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With all the talk in the news lately over the future of Facebook, it’s natural for this question to come up. It’s not the first time, either; people have wondered about the utility of Social Media since the commercialization of MySpace in 2004.

So why don’t we have an answer yet? The reason most people give is that unlike email, where every customer reaction can be tracked and calculated to a T, social media lacks quantifiable benefits, creating an ambiguity that could potentially throw the argument either way. Basically, they’re saying that we can’t agree on an answer because there isn’t one. But the truth is simpler than that: Email vs. Social Media isn’t a valid question.

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t be constantly evaluating where and how your company markets itself. That IS important. However, boiling that decision down to a choice between electronic mail and networking sites glazes over the fact that the two media work much, much better together than they do individually. In other words, it’s not Email vs. Social, it’s Email PLUS Social.

So how do you integrate? The first step is doing what you may be already: including recognizable social icons in the header and/or footer of your emails. Whether it’s one, the other, or both, you’ll want to give your audience direct links to your social presence in the most obvious way possible. Icons have the advantage of being both visual and relatively small, making them attractive and easier to identify than text hyperlinks.

Next, you’ll want to highlight Social content in your emails. Are you running a contest? Attending an event and liveblogging it on Twitter? Let people know! Whether it’s a one-off or part of a regular newsletter, keeping your audience informed about your social promotions will boost engagement and ensure that your campaign makes an impact.

By now, you’ve probably noticed that email seems to be doing a lot of the heavy lifting in this relationship.

So how does Social pick up the slack? By generating new contacts for your campaigns:

Social media networks are a great place to promote or even host list-generating sign-ups and surveys. By alerting your fans to these opportunities and providing proper motivation, you’ll be able to draw from a pool of users not regularly considered for email targeting. Additionally, you’ll want to consider using Social-driven contests to draw an audience.

Looking for more on the value of Social Media? Check out Why Facebook? and follow us to learn more.

I’ve never been a big fan of Google+, but I’ve got to hand it to them here. Not only are they tying themselves to what is bound to be a huge property, but they’re making themselves an integral part of the fan/artist relationship. It feels all kinds of wrong to think that Google+ might actually have a future on the web, but a few more power plays like this and they might have themselves a legitimate market. Well played, sir.

Any post that you make can be scheduled for a specific time in the future; a full list of scheduled posts can be accessed and edited through the Activity Log.

For more Facebook tips, be sure to check out How to Make a Great Custom Cover Photo or learn more about the state of Social Networking with 4 Social Media Statistics that Should Bother You.

With Facebook, Inc. dominating the news lately with their plummeting stock prices, it’s natural to ask what the value is in maintaining a strong Social presence. But for those marketers who have been paying attention to their numbers, the answer is, unsurprisingly, the same as it’s always been: Social is the glue that ties you to your customer; the bind that links your email, landing page, and print efforts; and the investment to insure that, years from now, people will know you still exist.

While stock brokers and other investment professionals speculate on the fall of a giant, the savvy marketer is looking at the history and seeing the truth: Facebook has and will continue to grow as a primary source of information and traffic for businesses online.

Referrals

Despite recent developments, Facebook continues to grow as a source of referral traffic for online publishers. According to this study by BuzzFeed, the social network now matches Google in overall referrals, tying it for the most valuable resource for publishing material online. And this doesn’t just affect bloggers; according to some studies, Facebook is now contending for the most popular site on the web, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking for brand exposure.

Consolidation/Integration

Social media is fast becoming the common denominator of Online Marketing campaigns. Where once you directed your email, print, and online advertising solely to a website with limited connectivity, you now hold a host of Social tools that you can use to cross-reference and piggy-back these campaigns to a more comprehensive goal. Imagine your Social Media as a string stretched between your campaigns, connecting them all and turning a marketing tree into a marketing web.

Facebook is at the center of this cohesion; more than any other site, it provides the tools and features necessary to collect your marketing efforts into a single campaign. Not only can you distribute details and updates on various promotions, but, using the right tools, you can even collect contact info, host surveys, and run contests right from your Page. No other site can match that.

Still shaken up by some of Facebook’s major changes? Check out How to Make a Great Custom Cover Photo and How to Make a Great Custom App Image. And don’t forget to Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more exclusive Marketing updates.

So, you want to hold a contest on your Facebook Page. The first thing you should know is that Facebook, Inc. takes this all very seriously. That being said, there’s a lot of fun to be had holding contests online, and both your customers and Facebook will appreciate it when it’s done right.

