Great Interview about Social Media Marketing with Kathy Stover

Good morning!  I know how odd is it that I'm doing a blog post on a Sunday... BUT what I want to share with you is that good, that you'll want to kiss me for sharing!

This week, I listened to a great interview about social media marketing.  Suzy Manning, founder of Sizzzl interviewed me a while back for her blogtalk radio program about following your passion and what that can translate to in business.

On her live show this week, she interviewed well know social media expert and entrepreneur Kathy Stover.  Kathy is one of my greatest mentors in the world of social media marketing.  She's on top of everything new in the world of online marketing... and works with several high profile clients planning their social media marketing plan and creating their entire online presence.

Listen to internet radio with SuzyManning on Blog Talk Radio

In this interview she's sharing with you some very helpful tips about social media marketing that I think you'll find really helpful in growing your business online.  (If you can't see the media player above, click here to visit the website to listen to the recording.)

Hope your week is full of creativity, love and family.  With it being a holiday we'll be gathering around a big feast with family.  I've been "told" by my 3-yr old niece that she's going to bring her "jewelry book" and we're going to make jewelry on Thanksgiving.  I'm still laughing... I may not have birthed her, but she's a chip off the Auntie block!  LOL

{Hugs!}
~Dawn

Facebook Friday - All those changes!

It's Friday and I felt a good time to do a Facebook Friday again.  This is the part of the post where I'm supposed to say something WOW and amazing about Facebook or teach you something fun and exciting.  However, with all the freakin' changes... I've pulled nearly all my hair out and the only 3 strands I have left are grey!  Seriously!

Okay, so what are those changes (or as many of us are saying, what hasn't changed) in the last 2 weeks.  And you're right... darn tootin' everything has changed.

Newsfeed - Facebook is now telling us what they think we want to see and read.  REALLY?  I've always been about honesty.... just lay it out there like it is and I'll pick what I want to read.  We can no longer sort by type of updates (like I used to sort by status updates, then check out the uploaded photos and if I had a boatload of time, then I'd look at links people posted.)  Yep, no more... you're being spoonfed whether you like it or not.  I'm still on the NOT wagon personally.

Pages - So much!  Really... and there's more changes coming.  Tagging, you can only "tag" someone in a status update (typing the @ symbol then their name) if they are a fan of your page.  Also, you can "tag" someone in comments on both pages and your personal profile.  People are still setting up personal pages for their businesses (doh!).  At the end of this month, FB is taking away the REVIEWS tab from all business pages.  As of yesterday, FB also added "Number of People Talking about This" just below your Liker count.  Which is nice, but really there's no way at this point of seeing who's talking about this... or be able to comment on posts about your business.  Too many programming geeks, not enough teachers. 

Photos - FB is only showing a snippet of the photo in the newsfeed if you upload more than one photo at a time.  You have to click on the photo to see the whole picture.  It's also a different layout on your wall.  It'll also take getting used to. 

Subscriber Feed - people can now subscribe to your feed to be alerted to everything you post without you having to accept their friend request.  So if you're in the witness protection program, this totally spoils your whole FB experience.  Really though, If I wanted somebody to read my everything about me, they'd be my friend. 

Who's sharing?  When people share something that you posted on your wall, it now will show how many "shares" this item has had.  You can also see WHO shared it and be able to comment or thank them.  Great for relationship building!  This is a great addition!

Many settings can be adjusted by editing your privacy options in your Account.  It's too much to list here, but you can check it out. 

On a side note, tomorrow Lorelei Eurto and Shannon (I only wish I could pronounce your last name because in my mind it's sounding like chocolate - seriously) Chomanczuk will be hosting a blog hop revealing great works from jewelry designers all over Blogland.  They put a great kit together with LimaBeads.com and the challenge was to design something (or multiple somethings) with the kit.  SO, mark you calendar so you can stop back here!!!  I can't wait to show you what I created!

TGIF all!  If you have comments on the recent FB changes, please feel free to share them.  We're all learning as we go and helpful tips are appreciate by all those still scratching their heads.  

Want to really shout it from the rooftops, share this blog post on your FB profile!

Facebook Friday - That Darn Chat Bar

Warning:  I do not chat on Facebook.  Have not and won't because that's really way over taxing my one track mind most of the time.

Did Facebook mix you up this week with their sudden "pop up" chat bar on the right hand side?  I logged in one morning and viola.... there it was.  And there was no 'x' to close it so I left it for a day before it irritated me into action.  Side note:  the friends that are showing are those that are most "relevant" in your interactions - according to FB.  I'm not so sure that's accurate, but that's what they say. :o)

I'm not a chatter... I used to chat when Yahoo Messenger first came out, I chatted my brains out.  I also got very little of anything else accomplished.  So then I discovered how to be invisible.... but people still sent me messages even when I "appeared" offline to them.  Don't get me wrong, I love interacting with other people.  However, when I'm working on my computer - blogging, marketing, listing I really need to focus.  There's just not enough hours in the day otherwise.   So the random chatting via messenger had to go.

Honestly, people who know me know to send me an e-mail or private FB message or pick up the phone and call me.  I prefer the more personal conversations and interactions.  (which is also why 140 characters on Twitter is also sooo very difficult.  But that's a story for another day!)

So how the heck do you make that darn chat bar go away if you really don't want to use it (or look at it)?

• On the lower right side of your screen, click on the starburst looking icon.  
• If Available to Chat is Selected, un-check it.  
• From this same area, you can also click "Hide Sidebar" to have it disappear complete.
• You can go back online to chat anytime but clicking that starburst icon again.

Another Side Note:  This morning when I went to publish this post, my chat worked different than it did just yesterday.  UGH... so if the above instructions don't look right based on your screen, today's version goes like this.

• Click that Starburst Icon on the lower right.
• Select Options, then click "Go Offline".
• That should disable chat and minimize that sidebar for you.

Hope this little Facebook Friday info helped.  It just shows how dynamic and radically changing the game of social media marketing has become.  I'm happy to share the tidbits I know and learn that may be helpful to you!

Hope your weekend is Fabulous!
{Hugs!}
Dawn

Where do you read blogs?

My Surprise - Yummy Big Hole Beads from JulsBeads

When I logged in this morning, Blogger had a little pop up window that asked me if I wanted to turn on Mobile templates so my blog would be readable on mobile phones.  So my question to you is where do YOU read the blogs you follow?

Do you read it in your blogger dashboard?
Do you read them on The Hive forum?
Do you use Google Reader?
Do you follow via Networked Blogs on Facebook?
Are you a Twitter follower?

So many choices.  I'm just curious, how do you follow?  If you're on Facebook or Twitter, feel free to share your links to your profile in your comment!  Take some time and visit a few others and spread the networking love around!  K?

Make it a terrific day!
{Hugs!}


One Big Beautiful Bead by Sarah McConnell is a great book for inspiration to create using lampwork glass beads!