Catalyst Café Schedule now set for October-February

Fresh Café goodness! Please note that the date of the November Café has changed to the 4th.

The Latest on Social Media

What's the latest buzz on social media for businesses, freelancers and nonprofits? Here are some articles I've bookmarked in the last two months.

Demographics

Top 15 Most Popular Social Networking Sites | June 2014
(eBiz | MBA Guide)
Official numbers for June. Who's on top?

Facebook Still Reigns Supreme Among Young Adults
(Mashable, by Andrea Romano)
Up-to-date stats for those who want to reach teens.

Issues & Opinions

Facebook Is Throttling Nonprofits and Activists
(ValleyWag, B. Traven)
An op-ed on the implications of Facebook's projected move to 99% paid posts.

6 Key Shifts in Thinking About Social Media
(Entrepreneur Magazine, Donna Moritz)
Is blogging coming back? What about Google+? Here is an expert's look at what's coming down the pike.

For Beginners

50 Expert Tips for Getting Started on Social Media
(Ryan Pinkham, Constant Contact)
What experts want beginners to know.

5 Ways to Establish Your Voice on Facebook
(Jesse Aaron, Social Media Examiner)
Is "being human" online harder that it sounds? This may help.

Pinterest Reveals The Most Popular Categories On Each Day Of The Week
(Search Engine Journal, by Matt Southern)
If you've been considering having themed posts on different days of the week, this might give you some ideas.

6 Steps to Build a Social Listening Dashboard
(Marcela De Vivo, Social Media Examiner)
Even if you decide not to maintain an account, It is important to establish listening posts to discover how people are talking about your business (or your competition!)

The Best Free Stock Image Resources on the Web
(Courtney Seiter, TNW)
So images are super-important these days, what if you're not a great photographer? Where can you find images on a budget?

Advanced Help

Twitter Launches An Interactive Guide To Help Small Businesses Reach Their Goals
(Matt Southern, Search Engine Journal)
A new, official guide to business uses of Twitter.

60 Awesome Social-Media Tools for Entrepreneurs
(Jeff Haden, Inc. Magazine)
Are you ready to begin using a management tool for your accounts?

Essential Social Media Design & Sizing Cheatsheet
(Salman Aslam, Omnicore)
Help sizing images for a BUNCH of social media platforms.


Four nifty ways to display and curate Twitter
(Joyce Valenza, School Library Journal)
One advantage of Twitter is how reusable your posts are. Take a look!

Twitter Photo Tips: The Ultimate Guide For Social Marketers in 2014
(Laura Roeder, LKR Social Media)
Twitter is more visual now! Here are some basics about the new best practices.

6 Ways to Get More Pinterest Followers
(Zoe Waldron, Social Media Examiner)
Make your Pinterest presence stronger.

Social Media News Roundup

There is tremendous buzz in social media circles over recent changes at Facebook and Twitter. Twitter is changing its interface to be more like Facebook, and Facebook (in addition to visual changes of its own), has been showing our Page posts to fewer and fewer people. The day is coming, we believe, when all page posts will have to pay to be seen; will you pay? Or move your activity to Twitter or Google+?

Here is a roundup of what we've been reading:

Social Media Strategies

• 26 Engaging Content Ideas for Social Media (Social Media Today)
• Post Smarter: The Best Times to Use Social Platforms (Entrepreneur)

Decline of Free Facebook Reach

• Is Facebook Too Big to Care? (New York Times' Bits Blog)
• Facebook is gradually eliminating organic reach for brands. Obviously. (Pando Daily)
• Why Is Facebook Page Reach Decreasing? More Competition And Limited Attention (TechCrunch)
• Your Facebook Page's Organic Reach Is About to Plummet (Social Media Today)

Facebook Management

• 5 Facebook Page Tools to Improve Your Page Management (Social Media Examiner)

Reconsidering Google+

• Study: Fan Engagement On Google+ Narrowly Trails Facebook, Nearly Doubles Twitter (Marketing Land)
• Report: Google+ Brand Posts Get Twice the Engagement of Tweets (Mashable)
• Google Plus Adds View Count to Profiles and Pages (The Social Media Hat)

