular. And they never go out and sit down at the loser nose pickers lunch table and make them their tribe. If you want to be a prom king brand or product on the internet you need to build your clique from the top down with two distinct types of users.

Read also: You Are Not My Friend: Why consumers only want to hang with the prom king

1. The celebrities/influencers

These are people that everybody already knows and respepcts. These are celebrities’ in their industry. The household names. They have the ability by simply mentioning your product/brand/website once in a blog post or using it to influence a large number of people.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 50% [?]