Facebook Chat - Turn Off for Some friends

Here's another update from Facebook

Turn Facebook Chat off has had the enhancement now. This feature will really be helpful for those who don't want to be available on Facebook for all the friends.

Yes, you can turn the Facebook Chat ON or OFF for just some of your Facebook friends and Friends list.

While turning off facebook chat, there will be options to select whom you want to 'Turn the chat off'

To turn chat on for just a few friends:

1. 
   Click in the chat sidebar


2. 
   Select Advanced Settings


3. 
   Click Turn on chat for only some friends


4. 
   List the friends you want to turn on chat for

To turn on chat for all your friends except a few:

1. 
   Select Turn on chat for all your friends except in your Advanced Settings


2. 
   List the friends you want to turn chat off for

You can quickly turn off chat for an individual friend by clicking at the top of your chat window with that friend. From there, click Turn off chat to...

To turn chat on or off for a friend list

Click the icon in the chat sidebar and select Advanced Settings. Enter the lists you want to turn chat on or off for in the correct header:

• 
  
  
  Turn on chat for only some friends: Enter the lists you want to be on chat for
  
  


• 
  
  
  Turn on chat for all friends except: Enter the lists you want to turn chat off for
  
  

If you want to chat with someone who is on a friend list you've turned chat off for, enter that person's name into the search bar at the bottom of the sidebar. The name will appear grayed out, but you can click on it to open a chat with that person. Chat will remain off to the rest of that list.

The above steps are sourced from Facebook Help Center:

Can I turn chat on for just a few friends?

Can I turn chat on or off for friend lists?

Let us know your experience and queries!

Video content for Social Media

YouTube now has more than a billion unique users every single month. That means almost half the people on the Internet visits YouTube.



Read from YouTube blog - http://goo.gl/FKRHr



Earlier this year, Twitter released a Video-Sharing iOS App - Vine ! Read More about Vine - http://goo.gl/MGgYO



This shows YouTube and video content has the power to promote your company brand online. YouTube says that the first 15 seconds of the video decide whether the content is engaging. Some simple tips on creating a Video



1. Content for Social Media should be interesting and  communication/engagement starter. Basic ideas for video content include:

• 
  Introduction video about your product/service,


• 
  How Tos/Tutorials on using the product/service,


• 
  Creative ways to use your product,


• 
  Teasers,


• 
  Celebrations at the Company,


• 
  Stalls/Exhibition exposure,


• 
  Employees talk,


• 
  Update on products/services & New product release and more

All the above are content related to your company. While you use social media as a marketing medium, it is also important to create and publish content that are general industry updates, tips, advises, etc.



2. Use your existing Social Media presence to know what the audience expect from you. They might not want you bombarding marketing content on their feed.

3. Keep your videos brief and to the point. Lengthening the video makes it less appealing and interest will be lost.

4. Use simple and easily understandable language. It is better to replace Technical terms with an equivalent basic word.

5. Since the time is short, the content needs to be creative.

6. There has to be a message conveyed in the video. Beating around the bush is again an interest loser. The initial seconds can be used to tell what the video is about.

7. At the end of the video, include any references/credits and contact information as and when required. Video description can also be used for the purpose.

8. Make sure the video  is compatible with all possible players and devices. Have the same videos converted in to various video formats.

9. Video Content, when distributed, has to be properly optimized for the right keywords. But Video publishing/distribution is a separate topic to be discussed as an individual blog.

Stay connected with our social media presence to get all the social media updates and tips.

Reply option to comments - How to activate?

This is a follow up on Facebook Enhancement - Reply option to comments

As mentioned earlier, the option for replying will be available by default. But if it is not, there will be an option on your page to Turn it ON.

• 
  Log in to your Facebook page admin account and go to the page's home


• 
  On the top, above the cover image, there will be an option to "Turn On Replies"

 

• 
  Just click on the "Turn On Replies" button and it will be activated.

Now you and whoever vists your page can post replies on the posts' comments on your page.

Facebook Enhancement - Reply option to comments

Facebook has updated an option to reply for comments. Facebook pages now can reply to a comment(directly) posted on their page and other pages.

The person/page, for whom the reply has been posted, will be notified on the reply. It should be available for most of the pages by default.