Twitter Tips

• 14 Ways to Write a Customer-Gripping Tweet (Konrad Sanders for Andrea Vahl)

Twitter's Redesign

• Twitter redesign looks a lot like Facebook (The Verge)
• Coming soon: a whole new you, in your Twitter profile (Twitter blog)

Creating Community Online: A Top Tech Trends Talk

I spoke this morning at the American Library Association's Midwinter Conference, in Philadelphia. Our panel covered "Top Tech Trends," and my topic was how libraries can do a better job of creating community online. What follows is a fleshed out version of my contributions to the panel discussion. I think it is applicable beyond libraries, to any business or organization that wants to use social media to create real relationships with their following.

To put it simply, the libraries and organizations who understand that social interactions on the internet are real are going to be more powerful and effective on social media.

This means having the same thoughtfulness and interest and investment in others that we do at our service desks. It also means to be yourself, to be real.

Why not do programming? Why not share jokes? Why not put effort into acknowledging special days? Why not make the place you live and work present in what you post? Why not share secrets every now and then? Why not show how much you and your colleagues enjoy what you're doing?

Courtesy of Hillsdale Public Library Facebook page

Write (and photograph) with a Sense of Place
One of my favorite Facebook pages is the one written by the Hillsdale Public Library, in Hillsdale, NJ. They've created a running internet joke based upon the signboard positioned outside the library. Every time I read the update I picture a real person with a smile on their face and a twinkle in their eye. A recent favorite appeared at Christmastime: "Max out your library card this holiday season." Always, the post is a photo of the sign with the library's entrance signage just behind it. It works because it is clever, timely, location-specific, and corny fun. They've created their own meme that is directly connected to their physical existence, a link between the experience of the people who walk through the doors of the building with the people who visit them online. I see their pictures shared well beyond Hillsdale, on other library's and book lover's pages. How great is that?

A birthday card

On our accounts I have shared personal photographs of our city and location, a scenic valley between 4 mountain ranges. Sharing an extraordinary moon rise or a freak snowfall as the library is easy to do and has always been very popular. Aside from the visual appeal, I think these work because they remind readers that yes, their library staff live there too, and love what they love. It doesn't have to be all books and events.

Kitchen window with seed library seedling

Be Yourself, and Share your Passion for What You Do
Another example is the Seed Library of Pima County's page, written by one of my colleagues in Tucson. Justine Hernandez and her team regularly get out of the library and to photograph our library gardens, community gardens, and farmer's markets. She has even photographed her own garden and shared her squash failures along with her tomato successes. No stock photography here.

Here's the payoff. In 2 years, the Seed Library Facebook page has become the second largest page on sustenance gardening in the southwest, and a strong voice in Tucson's local food movement. Even more dramatic, the seed library was launched at a time when our Community Relations Coordinator position was vacant and there was no press release, no publicity poster, no traditional publicity*. And yet, the grand opening was attended by about 2,000 people including 20 vendors representing gardening clubs, seed preservation groups, the food bank, and community gardens. She has positioned the library at the center of the gardening community in Tucson.

It's important to point out another factor in their success: Justine, Susannah and Kelly consistently get out of the library into the community and build relationships in person too. What's different, I believe, is that they've integrated their social media presence with all their programming, as well as how they've been willing to be themselves online and talk to their readers as friends.

*There was a substantial article in the local newspaper, but it was because an alert reporter heard about the Seed Library in the works.

Try programming on Facebook or Twitter
We learned from Multnomah County Library the possibility of doing live reader's advisory on Facebook. Though staff-intensive, "What Do I Read Next Day" one of the most popular things we do. Advertise the day/hours, and the morning of the event make a post asking your community to comment with a list of the last three books they've read. At the library a group of our best-read library staff field the requests and reply to the comment with books custom-selected for their reading tastes. Our Facebook community tells us they love seeing everyone's requests, and they chime in when they have additional recommendations.

