Considering that today’s students were born wired, and live and play in the world of the Web, the challenge for many teachers and administrators is meeting students on their own turf and adapting to the students’ medium of choice.  Specifically, the emergence of social networks has created a technical gap between teachers, students, and parents unlike any that has previously existed.  The need to use technology in the classroom is becoming more important every day.  Clearly, social networking will be at the core of any technology that is to succeed in the classroom.

Although some teachers are hesitant to use social networking (also referred to as Web 2.0) - considering privacy issues and a potentially steep learning curve - it’s important that they learn to understand and use these tools that are becoming increasingly embedded in the lives of their students.

However, social networks such as MySpace and Facebook are the students’ domain, and teachers and parents may not always be welcome.  To many of today’s students, a teacher socializing on Facebook is the equivalent of having that teacher show up at a weekend party, or at a regular student hangout.

Today’s educators need an intuitive, safe, online environment that connects students, teachers, parents, and administrators in a responsible way.  One that is geared toward education and one that, while driven by teachers, is open to students, parents, and administrators.

Simply put, they need a social network for the classroom.

In a true Web 2.0 environment, students, parents, and administrators can participate in the teaching process by showing mastery of a specific topic or concept.  All parties can interact to ask questions, share knowledge, and relay experiences.  The proliferation of ideas never needs to be stagnant.  This concept applies not only within a specific classroom, but across all classrooms that can now share a common learning environment - a common social network.  To take it a step further, the concept not only applies to all classrooms sharing that same learning environment, but to all classrooms across time.

Consider, as an example, a lesson that was taught in the classroom just ten years ago:  The lesson was introduced, a discussion followed, and the lesson ended.

Now, consider that same lesson as it is taught in a Web 2.0 embraced environment:  The lesson is introduced, and an online discussion follows.  But this discussion includes the viewpoints and experiences of students, teachers, administrators, and parents from around the globe.  It will include comments and span new ideas and conversations.  It will be supported by images and videos which will also spawn new ideas and conversations.

In addition, this same lesson, when taught the following year, already has the foundation of the previous year’s information.  The next year builds upon the previous two years, and so on.  In the end, we have an ever-growing historical account of the ideas brought about by the lesson - a clearly superior situation to the way it had been taught ten years earlier.

Considering the speed at which technology is evolving, teachers should be encouraged to find and use a social network.  One that can be used responsibly and that is geared toward the proliferation of ideas that start in the classroom.

Rich Kaye has 15 years experience teaching technology.

He is currently a contributor to http://www.Classroomn.com - a social network for teachers, students, parents, and administrators.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rich_L_Kaye http://EzineArticles.com/?Social-Network-Technology-in-the-Classroom&id=1087558

An online community is a social network with common interests and goals that people from across the globe can join to share their feelings and views.  There are a variety of different types of communities you can join and many ways to participate and interact within the community.

Two popular online communities right now are MySpace and Facebook.  These sites let you create your own unique page designed to your likes and interests.  You can post pictures, join groups, add friends, find friends and co-workers and even start pages for your company.  You can post blogs on your own page, which are sort of like journal entries, post comments on your friend’s pages or group pages and send private messages.  One can also create pages for a cause you are interested in or an activity you are having and through the site you can send invitations and invite people to join.  If you are making your own personal page, you have the option to make sure that only your “friends” can see your page. This makes these communities secure and keeps everyone safe from online predators.  These sites are a very good way to keep in touch with your friends and family or to reunite with old ones.

Other popular online communities generally consist of journal or blog sites.  On these sites you can write down all of your emotions and feelings or just write about your day and get feedback from other members of the community.  You have the option of making your entries private or available to the public to view.  These sites also let you add friends so you can keep up on their daily lives as well.

There are also online communities available in almost every town. Here, members can have access to local classified ads ranging from pets to houses for sale. You can also stay on top of local news and all upcoming events so you won’t miss a thing. Most of these sites also set up forums so you can chat with other locals in your area and allow you to set up your own personal profile and even add photos.