Read through the post by Vadim Lavrusik, Journalism Program Manager on  Facebook + Journalists

Improving Conversations on Facebook with Replies

Check the enhancement yourself and post your comments below.

Pinterest updates - Pinterest Web Analytics and new look up

While we all were busy noticing Facebook updates and Google+ updates Pinterest released 2 important updates:

1. Pinterest Web Analytics

Pinterest announced Analytics last week. Read more from Pinterest blog - Introducing Pinterest Web Analytics

The data available via Pinterest Analytics are:

Pins - the number of pins from your website.

Pinners -the number of people who pinned from your website.



Repins - number of times pins from your website were repinned on Pinterest.

Repinners - number of people who repinned your pins.



Impressions - number of times your pins appeared on Pinterest in the main feed, in search results, or on on boards.

Reach - number of people who saw your pins on Pinterest.



Clicks - number of clicks to your website that came from Pinterest.

Visitors - number of people who visited your website from Pinterest.

These are the important analytics that help you to know the return(ROI) you get from Pinterest efforts. This helps you in spending efforts on Pinterest Engagement wisely. Check how the Analytics page looks at the bottom of this post...

There are many third-party apps providing Pinterest Analytics. They provide with in-depth details while the basic and essential insights are given by PInterest itself. It has to be noted that impressions and reach are not given by any third-party apps.

Read to know more about  Pinterest Web Analytics

This Pinterest Vimeo video explains more about the analytics feature

Pinterest Web Analytics Walkthrough from Pinterest on Vimeo.

 

2. Pinterest New Profile Look

Check  Pinterest's announcement on New profile look - Our New Look: More Ways to Discover What You Love

Pinterest informed on this earlier this year!

New discovery features is the important update on this new look. There were other users feedback included like being able to get back to the earlier browsing pins/pages without any hassle. Also read these earlier notes/messages:

Pinterest's new look

Switch to Pinterest's new look

Having these updates, the need of the hour from Pinterest is API access. It's be great if they roll out API access to limited third-party partners.

The important note here is that to have these updates on your profile or business on Pinterest, you should have verified your website on Pinterest

Go through these features and options and share your feedback as comments below. Also Check our Pinterest Profile!

  

Are you ready to Roku ?

Roku is continuing to prove themselves as an innovative company. SocialNetGate-powered businesses are about to get a dedicated Roku channel, with content streamed from their ecosystems.

Are you ready to Rokuuuuu ?
  

Facebook rolled out Lookalike audiences

Facebook rolled out Lookalike audiences - Lookalike Audiences: A New Way to Reach Potential Customers

This will be familiar to Facebook users who have been creating and running ads campaign on Facebook.

The recent update is that, in addition to creating Custom audiences, you can create audiences similar to Custom Audiences. This helps you to reach potential customers who are similar to your custom audiences.

For example, you can create a list of custom audiences who have participated in a Facebook contest that you ran, then create lookalike audiences who will be similar to your custom audience.




This is available for Power Editors only

To create a lookalike audience(From Facebook Help Center):

1. Go to Power Editor and select the Audiences tab on the left


2. Create a custom audience using a list of email addresses, phone numbers or Facebook user IDs in


3. Select this custom audience and click Create Similar Audience


4. Choose the country where you'd like to find a similar set of people and select whether you want to optimize for similarity or greater reach


5. Click Create

 Note: it may take 6-24 hours for your lookalike audience to be ready for targeting.

Here are your queries about Lookalike Audiences answered on Facebook Help Center

Marketers who had the leverage to use it as a beta has had better results (ranging from 60% to 90% better results) on using lookalike audiences feature.

Try this option now and let us know your experience...

Facebook Graph Search

Facebook has started rolling out Graph Search to those who requested for it, based on the geography.

Now you can explore anything on Facebook with phrases and get you the exact thing you looked for:

• 
  My friends who liked my photos


• 
  My friends who like (a specific page that you like)


• 
  Photos of my friends 


• 
  Restaurants nearby


• 
  Restaurants my friends have been to 

And there is no limit on the phrases that you can search for. There will be suggestions as you type:

 

The best part comes now. It is that you can still filter the results that you get for a ssearch based on various criteria:

First look of Facebook Graph Search seems to be awesome. Explore all the possibilites! Sky is the limit!

