ENGAGE Archives - Page 18 of 30

Facebook Graph Search Explained

January 23, 2013Nina KovnerENGAGE

“To understand the mindset of the connected consumer, one must realize that everything begins with search and intent.”

Brian Solis

Many of us have heard the news about Facebook Graph Search, a new search and discovery tool. While it is still in beta testing with a select group of people, I found a few things that might be helpful in understanding what it may mean for all of us.

I love this video from Facebook explaining why they created Graph Search. This is a good place to begin understanding this new tool.

Lets first understand that there are two ways to look at this new feature. Personal and Business. I am going to focus on the business side for this post. The best way I can wrap my mind around Graph Search is to think of it as a super social, highly targeted and personalized Google.

Are You A Discoverable Business?
One of the most important things to understand about the social and digital Web for business is becoming more discoverable. As my hero and mentor Brian Solis says so well in the opening quote, everything begins with search and intent. People are looking for your business. Your job is to be sure they can find it. This is done by being highly engaged on social platforms such as Facebook, referral platforms such as YELP, and of course, having a good website that clearly communicates your why, what and how to engage with your business.

To learn more about becoming a more discoverable business on the Web, check out our Webinar.

What You Can Do Right Now on Facebook

Consistency engage on your business page
Post relevant content at least one time per day
Be sure your About section and contact information is strong and clear
Claim Your Page Name (URL) (Here is a post I did on that in case you do not know how)
Be sure your business is categorized correctly (Click here to learn more about Business Page Categories)

Here is another video from Slacktory on Facebook Graph Search, with a hilarious spin. It’s awesome.

PS: To learn more about Facebook Graph Search, click here.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

5 Steps To Increase Engagement On Facebook

January 11, 2013Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

“Be human. • Be aware. • Be honest. • Be respectful. • Be a participant. • Be open. • Be courageous.”

Brian Solis

By now, most businesses have some type of Facebook presence, but there is still a long way to go to be able to turn that presence into a tool to engage, build meaningful relationships and deliver value to your community.

Think of it this way: If a human walked into your place of business, would you say hello? Would you answer their questions? Would you say thank you when they gave you a shout out? Of course, the answer is yes. Guess what? That is exactly how we want to engage with humans on Facebook.

Engagement on Facebook is measured by the amount of Likes, Comments, Shares, RSVP’s to an event or Answers a Question you posted as a poll. You can see this “measurement” right next to your Likes number, it’s called “Talking About This.”

Here are 5 Steps To Increase Engagement
1. Post Consistently
The more consistently you post, the more likely you will show up in the News Feed and the more likely people will engage. Consistently means at least one post per day. Remember, you can plan your posts and schedule them, click here to see our post on how to schedule a Facebook post.

2. Post and Share Relevant Content
Now I know what you are saying, what exactly does relevant mean? Well, you know your community better than anyone. And you know your brand, your story and your goals. If you are not sure, engage your team, think about your focus in your salon or business, and come up with some ideas around those focuses such as before and after images, team shout outs, inspiration, new products and services, etc. To learn more about content creation and curation, click here to view our webinar.

3. Respond to Comments, Messages and Posts to your Wall
This is a biggie. Like I said in the beginning, if a human walked into your business, would you acknowledge them? Of course you would. Facebook is no different. Your community wants to know you are listening and you care. One way to show this is by being an active participant on your own page. Think about it. Click here to read our post on the importance of social customer care.

4. Make Use of Tabs for Online Booking and Events
There are so many free tabs available to use on Facebook. And while many of them are not viewed as often your actual Timeline, they are there for a reason. Consider offering online booking, and be sure the platform you choose offers a Tab that you can easily install on Facebook. This way, your clients and potential future clients can make an appointment right on Facebook. Convenience at its finest and for sure a must do for the connected customer. We love Schedulicity for online booking, they offer all that and so much more. Click here to learn more and sign up. They have graciously given us a special offer we get to pass on to our community, a FREE 60 day trial. How awesome is that?

And remember, if you are having an Event such as a Grand Opening, a Product Launch, a Fundraiser, etc to make use of the Events tab. We have found it to be one of our most engaging Tabs.

5. Ask Your Community to Click on Get Notifications and Show In News Feed
Many of us have heard about Facebook messing with what shows up in the News Feed. And yes, its true. Each social platform has a formula they use for search and discovery. So its our job to figure out how to “be seen” in spite of the formula so to speak. Now what we know for sure is if you do the four steps above, you will for sure be seen more often in the News Feed. However, there is a simple way to ensure your community sees your posts more often and gets notified when you post to your page. Click here to see our simple step-by-step on how to make that happen.

Where Am I Going To Find The Time?
So there you have it, 5 simple things you can do to increase engagement. So now I know what you are thinking; where am I going to find the time to do all this?

Here is my answer. Make time. Social business is our new reality, we can no longer choose not to engage. Well, actually, we can, but I would not recommend it. In order to grow, to become a more discoverable business, its time to re-think how we spend our time and what activities we are spending it on.

Make a commitment to spend 30 minutes a day on your social pages. That is it. And if you have to, wake up a half hour earlier. Schedule yourself in the salon. Do whatever you have to do. If you want it bad enough and it’s important to you, you will find the time. You always do.