As you can see, there is more to the internet than just looking up information. Online communities are an easy way to keep up with what’s going on in the world and to voice your opinion on issues that concern you and most importantly, to keep up with the people we care about without having to disrupt your hectic lifestyle. There is an online community out there for just about everyone.

The [http://www.tucsongrapevine.com/]Tucson Grapevine has taken the YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, and Craig’s List concepts and packaged it together in such a manner that you have the power of reaching your local community with impact!  Article written and distributed by Steven Cancel at Secure Link - [http://www.slcomputerrepair.com]Computer Repair Michigan

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Cancel http://EzineArticles.com/?Internet-Social-Networking-Explained&id=1114835

“Hey listen - I’ve got 3,985 friends!”

A couple of years ago if your friend said this you would have laughed. But now you have got to believe him/her because you are living in the age of Orkut and MySpace and other such online communities - commonly called Social Networking Sites (SNS)

In the past one decade Social Networking Sites have come up in different parts of the world catering to different languages and cultures. It is estimated that combined there are now over 200 social networking sites using these existing and emerging social networking models. (Source: Wikipedia)

Social scientists have now begun to investigate what impacts a site such as Orkut has on individuals and society. Issues such as Identity and Privacy of individuals, E-learning, Social capital and Teenage use have become hotly discussed topics among net users, educators and parents.

Good for Business

Social Networking Sites connect people, even those who are complete strangers, at a very low cost. This has proved to be beneficial for entrepreneurs and small business people looking to expand their customer base. These networks often help in customer relationship management for companies which sell products and services. A company can also use social networks for advertising in the form of banners and text ads. In a global context, social networks can make it easier to keep in touch with clients or contacts around the world.

A study published in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication titled “Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship” explains that though the first Social networking sites were developed in 1997, it was not until from 2003 that they began to be noticed in the form of a global phenomena.

Social network sites (SNSs) such as MySpace (which is the most popular site in the US), Orkut, Facebook, Cyworld, and Bebo have attracted millions of users who have integrated these sites into their daily lives.

Furthermore, as the social media and user-generated content phenomena grew, websites focused on media sharing began implementing SNS features and became SNSs themselves. Examples include Flickr (photo sharing), Last.FM (music listening habits), and YouTube (video sharing).

A Global Phenomenon

According the above mentioned study while MySpace attracted the majority of media attention in the U.S. and abroad, SNSs were proliferating and growing in popularity worldwide. Friendster gained traction in the Pacific Islands, Orkut became the premier SNS in Brazil before growing rapidly in India, Mixi attained widespread adoption in Japan, LunarStorm took off in Sweden, Dutch users embraced Hyves, Grono captured Poland, Hi5 was adopted in smaller countries in Latin America, South America, and Europe, and Bebo became very popular in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia.

In the Office

Orkut and other SNS’s have been banned or blocked by measures in many offices, especially in private companies. Managers fuss over the loss of productivity due to employees using their office hours on online networking rather doing actual work. One estimate in the UK (according to The Times newspaper) puts the cost to British industry at £6.5 billion per annum in lost productivity and questionable bandwidth usage. Another survey estimates that fanatics are spending as much as 12 hours per week on these sites, no doubt eating into valuable work time.

A Threat?

Detractors of such sites emphasize potential privacy concerns, primarily concerning the safety of younger users. Personal information included on the site by young people could invite potential threats to privacy such as the ability to find out users’ hometown and date of birth.

We consider updating our profile, sending messages to friends or contacts and joining a discussion group to be a harmless pastime and indeed it is. But some people are dead serious about social networks. They consider it the end word in friendship. They use it to build reputations and virtual identities. They could have a lot of fans and they dream that they are that celebrity they are not. Neglecting responsibilities while they fuss around with their online persona will, and probably should, invite punitive actions.

I always wonder how people can be so ignorant so as to post photos of them and their semi-clad friends drinking booze late up to night. This alone could be enough to sink a reputation which has been carefully built up through all these years.

One mistake young people make is to think that these sites are private - they are not! The content of a site is out there for folks to view and people will form opinions about them based on that content.