Post your experience[excitement : )] with us as comments below.

Facebook's new update

Facebook and Google+ are on updates spree... They come with new updates on a daily basis. This has strengtened the competition and better services.

The redesign for timeline has been tested in New Zealand and other parts of the world, but Facebook announced Wednesday that it will start officially rolling out the new look to select users immediately. Much like Facebook’s updated news feed, the goal for timeline is to reduce clutter and place more options in the hands of users. 

Read more on this at  

 

Facebook Begins Rolling Out New, Customizable Timeline

It has been noted that in most of the...

It has been noted that in most of the Google+ pages(including ours), the count of +1s is a lot higher than that of the followers.

Does that mean people would support the page and like it, but they don't to get updates from the page or they think they will get spammed?

Wheres, in Facebook, liking a page automatically makes them getting page updates in the News Feed. Is there a change required? Please post in your thoughts as comments here!

Are you outsourcing your social media marketing?

2013 has been a year that is seeing most businesses stepping in to the social media marketing already. It is an integral part of any marketing strategy. Good news is that most companies already have social media platform, and they are showcasing their social media presence in their websites. Some of them don’t have any strategy or any marketing goals in their social media platforms and some are outsourced to experienced agencies.

The main areas of social media outsourcing are Design, application development, content creation, status updates etc.

Why outsourcing your business's social media marketing and management?

Lack of time: Most of the businesses/companies don’t have enough time to do any activities in multiple social media platforms.

Lack of knowledge: Unaware of how to do marketing, maintain, manage, engage and monitor in social media channels.

Existing social media doesn’t work: Companies already have existing social media platforms but it doesn’t increase any fans or customers.

To maintain the huge fans and followers: If the companies have large number of followers and fans, and they can’t interact with them in a timely manner. Customer engagement is not done at appropriate times, in this case agency can help you.

Monitor the results: Outsource your social media work to an experienced agency they can easily measure your business and ROI. Based on the results, the activities/efforts need to be regulated.

Inappropriate platform: It is important to have a relevant social media presence. Concentrating too much on the social media platform that is not relevant to their business would not yield any results/

How to choose an Agency

Choosing an experienced agency is also important; it should be based on the strategic criteria and your business goals. Success in social media marketing is related with how they are planning and implementing the social media campaigns.

Investments in social media cannot be measured overnight; it takes time to build up in the platforms. Good social media agencies have specific and measureable plan. So consult with any experience agency to improve your social media efforts now.

Stay tuned and let us discuss more on these...

Google+ Sign-In and Google+ page Connected Services

Last week, Google rolled out Google+ Sign-in !

Introducing Google+ Sign-In: simple and secure, minus the social spam

Though, google already had an option to sign to third-party apps with Google accounts, this has been a recent roll out that has more to it, Google+ page Connected Services.

Here is a simple screenshot on how an option will appear on the page settings to configure Google APIs Console project to your Google+ Page. If this is available, it means your Google+ page is ready for th: 

How it works

You need to 

• 
  implement the Google+ Sign-in to your app


• 
  integrate/map the Google+ Sign-in with your page's Connected services option

Here is the step-by-step explanation from Google Developers Forum:

 

Set up Google+ Platform Insights for your app

To start gathering analytics on your Google+ Pages dashboard, you must connect your Google APIs Console project to your Google+ Page:

1. 
   Locate your Google+ Page's ID by visiting the Google+ Pages dashboard:
   
   
   
   • 
     For the page that you want to connect to your app, click Connected services.
   
   
   • 
     On the Google APIs Console row, click Start.
   
   
   • 
     In the dialog that appears, copy your Google+ Page ID. You will use this ID to attach your Google APIs Console project to your Google+ Page.
   
   
   • 
     Close the dialog or continue through the wizard if you'd like to see a walkthrough of the following steps.
   
   
   • 
     You can keep the connected services page open. You will return to this page to approve the connection later.
   
   
   
   


2. 
   Request the connection in the Google APIs Console:
   
   
   
   • 
     In the Google APIs Console, select the project that you want to connect to your Google+ Page Insights by selecting Open from the drop-down menu in the left navigation bar.
   