Another type of participatory programming I've tried is to go beyond fill-in-the-blank posts and challenge our readership to make something simple and send it to us. National Poetry Month is a natural for this. Last year I asked everyone to send in poems written with spines of books, and posted 2-3 every day for the month. Everyone loved the project and that their contribution was recognized by the library. Another year I asked staff to write haiku about books, reading and libraries, for sharing with our readers on Facebook and Twitter, and posted one a month during April.

Cosplay at a library event, with props created for photographs

Bake Social Media Behaviors into Event Planning
You know how everyone loves to photograph each other having fun to share online with their friends? Build this into your larger events by providing photo backdrops, props, or just a photography area. At Potter parties over the ears we've made signs to pose with (above) or detention slips for "Professor Snape" to hand out. At our Manga Mania!! mini-con we have a photography area where we will document the amazing costumes made for the event. After the event they are posted on our Flickr account, and (selectively) on our social media accounts.

A tweet from the same event

Hashtags are more powerful than ever
Most of the major social media platforms (specifically Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram and now Facebook) turn hashtagged words into links to everything else tagged with the same word.

This means that for large, photogenic events it is worth the time to choose a hashtag before an event, and advertise it before and during the fun. Include the hashtag on the posters, slide decks, signage, etc. at the venue, especially near any photo opps.

Why? You can look at the hashtags after the event and curate the story of the event as seen through the eyes of people who came, using software like Storify. An event narrative like this is a great way to report on an event after the fact (see what fun you missed?) and as a thank you to your programming partners. By the way, Storify only pulls from public posts, and notifies the creators of the inclusion of their post in the story.


Multiply Your Channels Through Your Programming Partners
Are your programming partners on social media?

Communicate with your partners and sponsors when you post so they're sure to share your posts, and be sure to share their posts. The easiest way is to tag them -- if they're paying attention they will be notified of your post (and hopefully share it).

The thing is, they will reach people who haven't discovered your page yet, or even your library, and their posts will magnify your reach.

True story: in 2011, we put on a party when Harry and the Potters came to perform. We figured (based on previous performances) that 500 people would come, planned on 1000, and were amazed when nearly 3,000 people showed up, in costume. I think the difference was that it was the first year we had programming partners (a big used bookstore, a beloved toy shop, and the hotel where we held the event) with a strong following who were great about getting the word out to their following.

Holiday cards

Make Greeting Cards, Plan Online Holiday Programming
This is something I learned from online fandoms. Holidays always have special events that fans look forward to.The shenanigans surrounding April Fools, and May the Fourth Be With You Day are a huge draw to their websites. Give your staff a heads up when Funny Hat Day (July 9th) nears, and celebrate it on social media too.

I've made special "greeting cards" for holidays like Veterans Day and New Years that feature staff and our scenery (above).

Please share your own discoveries in the comments! 

The next post will be looking ahead to a post-Facebook world. Thanks for reading!  --Lisa

Facebook 101 for Business and Nonprofits

Hi guys, Kassy the Grants & Nonprofit Librarian here! Lisa is away in Texas this week for the great South by Southwest Conference, which means that I get to host all of the Catalyst Café folks tomorrow! This week at the Catalyst Café we’re going to talk to folks about Page creation on Facebook for small businesses and nonprofits.

You may we wondering why we’re going to be covering Facebook since it’s been around so long and not some other brand new social networking site, but there is a major advantage to going with Facebook: They are still the most-used social media site in existence. It is especially popular among women and folks with aged 18-49, according to the Pew Study. Nonprofits already have a strong presence on Facebook, with 98% responding that they are connected on Facebook, so if you’re a nonprofit and you don’t have a Page, get on it! There is also a great value to having a presence on social media for nonprofits, with the average value of a Facebook Like being a reported $214.81 over 12 months following acquisition. These statistics are coming from the 2012 Nonprofit Social Media Benchmark Report, which has a plethora of information for you to use to compare how well you’re doing. Businesses also have a large presence on Facebook. There are “more than 13 million local business pages on Facebook, with 8 million that are active monthly,” according to InsideFacebook.com.

So where do you go to get started?