Good Outweighs the Bad

So does that mean I am against Social Networking Sites? No. I believe that the good far outweighs the bad. I always persuade friends who are part of any online social network to be creative and to use these networks to promote their cultural activities. In fact, people around the globe use social networking sites to build and promote projects on fighting poverty and eradicating hunger, organizing concerts, art and photo exhibitions, plus coordinating meet-ups for rallies.

Admit it. As a part of the IT industry you have to admire the growing number of tech- savvy youngsters who dedicate hours to discuss and design complicated widgets and applications through these networking sites. They’re probably neglecting some official responsibility to complete it, but the end product will be a far more valuable lesson learned, not just in computer applications, but in courage and creativity as well.

So in the end when you look at all the creativity, co-operation and activism being promoted in these Social Networking Sites you certainly feel hopeful for the future. SNS are here to stay - and the best way for you to make it a safe place? Join in yourself!

Don Suseelan

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Don_Suseelan http://EzineArticles.com/?Like-It-or-Not—Online-Social-Networking-Sites-are-Here-to-Stay&id=1106432

Unethical marketing practices on social media websites has backfired…badly. As in all marketing situations, it pays to have integrity. While much of social networking is out of your hands, there are many factors that you can control that will keep you out of the hot seat.

The first thing that you must always keep in mind when you embark on a social network marketing campaign is that you are joining a community. As with any community, business has its rightful place, but it does not have the right to invade people’s privacy. In your face, non-targeted, spam marketing will get you nowhere in a hurry.

Most social network marketers use websites like FaceBook and MySpace to try to drive traffic to another website. While it’s perfectly ethical to use social networking websites to spread a message to people who are genuinely interested, many people game the system with auto-friend adding programs and spam messages and bulletins. Again, anything non-targeted and spammy will not help your reputation.

Thankfully, social networking websites are becoming wise to these practices and are effectively weeding out and banning offenders.

As mentioned earlier, to use such websites as a marketing tool with integrity you need to participate as a member of the community. Get involved in groups that are related to your area, contribute, communicate and make friends that are genuinely interested in what you have to say and what you have to sell.

As you begin to publish more content on these websites, try to avoid direct marketing platitudes. For success, your content will need to be of genuine value and interest to other users. Also, never mislead potential clients. Don’t overdue your titles to try and lure clicks from visitors.

For example, instead of leaving a post on a blog pretending to be a consumer recommending your website or product, be up front about it. Explain that the product or website is yours and how it is relevant to the discussion. People will eventually see through dishonest marketing methods, even if they don’t right away. And one mistake could cost your reputation.

Also, when contributing in social networking websites, never use it as an opportunity to unfairly criticize competitors or their products. Don’t point out shortfalls. Point out what makes you different.

Since social network marketing can be seen as a form of publishing, be aware of online copyright issues. Read up on the basics of media law and know the potential dangers when it comes to defamation, invasion of privacy and intellectual property, and copyright infringement.

There are no hard and fast rules governing ethical behavior in social network marketing. Most communities are self regulated. So, be on your best behavior and you shouldn’t have any problems.

If you would like to read other articles and watch videos on topics like this one, you can join us at [http://www.relativitycorp.com]http://www.relativitycorp.com. We have tons of resources on [http://www.relativitycorp.com/socialnetworkmarketing/ ]Social Network Marketing written by David C Skul CEO. You can also sign up to get information in you email in box weekly at the site as well.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Skul http://EzineArticles.com/?Ethics-in-Social-Network-Marketing&id=940609

Marketing through blogs is simple, but can take some real creativity. This is because you have to get on a subject, or topic that will really interest people and make them want to comment. This can mean starting a controversial topic that will encourage their opinion, or talking about a recent event that is still fresh. This can be particularly hard to relate with your website hence the creativity need.

For this article I am going to use one of my websites as an example and actually write a blog for my site so that you can see its development. Feel free to comment, and make suggestions.

Finding the Right Place to Create Your Blog.