   
   • 
     On the Overview pane, next to the Google+ Page field, click Request connection.
   
   
   • 
     In the dialog that appears, paste your Google+ Page ID. Click Request connection.
   
   
   
   


3. 
   Return to the connected services page for the project from your Google+ Pages dashboard.


4. 
   You should now see the project listed under the Google APIs Console row. Click Approve to connect your project to your Page.

Your API console project will now start sending analytics to your dashboard. A Platform Insights button is available for this project now on the Google+ Pages dashboard.

 

Connect your Google+ page to your Google APIs Console to monitor the performance of your mobile apps and website.

We will be adding to our SocialNetGate and MarketPlace applications and update our experience.

Share your experience as comments here or at our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Facebook like a page and similar page list

Facebook might not broadcast all the features they update. It has become our responsibility(as a community) to keep people and businesses updated on the new enhancements.

Here is a recent update rolled out by Facebook.

Facebook similar page list for liking a page:

If you go to a page and like it, you will be listed with a suggested list of pages to like it. Check the screenshot below.

This is for the Facebook users to know.

For Businesses, you now have the option to control whether or not your business/brand page should be available on anyone's suggestion list.

This has been newly introduced in the Settings tab of your page's admin options. Would you like change similar Page suggestions for your page?

1. 
   While on the page that you manage, click 'Edit Page' on the top


2. 
   Click 'Manage Notifications' and the first option is what you need to change and don't forget to 'Save Changes'

 

Check the change and let us know below in the comments how you like it...

Google+ Update - Google plus page & profile Redesign

Google has been constantly updating its Social Media platform, Google+. Earlier it announced Google+ Page Login - option for setting up individual username and password for your page. Now, there is a new design on Google plus page & profile and more...

Check Sara McKinley's status update on Google+ Some profile & page improvements, per your request - Only way Google has updated public on the new changes. This seems to be a silent move. Let us go through the updates now:

Google+ Profile cover photo:

Google Plus cover photo has seen a major update. Definitely you can add bigger Cover Photos.
Minimum 480 pixels wide and 270 pixels; Maximum - 2120 pixels by 1192 pixels.


Google Plus profile photo, profile/page details, +1 count and Follow button will be displayed above the cover photo


Google Plus profile photo will be cropped to circle image of 250 pixel radius. The image you upload is still the same.

 About Tab:

The content of the About tab has been categorized into what they say as 'Cards'. Each card has separate 'Edit' link. This makes the editing of page details easier.

Reviews Tab:


'Reviews' tab replaced the earlier link from 'About' section. This should give special attention in the pages for local businesses. Moreover, it is pleasing to be seen than before. We can expect more Local reviews from customers and businesses would make this prominent.

Please note that these changes will not be available to some of the pages/profiles. Hopefully, everyone should have it updated when you read this and check your profile.

We shall discuss more about the changes on the forthcoming posts. Check the new changes and let us know your experience/feedback on the updates as comments!

Check our Google+ page here and let us know how you like it.


  

Lumio - An example of BRILLIANT design

Once in a while you come across something brilliant in design. Brilliant as in Steve Jobs brilliant. Lumio is one of them. Simple, intuitive and awesome.



Take a look: http://www.hellolumio.com/

 

Google+ Page Login

Are you tired of logging in to your Google+ profile to manage your business/brand page?

Do you remember the option of Converting Your Personal Account to a Page on Facebook? How good would it be to have a similar option for Google+ pages too?

It is time for expressig your excitement. Google has come up with an option to set up individual username and pasword for your page. Though, this option is not exactly as Facebook's option. In fact, it is more open and comfortable.

PHEW! You can now sign in directly to your page instead of signing in to a profile that owns or manages the page.

Moreover, you can take advantage of third party tools that link to your Google account, start/launch Google+ Hangouts as a page, use other Google services from a single sign in, and more...

How to set up individual username and pasword for your page

• Log in to your Google+ profile


• Click your profile photo on the top right and "All your Google+ pages" on the drop down


• On the pages list, click  More ⇒ Settings on the page that you want to set up


• You should be able to see "Third-party tools" as below

• 
  Click "Set up a password" and set a password for auto-generated username

• 
  You'll get to the confirmation page. You can also set up a gmail account for the created page.