Start off on Create a Page. You’re most likely going to choose either a “Local Business or Place” or “Company, Organization or Institution” when you’re setting up your new Facebook Page for your small business or nonprofit. The next step is to choose the appropriate subject category for your page and to enter basic location and contact information. (An aside: Don’t worry if you aren’t sure what category to choose. Once you’ve finished with creating the basic Page profile, you’ll be able to edit and add additional categories that you may fall under. This is going to be especially important with the new Facebook Graph search. Learn how to optimize your page so that your page comes up in searches more often.)

The next step in the process is selecting a profile photo for your page. If you have a logo, then this is most likely what you’re going to choose for the image.  However, make sure that whatever image you choose is easy to see in the thumbnail-sized image that displays in the newsfeed when you post something for your followers.

You’ll then be asked to give a short description of your organization. This is a good place to put your mission and a brief history. Do remember to put your organization’s website in there so that you can get folks back to go back to your site to either buy products, donate money, or take some other sort of positive action.

You’ll also be asked to choose a shortened Facebook web address. Try to make this something easy for your customers or supporters to remember and type into their browser. It will also help you out in the long run if you’re putting this web address on printed banners or flyers. For example, the Grants & Nonprofit Info Center’s Facebook web address is https://www.facebook.com/PimaGrants.

The last thing in the Page Creation Wizard that Facebook wants you to do is add account information to enable you to pay for ads or promote posts in a variety of ways. I would probably skip this until you decide that this is something you want to invest in.

Those who are new to Facebook Pages should read this article on 10 Things You Need to Do When Getting Started on Facebook. It is a great that can be used by both businesses and nonprofits, and can help clarify a few of the finer points about Facebook Pages. You should also check out the Pages Help Center if you find yourself getting stuck.

Facebook does have an official Facebook For Business page for businesses who are using the social media website to boost sales, engage consumers, and brand their businesses. There are links to overviews on how to begin building your Facebook Fan Page

Conversely, the Facebook for Nonprofits Page is a little less well-organized, but still offers a few links to useful guides and additional resources. They mostly use this page to highlight specific nonprofit fundraisers and collaborate with larger nonprofits on spreading the word about specific causes and actions. It’s also a news venue for how nonprofits on Facebook accomplished specific feats, such as their recent post about the World Wildlife Fund getting 40% of all of the signatures on the Thai ivory petition from people on Facebook (March 5, 2013). However, while you’re on the page, you should definitely review the Guide for Nonprofits from Facebook that’s available in their Resources app.

Improve Your Page

There are already tons of blog posts and online articles that talk about creating engaging content, so I’m not going to talk about that now. Instead, I’m going to focus on a few tips and tricks for managing your Facebook Page in its infancy.

1.     Choose a cover photo that highlights the products or mission of your organization.

2.     Organize the Apps on Your Page so that the ones that appear in the toolbar at the top are the ones that will be most important to your followers.

3.     In the “Basic Information” section of your Page settings, make sure you add as many Place subcategories that are relevant to your organization.

4.     Post Milestones for your organization.

5.     Post at least once a day.

6.     Like other Pages for nonprofits, organizations or businesses that are related to the services your business or nonprofit offers.

7.     Part 2 of Liking Pages: Manage which Page Likes are visible on your Page in the settings. Click on “Edit Page” at the top, then “Update Info.” In the list of options on the left, click on “Featured.” You can then edit your “Featured Likes.”

8.     Announce the new Page’s existence and invite all of your contacts to Like your Page.

9.     Create Events and share them with your followers.

10.  Pin or highlight important posts so they remain at the top of your Page.

11.  Consider offering a “Deal” to drive people to your organization’s physical location. This service is in beta, so not everyone may see it as an option on their Page. (Offers are available to Pages with at least 100 Likes.)

I’m looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow! Come with all your Page questions. If I can’t answer them off the top of my head, I’ll try to find the answer for you.

Additional articles on Facebook Pages for Nonprofits

A Simple 6 Step Plan for Creating a Facebook Page that Works

Raise Money on Facebook: Four Strategies You Need to Know About

Quick Tips Guide from Facebook

Answers to the Top 10 Questions Asked by Nonprofits About Facebook Marketing

Facebook: Further Reading. A list of articles from Idealware for nonprofits on Facebook.