There are several websites out there that will allow you to create a blog, and almost all of them are free. I use a couple different ones, but for this example will us the simplest one. We are going to use blogger.com. This blogger program is simple and completely free. They are in conjunction with Google so you can use your Gmail account login to create the account which is nice. This way you don’t have to create another user name and password.

Creating the Blog

After you have setup the account all we need to do is come up with a domain name and topic. The domain name is usually very easy as most people use there existing website domain name. In which case your domain name would look like this yourdomainname.blogger.com. After this we just need to decide on a new topic, I am going to go with a controversial one to decide on this topic I would first look at my site and what I sell. My website sells website banners and logos, and it also has a page on E Commerce Business Articles. Looking over all of that information I am going to choose the topic “Is the Internet becoming to Saturated to make any money”. This is both a recent issue and a controversial one as well.

Writing the Blog Discussion

This can prove to be the hardest part of the process. You will want to be short and sweet as well as informative and encouraging. here is my opening statement. “This question is often asked, and could probably use a lot of attention.” After this I put in my opinion on the topic and then opened it up for questions. After that it is as simple as referring a couple of people there through other blogs or maybe a Myspace or Facebook account. Let the blog grow and make sure to come back and comment on other comments people have made. This way you will keep the blog on subject and fresh look. http://www.ecommercebusinessarticles.com http://www.goodrichlogos.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Goodrich http://EzineArticles.com/?Marketing-Through-Blogs&id=1090335

Facebook is becoming one of the most important social networks on the web. The company stated that it has now chosen Microsoft over Google to give a $240 million minority stake in a deal to expand advertising services on the network. This will ideally boost revenue for Facebook and increase Microsoft’s online advertising position. The Facebook-Microsoft deal will even further expand the business, which will help online businesses to reach more people and promote themselves through new forms of media.

It was founded in 2004 as a college student network and has grown into an international network for all people. Although it began as a college network, Facebook’s fastest growth demographic is in the 35+ age range. The network has near 49 million users 59% outside the U.S. and has 250,000 new ones registering on a daily basis, making it one of the fastest growing social networks on the web and is surpassing Myspace at lightening speed.

Facebook has proven in recent times to be a viable marketing tool, providing a free and easy way to promote products and services. Facebook users can add tools such as Stumble Upon and Digg to vote and bookmark favorite sites. Posted Items allows users to post company or client blogs and links to drive traffic to your homepage. On the Events page, businesses can promote teleseminars, webinars, workshops and a variety of other events to friends and networkers.

By joining this and other social networking websites, a business can increase their viewers and potential customers all over the world. Because Facebook is an Identity Platform and a closed network, it limits many of the search engines (Yahoo, MSN, Google). Therefore, joining this social network permits a business to access new information on potential clients. This should be used to benefit online marketing since the company has stats on what the users are doing. You can also post a poll to find more about your target demographic on the adverting page on the site. Facebook also has classified ad space on the left hand side and other areas of the site for online business to promote products and services.

In this modern age, people tend to stray away from business home pages. So businesses need to find new and innovative ways to drive traffic to their sites. Social networks are one of many direct response marketing techniques that can help your business flourish.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Speyer http://EzineArticles.com/?Facebook—A-Surprisingly-Effective-Web-Marketing-Tool&id=823941

Have you ever wondered if what you know about marketing on Facebook is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on marketing on Facebook.

Using Facebook as an Online Marketing Tool

Social networking websites are becoming more and more popular each day. Websites like these are primarily used as a social utility that will enable people to connect with other people. With Facebook, you will be able to connect with friends, acquaintances, and with other people who you study and live with.

One social networking website that is very popular among many people today is Facebook. With Facebook, you will be able to get your very own profile page where you can upload an unlimited amount of photos, share videos, and also a place where you will let people viewing a little about you.

Although this is a great social networking site that will enable you to keep in touch with your friends and acquaintances as well as meet new people and make new friends, it is also a website that made a lot of internet marketers drool.

With over 62 million active subscribers and still continuing to grow, you know that this place is the place to market.