• Your page with its own log in email and password is set now.

Check the update on Google+ Help to Set up a username and password for your page

Check below for additional notes on this update from Google:

You can still switch from your personal Google+ profile to your Google+ page, as you've done in the past.

You can also use this username and password with other Google services and to integrate with third-party tools.

Only an owner can request a username/password for a page, managers cannot.

This might not be available to all and will rolled out publicly soon.

Gmail account Integration
You can add Gmail to your Google+ page account created.

The automatically-generated username you receive cannot receive emails. Rather, page-related notifications will continue to be sent to the email address set for notification delivery in your page settings. Learn how to change these notification settings.

You can create a Gmail address specifically for your page, allowing you to customize your page username and receive emails at this address. First, set up your username and password, then visit http://mail.google.com while signed in as your page.

Google has come up with amazing . There might be options to connect all the Google services to a Google+ page soon.

Set up your Google+ pages and let us know your experience.

RIP Posterous

Posterous is a good example of how fast and evolving, social media is. It qas hugely promising and then started to become shaky. The alarm came in when they got acquired by Twitter. But the proverbial last straw for us is the outage 3 months ago. We stopped the support for Posterous since then.

Our "native" blog platform is powered by Drupal. We also support Wordpress blogs to be primary blogs for businesses.

//

Posterous launched in 2008. Our mission was to make it easier to share photos and connect with your social networks. Since joining Twitter almost one year ago, we’ve been able to continue that journey, building features to help you discover and share what’s happening in the world – on an even larger scale.

On April 30th, we will turn off posterous.com and our mobile apps in order to focus 100% of our efforts on Twitter. This means that as of April 30, Posterous Spaces will no longer be available either to view or to edit.

//

channel for your business - ready to roku ?

Roku continues to amaze the tech world. It provides an ecosystem that makes it so easy to develop and consume content in your traditional medium - Television. The ability to turn a dumb TV into a smart TV is just awesome.

Roku just released a new device for $99 with a faster processor and remote control with headphone jack.

Are you ready to Roku ?
  

pond5 expanding

Marketplace for those stock photos, videos and music is expanding overseas. Great news for freelancers.

  

Free Social Media Webinars This Week by...

Free Social Media Webinars This Week by Social Media Today



The Art of Social Selling: Does Social Media Disrupt Your Sales Cycle?

March 5th at 12pm EST / 9am PST

Register here: http://bit.ly/VY9uao



How to Keep Your Customers: Treat Them Well ?

March 7th at 1pm EST / 10am PST

Register here: http://bit.ly/YWb6Ur

Check for more at http://socialmediatoday.com/best-thinkers-webinar-series

Facebook is about to eat lunch

Facebook has just released a feature in the messenger app of theirs which will eventually eat the lunch currently owned by the telcos of the world. They said they were not interested in coming up with a phone (the way Google did) and that makes perfect sense. Just having the ability to call over VoIP would be good to reduce the dependency of voice calling.
  

Facebook Check-in Deals

Have you offered Check-in Deals on your Facebook page? How was it helpful to increase your sales?



Would you like to have similar options on your Google+ business page?



Google+ is constantly updating their platform and it is already advanced in many features than other social media platforms. But having options like these would be a big leap.



Please share your thoughts and opinions!


  

Facebook Graph Search will be a feature...

Facebook Graph Search will be a feature that serves as a search engine providing user-specific search results.

The beta version was launched on January 2013 for limited users in the United States.


Do you have access to this exciting feature?
If no, how eager are you to get access to it?
If yes, share your experience as comments below!

Black and white smartphone

Battery technology is not keeping up the pace with the smartphones. Result ? Smartphones with e-ink which will consume much less energy than high res color display. Besides, now you can truly be at the beach and check emails without squinting your eyes.
  

Social gadgets are on the rise. They...

Social gadgets are on the rise. They are converging with "Internet of things". The latest entry is Telesound a bluetooth-enabled speaker with sound emoticons pushed by your friends and family from anywhere in the world.



We know for sure we will have a couple of these cute speakers at our office. They are doing a kickstarter campaign. Take a look:



http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readiymate/telesound-the-sound-messenger?ref=category