Rule #1: Use Apps!

Relying on Posts from your fans for a contest can be a cumbersome and incredibly confusing process. Luckily, Facebook requires all promotions to be run through third-party Applications. Using Custom Web Forms like the ones found in Social Page Builder, you can easily create unique Applications for your contest and include everything from email subscription options to downloads and image submissions. With proper documentation, these features can even be used to create exclusive content for your other fans! Most importantly, email address submissions can be used to notify contest winners, as simply posting it might not reach enough people for the winners to be seen.

Rule #2: Be Independent

Due to the complete lack of verification required to set up a Page and begin a contest, Facebook mandates all contest holders to explicitly state that Facebook does not endorse their promotion. Additionally, all participants must acknowledge and release Facebook of responsibility for the promotion. This is all about liability; like any business, Facebook must protect themselves from those who would use their product in an unsavory or illegal way. As long as you’re legitimate, include the appropriate fine print, and make it clear that Facebook isn’t directly involved, your contest should be able to stand on its own.

Rule #3: Be Generous

It’s fine to ask a contest participant to Like your Page; it spreads awareness and helps you to keep track of submissions. What’s not cool is requiring your participants to Comment on your Timeline and Share your Posts; it’s a sleazy way to boost traffic and Facebook will slam you for it. If you’re providing a quality service and maintaining an honest Facebook presence, the Likes and Shares will come.

All Applications shown above were created using Social Page Builder, the App creation tool from High Impact Designer. To learn more about contests and how to regulate them, you can visit Facebook’s Official Terms of Service. For more on Web Forms and other tools, read 5 Ways to Use Web Forms or many of the other posts in the Tips and Tricks section of this blog.

Web Forms are a dynamic and engaging way to involve your customers in your marketing process. Form functions can be used to fortify your campaigns in a variety of ways that work to combine certain efforts and expand on others. This post will list a few of the methods that marketers have utilized over the years and provide a detailed description of how to create similar setups. To help illustrate my points, I’ll be using a Form builder available through Social Page Builder.

5. Surveys

One of the most basic functions of Web Forms, online surveys allow you to get direct feedback from your customers without invading their privacy or inciting a negative response. For best results, try asking your audience what they like in similar products or services.

Most Form builders include a generic set of tools. Once you have loaded your builder, look for a set of applications labeled “Survey”:

From here, you’ll be able to set various questions and responses using tools like sliders, boxes, and tallies:

4. Quizzes

Want to keep your audience interested in your brand? A good quiz can get your customers engaged in your website or Facebook Page. Whether you want to focus on your products or branch out is up to you, but, above all, BE ENTERTAINING. Nothing will turn your customers away faster than a lame quiz. (For some great examples, check out these quizzes by The Oatmeal)

Quizzes can be creating using generic Form boxes (fill-in-the-blank) or dropdown menus and check boxes (multiple choice):

To set up email notifications for quiz completion, go to “Setup and Embed” in your main menu and follow the email alerts instructions. Most Form builder programs have this kind of functionality:

3. Email List Building

The most commonly used of the Web form functions, Email List Building is critical to any online marketing campaign and huge part of integrating your email marketing with other electronic efforts. Forms used on Web Pages or Facebook Tabs can help you fortify your lists with dedicated and interested leads at virtually no cost to you.

Email Forms are simple to set up; most Form builders have a default email option that can be selected from a series of standard operations:

*Email addresses can be exported in notification emails (example above) to the address of your choice. Automatic list integration varies between Email Service Providers. For specific upload protocols, please consult your current Email Service Provider.

2. Remote Login

Want to give your customers easier access to their accounts? Just like any regular login page, Web Forms can be programmed to accept login information and remotely connect your customers to your product. This is great for eliminating extra steps in the login process and giving users more options when using your services.

To set up a remote login, search your advanced options for Username and Password fields. If neither are available directly, they can usually be fashioned through the individual boxes’ “Properties” sections:

1. Contests

One of the best uses of Web Forms is coordinating and supplementing contests. Not only can Forms be used to integrate all of the functions above into one campaign structure, unique notification tools allow you to take those results and develop a legitimate, secure method for contest verification.