If you own a business and you are reaching for an 18 to 25 demographic to sell your products, you will see that Facebook will be able to provide you with your target customers. Most subscribers here are aged between 18 and 25, which is called the “tech-savvy youth audiences”.

If your marketing on Facebook facts are out-of-date, how will that affect your actions and decisions? Make certain you don’t let important   marketing on Facebook information slip by you.

With Facebook, you will not only target your ads on specific regions and universities, but you will also be able to get your fair share of audience. Here, you will see that when you join, you will be able to readily use tools that can really help you advertise your products and services.

You can customize your profile in order to make it unique and attract your target audience and you can also post blogs and even syndicate your blog page using RSS. If you have video ads about your products or services, you can post it here on Facebook as well.

When you register with Facebook, you can also add friends. Try adding as much as you can and establish some relationship. If you already know someone who uses Facebook, add them and try to get them to promote the products or services you offer.

This is one great feature of Facebook. With it, you will be able to get people who are connected to your network to advertise for you. This way, you will see that you will be able to market your product more effectively by getting people in other network know about your products or services.

Another great tool that you can use in Facebook is the ability to let you add applications in your profile page. Here, you will be able to add games and other applications in your profile page, which can be great in attracting other people to visit your profile page.

As you can see, Facebook will be able to create a great potential in internet marketing. The website already has the numbers in terms of traffic, and it also has the tools necessary for you to market your products or services effectively.

It is just a matter of knowing how to use these tools and also know how to effectively market your products or services. By creating a great profile page in Facebook, you can be sure that you will be able to attract a lot of targeted traffic.

So now you know a little bit about   marketing on Facebook. Even if you don’t know everything, you’ve done something worthwhile: you’ve expanded your knowledge.

Check out more information on Marketing On Facebook at our website http://www.bestmarketinfo.com/marketingonfacebook

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Lavoie http://EzineArticles.com/?Using-Facebook-as-an-Online-Marketing-Tool&id=1045243

If you want to market your business or your products and services effectively, internet marketing is the answer. First of all, you don’t need to be an internet marketing expert in order to promote your products efficiently over the internet. What you just need is to know where to market it on the internet.

Try to think of a website that generates a lot of traffic and one that divides people according to their interests and hobbies. This way, you will be able to know where you should advertise your products and services and you will also be able to specifically target the people you want to sell your products to.

One website like this is a social networking website. Here, you will see that it will already have the traffic you need and most will contain the tools you need to efficiently advertise your products or services.

One such website is Facebook. Although a lot of people primarily use Facebook to socialize with their friends, you can also use this website as an effective internet marketing tool. It already has the numbers, where it already has more than 62 million active subscribers and is still growing.

When you join Facebook, you will see that you will be given your own profile page. Here, you will be able to tell people about yourself. Now, in order to advertise, try to start adding friends, preferably your own circle of friends or people that you already personally know. Once you build you own network of friends, it is now time for you to extend that network. Try joining groups that share your interest or groups that is interested in what you have to offer.

You can also try personalizing your profile page to make it unique which will attract people to view it. You might also want to post links to your website on your profile page or you can also syndicate your blog pages using RSS. These tools are already provided by Facebook, so you don’t really need to know about HTML programming or other complicated internet things.

Another reason why Facebook is a great place to market products and services is that Facebook encourages word of mouth advertising. If someone likes your profile page or the products or services you sold them, they may be able to recommend you to their network of friends and also their groups. This means that the people in Facebook will be the ones that will advertise for you.

These are the things that you need to remember about Facebook and just few of the many reason why you should try marketing your business here.

With Facebook, internet marketing is easier and a lot more fun. Remember these tips and you can be sure that you will be able to effectively market your business website as well as the products and services you are selling far more effectively than other forms of internet marketing.

Facebook has it all. It has traffic and the tools. All you need to do is use the tools provided in order for the traffic to come to you.

Steve Chang earns his living online.  He runs a few large-scale web properties and also keeps a personal blog at http://www.netpassiveincome.com where he has taught thousands of people on how to build and create passive income on the internet.  Learn how you can start earning  target=_new passive income from eBay today: http://www.netpassiveincome.com/passive-ebay-affiliate-commission/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Chang http://EzineArticles.com/?Facebook-Marketing—Why-You-Should-Use-Facebook&id=1032818

Facebook.  All the cool kids are doing it.  Are you?

