Is it just us, or is your Facebook stream full of stuff you don't really want to see on grounds of uselessness - or stuff that makes you seethe with envy at those ne'er-do-wells who have no right whatsoever to be in Kerala for a month...?
It being Spring nearly, we've conducted an investigation into how to declutter your Facebook use, both personal profile and page. With twitter becoming a megaphone for the US President, Facebook is starting to look like the only show in town. And for many of us our personal and professional interests overlap on our profile streams - whether we have a pro page or not.
PROFILE TIPS
Robert Scoble is a former technical evangelist for Microsoft, prolific blogger and Facebook fan. He suggests the following tips for getting the best out of your Facebook stream:
1. Put everyone in 'close friends' or 'acquaintances' list. Immediately focuses your stream.
2. Get rid of people who never post or never engage on Facebook; they're creating content clog for you.
3. Be sure to comment, like and share on topics you want to see more of - Facebook will recognize this.
4. Hide noisy people, even if they are your friends, they are skewing your content too... and they don't need to know. You can keep track of them by putting them in a list.
5. Have you got several public posts about whatever rocks your boat business and professionally in your stream to attract new friends with similar interests?
Mr Scoble says anyone with less than 400 friends is crappy at Facebook (am in that category here, then) and he also advises using all native apps for posting, rather than Buffer or Hootsuite. Crappy or otherwise, I'd like to mention the Save Post function as useful in keeping and getting more relevant content!
(Thanks to Tony Dowling for posting this advice on Facebook).
THREE EMMAS AND A KEVIN
Since starting FYI we've spent a lot of time on Facebook and have met some cracking users, who successfully combine the personal and professional. Funnily enough, three of them are called Emma:
Emma Doyle has built up her sewing business Sweet Williams into a shop and sewing studio in Pontardawe. She's a whizz on Facebook, has spoken at FYI workshops and her personal profile is here: https://www.facebook.com/emma.n.doyle?hc_ref=SEARCH and her Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/sweetwilliamshandmade/
Emma Probert runs Shapes gym and does loads for charity and her community. She's exceptionally open and warm on Facebook and enthusiastic, and uses great before and after photos of her clients. https://www.facebook.com/emma.probert.75 Am sure this Facebook mularkey is easier if you look like Emma, mind you...
Emma Bevan https://www.facebook.com/emz.cariad?hc_ref=SEARCH runs Ffollkyfelt and is extremely active in her community. She teaches her students to make amazingly cute felt things, so has a ready stream of inspiration for her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Ffolkyffelt/
I was just starting to wonder whether it was worth changing name to Emma to be good on Facebook and whether blokes could be too, when I came across this. Facebook page of Kevin Allen, director of Twin Town and its forthcoming sequel, Tin Town, this is a most entertaining and provocative feed, often with comments on posts in their hundreds. Possibly job title ' film director' helps here...https://www.facebook.com/kevin.allen.108
PAGE TIPS
Matt Davies runs The Parrot bar and Facebook page in Carmarthen.https://www.facebook.com/theparrotmusicbar/ His top tips for your page are:
1.Tag others but only those that the post actually relates to
2.Seek out people's experiences, views and comments
3.Have fun with it!
While over at FYI Brecon, https://www.facebook.com/Fyi.Brecon/ Karin Mear suggests:
1.Like other pages as your page so that you can comment and like.
2. Schedule posts for optimum times - 8.20am is good.
3. Always include a photo with your posts.
4. Ask a question!
Hope you find these tips useful and here's to happy posting, Facebookers.
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