Facebook needs a human profile

FYI – Do not create a profile in Facebook under a company name or the GODS of Facebook will delete your account.

Profile pages on Facebook need be an acutal human. This does not apply to fan pages or groups pages.

Don’t have all your hard work flushed down the toilet.

Facebook application information

Good news! (Thanks for the comment on the previous post from Bill Erikson.) It was before I read that comment that I found out that Facebook applications can be used on profiles pages or fan pages but that is up to the developer of the application to allow both or flexibility to have them on either or. Most Flickr applications on Facebook do not allow you to add them to a fan and a profile page.

If you are an admin of more than one fan page My Flickr will only let you add the application to one page and not multiple fan pages. I really hope that Facebook developers get on the ball with this because web marketing companies need these applications to make social marketing campaigns successful. I would even pay to have a good application with awesome functionality.

I can see it coming… As social marketing gets more popular on Facebook, developers will begin to charge for applications and they will kick ass and give us marketing folks what we need. I know I am very optimistic today.

Today I installed Youtube Box (you must register with Facebook and login to see link – BOO!) on Facebook for the Houston Zoo fan page and there as some grief but now the videos are on the fan page and not my profile. YAY. It works swell I just wish it was an austomatic feed.

If any of you web geeks would like to give more advice and share knowledge, please do leave a comment.

Comment on my previous post from Bill Erikson:

#5 – Yes, you can add applications to pages, but they must be specifically set up by the app developer to run on pages. Developers have the choice to allow their apps to be installed by users, pages, or both (it defaults to users). There are quite a few popular facebook page apps, like an RSS feed app.

Things that suck about Facebook!

Okay, I have a love-hate relationship with Facebook. I am still learning but I do have somethings that I wish they would change or at least upgrade. Even Myspace is doing somethings better… Yes I did say Myspace is doing some things better than Facebook.

I am sure that some would argue that Facebook is doing some of these things for a reason but they make it hard to use as a online marketing tool.

Here’s my list of things that annoy me and if they changed would make it easier to market businesses online using Facebook.

If any of you know of a work around for these, please let me know!

1. SUPPORT SUCKS ON FACEBOOK – First of all, the support system on Facebook stinks as most do. I have submitted several support questions and no response. What happened to customer service? Maybe it would be better if i paid for the service. I doubt it.
2. NO PRETTY URL’s ON FACEBOOK – You can not have a pretty URL on Facebook which makes it really hard to use your page as a marketing tool. No-one wants to use a UGLY hard to remember link like this on their brochure or billboard: EX:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Houston-Zoo-Inc/15008187525
   It would be much better if the URL could be something like this: http://www.facebook.com/houstonzoo
   
3. LOGIN IS FORCED TO VIEW PAGES: Then you cannot see a page unless you are logged in as a Facebook user.
4. SPONSOR PAGES GET TO HAVE CUSTOM GRAPHICS: I know that myspace ruined the ability to have custom graphics on Facebook. Facebook is taking to the extreme. Why can’t I add a URL to my copy areas at least? Sponsor pages can have custom graphics but the sponsor is control of the graphics. Here is description from Facebook on Sponsored pages: These groups are paid promotions by outside companies. The sponsor controls the look and feel of the group, but does not have access to personal information or profiles. The money from these promotions, like the money from all our ads, goes towards the Facebook’s server and operational costs. Sponsored groups help us keep the service free and fast.
5. CAN NOT ADD APPLICATIONS TO FAN PAGES AS AN *ADMIN: I am an admin of several fan pages that need applications added to them. I can not add applications to fan pages because it adds them to my personal profile instead. For the Houston Zoo I had to create an profile for Houston Zoo and then add the applications but could not do this as an admin logged in under my name. Now I run the risk of being kicked off Facebook because the profile for the Houston Zoo is just Houston Zoo and not a person. (rumor so far)
6. FAN PAGES HAVE TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH A PROFILE: Fan pages must be associated with a profile but for a business this is not appropriate. What if I need to run the Houston Zoo Facebook business page? I have set this page up connected to my personal profile and then I leave the Zoo 2 years later and I am a mad employee. Not good. Why does it have to be a person? Then as rumor has it you could be kicked off Facebook for associating a Fan page with a profile that is not an actual person.
7. BUSINESSES PAGE LINK IS HIDDEN: Ok I realize Facebook may not have been meant to use as a marketing tool for businesses in the start but why link Businesses at the bottom of the site? We are using Facebook as a marketing tool now. It took me forever to find this link. It is time for a navigation upgrade.
8. I CAN’T EASILY SEE THE FAN PAGE OR GROUPS I AM AN *ADMIN FOR: I can not find a way to access my fan pages or groups that I am an admin for. They currently show under my pages if you made yourself a fan. This is all pages you are fan of. LAME!

I am sure I will find more as I continue to email support at Facebook and tinker with the tools that are available.

If Facebook would charge a small fee for business pages I would pay to have quality contacts as part of my fan base. Then maybe they could target this product to normal users and businesses a little better.

If any of you know of a work around for these, please let me know!

iphone madness

Now I have an iPhone. Yes I will appear to be one of those trendy nerds that you envy. But whatever, it is cool to be connected from just about anywhere. From a social marketing standpoint I can now tweet, blog, email etc. all of my life’s experiences straight from my iPhone. So if you give me good customer service then hooray for you. I may just tweet it. But Larry Winget from “It’s Called Work for a Reason“, has inspired me to point out bad customer service every time. Even if it makes me the Asshole. Thanks Ed Schipul for recommending this book. It is way better then Storytelling. heh!

If you would like to share your iPhone finds with me. Hit me up!

Happy Spring!

Myspace goes live with public timeline feed

Now myspace is on board with the facebook public time line functionality. You can now see when your friends activity from our profile control screen.

Pretty cool…

Good link building and mindshare sites

We all know that a huge part of social media marketing is link building.  Here are a few link building sites:

1.  Digg
2. Delicious
3. Netscape
4.  Reddit

The best mindshare sites to me are:

1. YouTube
2. MySpace

Go ahead… pick a few social media sites and start to build your brand awareness and indirectly position yourself.

Good article about the 4 Returns of Social Media here.

Debra Ford Speaks out on Gorilla Marketing for the Houston Zoo

Have you seen your Houston Zoo lately? Well you should!

Today Debra Ford gave a presentation for the AMA on Gorilla Marketing for the Houston Zoo. As the account manager for the last year and a 1/2, is was good to know that Schipul and Tendenci have been part of a 10% increase in gate sales.

First the Houston Zoo Blog then the Houston Zoo web site re-design and who knows what will be next. Hopefully more fun interactives that will promote the venue spaces at the Houston Zoo and generate more $$$.

Thanks to Ed Schipul for allowing us Schipulites to attend the AMA luncheon and pay our respects.