For advertisers, it’s a hard market to pass up.  So many people in one place at one time.  Marketers see something like this and it’s as if their dreams have come true.  It’s got that glowing, shiny exterior that seems to say: come to us.  We have numbers.

Numbers are important in a marketing campaign.  You can’t manage what  you can’t measure.  However, in the Facebook world some of those numbers have gotten them in trouble.  The reason being that in recent times Facebook introduced a new advertising platform.  A platform that gathered numbers that not everyone was comfortable parting with.

Numbers and demographics.  Demographics tell advertisers who and where their potential customers are.  When millions upon millions of users register their personal information on a social site, all of the sudden demographic research becomes far easier than it has ever been before.

But fail to notify your users or give them an opportunity to completely opt out of the platform, and there will be a huge backlash of opinion.  In the space of a month the site can go from “have you tried that out yet” to “remember when everyone liked it?”.

Online advertising propels online development.  We all understand this, and, to a point, we all we’ve come to accept this.  So much so that we barely even notice it anymore.

Here’s a quick thought experiment.  Did you check your email this morning?  Do you check it everyday?  It’s a fairly common practice.  Were you aware that there were advertisements all around your message?  We all know they’re there.  Flashing, pretty colors or creative titles in bold text.  They’re always nearby… just in the periphery of our vision.

Now, do you remember a single one?  Do you even remember what they were selling?

My guess is that you probably don’t.

Online advertising is the epitome of the in-the-moment selling.  If the pretty colors or particular text catch your eye then and there, you might just click on it.  But that means the truth is there’s as much reliance on pure impulse as there is on demographics.

Facebook is the latest in a line of platforms that are trying to deliver the opportunity to receive targeted advertising.  Isn’t that nice of them?  We’re going to use your personal information to deliver targeted advertising, because we have to advertise, so it might as well be for things you’ve given us hints that you actually like.  Oh, and we might sell your information to others, so they can share in this opportunity.

But at least we’ve been given the opportunity to receive ads we want to see.

Wait.  Ads we want to see?

Personal information being used to determine out likes and dislikes?

Let’s face it.  No one wants advertisements.  And rolling out an advertising platform and touting it as something beneficial to a user base isn’t fooling anyone.  And in the wake of the backlash from this platform, Facebook has changed some of its policies and made it easier to opt in or out of the program.

So what about regular online advertising in social mediums like this?  Is it effective?  Do the demographics reduce the dependence on impulse?  Or are the users of social sites so intent on the content that advertising doesn’t even register with them?

Studies have shown that the tendencies of the common user lean toward that last option.  Click rates per page views on Facebook (and other social sites) are extremely low.

It seems people are too busy with socializing to even give into impulse clicks.

Does that mean you don’t need to consider social media in your online advertising campaign?

Not at all.  While there are arguments flying around about the staying power of Web 2.0 applications and whether we’re on the verge of another bubble bursting, that is irrelevant to the current discussion.

In the here and now community works.  Advertisements may not, but advertising isn’t your only option on these networks.

Community works because users feel like you have their interests in mind, rather than just your own.  Community is about communication, and that might be the best advertising you could hope for.

Andy Eliason is a writer at [http://www.main10.com/]Main10, an Internet marketing and [http://www.main10.com/development.php]development firm.  His company works with [http://www.main10.com/advertising/online_advertising.php]online advertising to develop strategic marketing solutions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Eliason http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Does-Facebook-Figure-Into-Your-Online-Advertising-Campaign&id=868505

There are a ton of social media websites that you can participate in today like Linked In and Friendster, and they all have their good and bad. The best way to choose a community to participate in is to look at  the people who have already joined. For me, Facebook is quite possibly the best sites for networking personally and professionally. I also use Linked In and Myspace.  Of all the social networks, Facebook is the best place when it comes to all around marketing and networking.