Additional articles on Facebook for Businesses

8 Must-Know Facebook Tips for Small Businesses – Part 1

8 (More) Must-Know Facebook Tips for Small Businesses

Facebook Graph Search Optimization: 3 Tips for Small Businesses

9 Hot Tips for Small Business Marketing on Facebook

Additional Resources for Pages of either Persuasion

Facebooks Pages Terms

Facebook Page Insights Guide. Learn just exactly all of those insights mean and how they can help you tailor content to drive better customer/supporter experience with your business or nonprofit. Interesting note: Two of the metrics on Facebook (“Likes” and “People Talking About This”) that allow you to judge how popular your Page is are also visible to anyone who visits your page.

Highlights from the "Building the Buzz" panel

We enjoyed the topic (and each other) so much that we stayed nearly an hour later than scheduled. I'm still buzzing with ideas. Big Catalina-size thanks to Kade Mislinski from HUB, Mia Schnaible from The Screening Room, Patricia Katchur from Yikes! Toys, and Shanali Davila from Cup Quequitos for their candor and generosity with their time and knowledge.

Here are highlights (at least what I remember).

Kade Mislinski (HUB) told us that the launch campaign for his HUB Restaurant was a necessity, especially early on, because his funding hadn't fully come through. Facebook gave him a way to share their progress that only cost him his time. Once the building renovation began, the Facebook page turned into a chronicle of the building itself and the history they were uncovering. He shared what fascinated him about the process -- and his readership grew. (Today he still relies on Facebook to keep his businesses fresh in the minds of his readers. It allows him to be more selective about here his advertising dollars go.)

This was one of the themes of the discussion, that the best engagement comes from a playful, personal, real-time approach to social media.

Another theme was that what works for one page, or one social media guru, may not work for you. Find your "online voice" through trying different things and watching for what works. Social media is too new and changing too quickly for there to be bullet-proof formulas for what to do.

Shanali uses Facebook to create a sense of place, something necessary because she doesn't have her own storefront. People may not be able to visit her store, but they can visit her Facebook page to see what's up. She loves to post things that will make her readers laugh. She called it "being goofy," but it's more that she shares herself. The element of fun is inseparable from her "voice" online.

Patricia used Facebook to redefine the business after she bought it. She needed a flexible way to send the message that the store merchandise was broadening into pop culture toys for all ages, not just kids. Photography of the shoppers and merchandise in her shop wasn't used merely to sell, it became a creative outlet and showcase for her considerable artistic skills.

Mia uses Facebook and Twitter to play games with her readers. In a twist on geo-caching, she hides objects and rewards the finder. She appreciates that Twitter allows her to interact with filmmakers and actors, something very useful for a theater that shows independently-made films. She demonstrated QR codes and how they fit in with her publicity.

More audience-building ideas

• Ask for advice and input, especially while your business is in its formative stage
• Free offer drawings (but as posts, not ads for legal reasons)
• Scavenger hunts
• Photos and images so good people share them
• Post a minimum of 3 times a day, especially while you're building your following.

Other tips:

• Look around your business or organization for tiny stories, juicy tidbits, and imagery that is appealing.
• Buy a smartphone and keep it handy for those spontaneous, ephemeral moments.
• Experiment. Post on a hunch every now and then just to see what happens.
• The more entertainment-focused your business is, the more playful you can be. Try one-word posts, relevant, pithy questions, play word games.
• Stick to the core of your business and don't go wildly off topic. 
• Social media isn't the place for negativity, whining or complaints.
• Be human: Shanali shared about the day her cupcakes exploded in the oven! 
• Be generous with your fellow area businesses, even your competitors; what goes around comes around.
• If you are on topic, don't worry about the "unlikes" because they're just not your audience, your core.
• Respond to reader complaints promptly. Some of us deleted these once they were resolved and some of is didn't.
• Think of social media as a chance to deepen the relationships you have with your clientele by sharing "you are here with me" moments.
• If you are booking performers, look to see what their own social media presence is like.