In addition to the standard options described above, Social Page Builder’s Form Builder also integrates an upload function which can be used to drive a submissions-based contest. Such submissions could then later be used to promote your brand (depending on contest terms):

Once you’ve set up your content, you can secure your Contest by creating strict parameters on multiple submissions (under “Preferences”) or inserting a Captcha (Under “Tools”):

Lastly…

Make sure to include a “Submit” function with every Form you create. Most builders won’t let you publish a form without one, but it’s a critical last step:

Like this post? Then check out some of our other How-Tos: 7 Habits of Highly Effective Email Campaigns and How to Make a Great Custom Cover Photo. to get more updates like this one, be sure to Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter.

For those of you who haven’t seen this gem of late-90s indie comedy, I highly recommend it. The casting, acting, and writing are all spot on and, while it’s crude, it’s funny and relatable in a very organic and enjoyable way. I won’t waste everyone’s time by describing the whole plot here, that’s what Wikipedia’s for; you’ll pick it up as we go.

#1 Have Fun

Despite all the jokes and games that go on between the State Troopers in Spurbury, Vermont, the audience is always given the impression that they are actually good cops; they know procedure, they know the law, and they have a genuine interest in helping their community. Their pranks and other shenanigans are their way of coping with what is, in reality, a very stressful and demanding job.

Yes, your Facebook Marketing is a task, and when it comes down to crunch time, you’ll be held accountable the same way you would be for any other assignment. However, keeping your nose to the grindstone and producing genuine, enjoyable material are not always one and the same. You should have a goal and be aware of your Insights data, but going about your Facebook Marketing with a stiff and uninspired attitude will quickly be reflected in your content and your results. Enjoy what you do, and the business will follow.

#2 Research

What do the officers of Highway 117 do when they get a lead on their drug bust? They follow up on it from multiple angles, dissecting the situation to learn as much as they can, as quickly as they can.

Your goal should be the same. For every action that you take on Facebook, you can use their Insights tool to help determine the impact and how it affected your business. A large Paid Reach is good, but the big bucks come from the people who you can influence directly through Tabs and Posts. Instant Insights, released earlier this week, will allow you to track individual posts directly, and Tab traffic can be monitored through Google Analytics or similar programs when you use the right tools.

The most important thing is to determine what works and establish a pattern. Once you can do that, your Facebook presence will develop much more naturally. Until then, practice makes perfect.

#3 Plan Around a Budget

Throughout Super Troopers, the main characters are plagued by financial cutbacks and budgeting decisions that limit their ability to keep the peace. They have to keep inventories, pull shifts, and bargain with politicians just to keep their jobs. Basically, they’re one screw-up away from Paul Blart.

While you may not be strapped for cash, it’s important to know where your time and money are going in social media. Once you’ve done your research, set a schedule and a budget and try to stick to them. You’d be surprised how far a little planning can go.

#4 Don’t be a Farva

Why did everyone hate Farva? Because he was a selfish d*ck. He didn’t care about his coworkers and he took everything WAY too personally.

When you’re creating content for your Facebook Page, you need to be aware that, while you may be in it to win it, Facebook is all about other people. Never forget that everything you do should be for the benefit of the customer, even if it’s as simple as keeping them entertained. Make your fans feel appreciated and they’ll move mountains to buy from you.

Like this Post? Check out 6 Social Media Networks as Rock Bands or, for the more refined, 4 Social Media Statistics That Should Bother You. Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter for more updates.

5. Faster Publishing
The Timeline format gave Facebook users a lot of new options when it rolled out in April, among them a suite of new Tab appearance customization features. Users could now incorporate personal icons, titles, and images into their Tab display. Unfortunately, while these options did grant more freedom to Business Pages, the customization process was drawn-out and often broken.

In order to eliminate this problem, Social Page Builder incorporates all Tab appearance options into the publishing process: Once you’ve completed your design, a short menu will open that will allow you to choose and set a custom Tab title, icon, and image in just a few seconds!

4. Easier Editing
Earlier this year, Drag and Drop editing was introduced on a select number of compatible templates. Now, this expanded feature has been given its own template category, allowing you to easily select designs from our library.
What makes Drag and Drop so great? You can literally build a template any way you like: stacking pieces together to form the perfect design for your business. Want to update your old design? Copy and paste sections to make it look like new in just a few seconds. With the Drag and Drop function, designing Tabs is easier and more cost-effective than ever.

3. Web Forms
Converting leads via Facebook has always been a fairly hit-or-miss experience, but not so with Web Forms. Customize fields for your visitors to fill in, or choose from one of our many pre-built form templates, then export the information.

2. Analytics
Using your Tracking Code from Google Analytics and Social Page Builder, you can monitor traffic through your tab and get comprehensive and definitive traffic and conversion statistics.