I have been using Facebook for the past two years, and it is an attractive tool for marketing to add to your marketing strategy.  Following are ten ways you can use Facebook to introduce new people to your for FREE!

1. Make a Top-Notch Profile: This is absolutely the FIRST thing that you must do to make an impact on Facebook . Think of your Facebook profile as part of your branding. A effective profile will include a photo of you. Don’t use the one of you at a Christmas party, unless that’s what your selling. Make sure your new Facebook profile is complete. You should include your contact information, your web address (this is so important), education, work experience and your personal interests. A complete profile is the only way to go.

2.  Add Friends: This is what makes Facebook a great platform - the ability to make friends, build relationships and foster them.  The more relationships you build, the more worthwhile your marketing efforts will be. You can use Facebook’s own tools to find friends that are already on Facebook.  Once you add your friends, you can search for kindred spirits.  Make their acquaintance, become their friend, build a relationship. One cool feature on Facebook is that you can see friends of your friends.  This will help you build a extensive network in no  time.

3.  Join Facebook Groups: You can join groups within Facebook that are associated with what you do. There are groups for wealth building, coaches, and experts of all kinds. Almost every supposable type of professional service provider has some type of an online group. I belong to several groups on Facebook and have made hundreds of new contacts this way.

4. Create your Own Facebook Group: Can’t find a group that really makes sense? Create your own! You can add members, publish articles, carry on discussions, and probably build some long lasting relationships. And even if you find great group to belong to, start your own.  This gives you the opportunity to be the trendsetter!

5. Syndicate your Blog Using RSS: You can syndicate your own blog on your Facebook profile page. This inherently means that every time you make a post, it will automatically show up on your profile page. More Exposure = More Readers = More Leads = More Business. And the bonus is the back links to your site.  I syndicate headlines from three blogs on Facebook.

6. Comment on Other Peoples Profiles:  Are you a fan or devotee of someone’s work? Reach out to them on Facebook! Many of my business acquaintances check their Facebook messages more regularly than their email. They are also more likely to respond to Facebook messages. Don’t feel comfortable sending a message to someone you don’t know? Don’t worry! Leave them a “just saying hi!” or “I enjoy your work!”  blurb on their wall. All profiles come with “virtual walls” where friends and acquaintances can leave messages. The more messages you leave on your friend’s Facebook profiles the more exposure you get!

7. List your Events: Launching a New Service? Create an events page and invite all your friends and acquaintances. You can even see who RSVPed and get feedback from your guests. Marketing doesn’t get much simpler (or cheaper!) than this.

8. Send Virtual Gifts: Want to show your appreciation for someone? Send them a virtual gift. You can choose from  a bouquet of flowers to a potted plant that actually sits on the your friends profile and grows over time (plus hundreds of others). With all the 3rd party applications for gift giving available, what are you waiting for.  This is a proven way to build long lasting relationships!

9.  Use Some Cool Apps:  Facebook has literally tons of applications that were built just for the site.  Gaming, music, movie trivia and more.  When you use an application, you get to invite your friends to use these interesting little applications (Apps). So just like number 8 above, this allows you another way to stay in touch with your Facebook friends. Again, this helps you build long lasting relationships.

10. Create a Community: Perhaps Facebook’s greatest benefit is that it lets you to build a community. It provides you a group of people who are perpetually connected to you, and they are open to hearing what you have to say. Write on people’s walls, give them feedback, and introduce them to each other. Start building your brand and leveraging Facebook for business building!

Facebook is a great place to introduce yourself to a ton of new people who may also become customers and/or clients.  Just keep one thing in mind: don’t get too carried away and spend all your time there.  Facebook is a tool, part of your marketing strategy.  Use the tips above, use them wisely and have a little fun at the same time.

Lennie Appelquist is the Owner of [http://www.freemarketmediagroup.com/]FreeMarket Media Group. FreeMarket Media Group is dedicated to helping individuals and small businesses generate leads, convert those leads in customers/clients and build a web presence that works for them.  We can show you how to make your online business profitable.

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