1. Engagement
Making Tab design tools simpler helps make it easier for customers to engage with you. Tabs created using Social Page Builder provide endless possibilities for content and social interaction. Combined with our new tools, they make your Facebook Marketing a force to be reckoned with.

4. You Watched 435 Youtube Videos Last Year

And that’s just an average. Evenly divided among all internet users, GLOBALLY, the number of views per person in 2011 came in at just over 434.7. What were we watching? Was it important? Probably not.

The good news about this statistic is that it teaches us exactly how widespread and influential YouTube is. More than ever, companies need to be focusing on how to best leverage their visual presence online (Facebook Timeline, Pinterest, etc.), and YouTube is a great place to continue that expansion.

3. 5% of Tweeters Produce 75% of the Content

Some of you probably don’t find this that surprising. It seems like people who use Twitter are often split between rarely posting updates and spewing tweets like some sort of greasy, bit.ly-crusted faucet. If you follow anyone like that, you know what I mean, and that overflow of information can often be counterproductive when looking for useful or relevant material.

Why is this such an issue? Because Twitter encourages it. The more a person posts, the more exposure they get, and, as long as they keep the content varied and original, they get distributed through retweets and similar posts. Basically, it’s a numbers game, with over-tweeters betting that their visibility will make up for how annoying they are. On the plus side, the need for fresh topics does keep things at least a little interesting, and there are always more than one way to connect with someone online…

2. Pinterest Shrunk by 10% Last Month

For those of you with active Pinterest accounts, this stat should come as no surprise. Posting has slowed dramatically since the site’s initial hype in March, and many casual users have stopped visiting all together. It’s not hard to see why it’s happening; pinning is fun when you first start and have a lot of fresh ideas, but generating new content can become a chore once those ideas are used up. For example, I’m a huge fan of craft brewing, and most of my personal page is dedicated to posting about beers that I’m trying. Early on, I was able to draw from my experiences and easily come up with drafts and images that fit the Pinterest style. However, after only a few weeks, I had basically run out of old ideas and my posts became dependant on new material. At an average of one new beer a week, posts on my Board slowed to a crawl, and traffic responded likewise. Once that happened, the value of posting wasn’t worth the time and effort it took to generate the content.

Since March, Pinterest has lost over 150,000 active users. This isn’t great news, but the lasting impact may be better than people expect. Pinterest is a fad, but a very functional and useful one. Their meteoric rise in popularity was bound to result in fading interest down the road. All we can do now is wait and see if they’ll be able to hold their fans’ attention over the summer.

1. Britney Spears Runs Google +

Britney Spears is, by a wide margin, the most popular person on Google+. Why? I have no idea. What does it mean? It means that now, more than ever, I want nothing to do with that social media trainwreck.

Looking for more disturbing facts? Check out the original.

Why should you invest in Facebook Tabs?

Imagine that you’re running a restaurant. You change your menu a lot and you want your customers to know what your specials will be for the week. With Facebook Tabs, you can provide continuously updated content for your fans and drive more business using a sleeker, user-friendly interface. Unlike posting to your wall, which forces readers to search through layers of unwanted material, or email, which overwhelms most casual customers, Facebook Tabs offers a simple, non-invasive format that can be easily modified to fit your needs.

All designs created using Social Page Builder are saved automatically once published and can be re-opened and modified at any time. This allows you to update your templates regularly without interrupting traffic to your Page. Say you want to let your customers know about your new specials for the week. Simply select the appropriate saved template, make your changes, and republish to your Page. All material will be overwritten automatically.

Now, when a customer wants to know more about your menu, they don’t have to go searching through your post for relevant information; they can simply open the Menu Tab and see all of the choices that you’ve prepared for them.

In addition to updated content, Facebook Tabs make it easier for you to stay in touch with your fans. Inserting web forms and Like-gates into your designs will allow you to reach out to current and new customers in a variety of ways.

Let’s go back to the restaurant example. Now that you’ve updated your menu, you want to let your customers know about a special charity dinner you’ll be hosting. You know that you want to send an email, but your lists are small and you’re afraid that you won’t reach enough people. Using Social Page Builder, you can create an online guest book where visitors who are curious about news and upcoming events can leave you their contact information. With this Tab in place, you will have a steady supply of email addresses for your charity flyers.

Want to learn more about Facebook Tabs and hoe they work? You can check out Facebook Page Apps in High Demand and How to Make a Great Custom App Image, or you can visit our Learning Center.