One-On-One Mentoring
If you want to learn more about engaging in the social space and creating a plan for your business, I offer one-on-one mentoring to help you craft the ultimate plan. Click here to reach out and we will decide together if this is the right program for you. I look forward to connecting with you and helping you realize your dreams.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

Are You Listening?

January 9, 2013Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

“Brands are either part of the conversation or they’re not and as a result, they’re either part of the decision-making cycle or they’re absent from the heart, mind, and actions of the connected customer.”

Brian Solis, author of Engage and The End of Business As Usual

As many of you know, I spend a ridiculous amount of time on the web. I have a healthy obsession with engaging and listening because I care about you and want to help you and your business.

Recently, I have seen a lot of chatter on Facebook about the ROI (return on investment) of engaging on the social web, and how it really is just a big waste of time. What that tells me is there is still a BIG misunderstanding of these platforms and how important they are to the future of business, both big and small.

Engage.
These online platforms are no different than our offline platforms (i.e. the salon) when it comes to business. They are designed to allow us to engage with current and future customers in a meaningful way. To listen, to have two-way conversations, to solve problems, to build relationships, to create and deliver value. How in the world can someone not see the ROI in that? SMH.

Listen.
I overheard a conversation a while back from a business saying “If we have a business Facebook page, then customers will want to talk to us and ask us questions, and that is a lot of work.” My response was simple: What could possibly be more important than engaging with and listening to your customers? How awesome is it that they care enough to engage with your business and buy something from you? Think about it.

Care.
I love this infographic that illustrates the trend of the connected customer when it comes to expecting customer care via social platforms. By 2014, refusing to communicate with customers via social channels will be as harmful as ignoring phone calls and emails. WOW. Take a moment and let that sink in.

(infographic discovered on Google courtesy of Bluewolf)

Erik Qualman, author of Socialnomics said it best…”The ROI of social media is that your business will still be around in 5 years.” I could not have said it any better.

So remember. Engage. Listen. Care. Three simple yet powerful words to remember, both online and off.

If you ever have any questions for me regarding my blog posts, feel free to post questions to Facebook or email me by clicking here. I will always respond, both online and off. Because I care.

(shared with LOVE from your passionista Nina)

Happy Holidays!

December 20, 2012Nina KovnerENGAGE

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

Marcel Proust

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOyKom5BQ8M&feature=youtu.be

Thank you for all your love and support this year and for being the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. We appreciate you <3

Wishing you a Happy Holiday and an awesome New Year!

Your Passionistas-
Gordon, Nina, Zen, Faith and Cody

Category Archives: ENGAGE

5 Steps To Increase Engagement On Facebook

“Be human. • Be aware. • Be honest. • Be respectful. • Be a participant. • Be open. • Be courageous.”

Brian Solis

By now, most businesses have some type of Facebook presence, but there is still a long way to go to be able to turn that presence into a tool to engage, build meaningful relationships and deliver value to your community.

Think of it this way: If a human walked into your place of business, would you say hello? Would you answer their questions? Would you say thank you when they gave you a shout out? Of course, the answer is yes. Guess what? That is exactly how we want to engage with humans on Facebook.

Engagement on Facebook is measured by the amount of Likes, Comments, Shares, RSVP’s to an event or Answers a Question you posted as a poll. You can see this “measurement” right next to your Likes number, it’s called “Talking About This.”

And remember, if you are having an Event such as a Grand Opening, a Product Launch, a Fundraiser, etc to make use of the Events tab. We have found it to be one of our most engaging Tabs.

Where Am I Going To Find The Time?
So there you have it, 5 simple things you can do to increase engagement. So now I know what you are thinking; where am I going to find the time to do all this?

Make a commitment to spend 30 minutes a day on your social pages. That is it. And if you have to, wake up a half hour earlier. Schedule yourself in the salon. Do whatever you have to do. If you want it bad enough and it’s important to you, you will find the time. You always do.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

Happy Holidays!

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

Marcel Proust

Thank you for all your love and support this year and for being the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. We appreciate you <3

Wishing you a Happy Holiday and an awesome New Year!

Your Passionistas-
Gordon, Nina, Zen, Faith and Cody

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Category Archives: ENGAGE

“Video killed the radio star.”

The Buggles

This new social video sharing app launched by our friends at Twitter, is being called the Instagram of video and works very much like Instagram; how we capture content, post, caption, use hashtags, like, follow, etc.

The social revolution continues to bring so many awesome solutions for the professional beauty biz. This is one of them. Just think about what you can do sharing 6 seconds of video on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and your website.

Here are just a few opportunities I see: 1. Capturing cuts, colors and styles 2. Introducing a new team member 3. A quick tour of the salon 4. Introducing a new service or product 5. A super quick how-to

How do you see yourself using Vine for business?

Here is a super cool video from Mashable which takes you through the Vine app. It’s super quick and very informative. Watch it.

Photo and video sharing are here to stay and give you so many opportunities to share your work, deliver more value on your social + digital pages and help you become a more discoverable business on the Web.

So my challenge to you today is to download the app, start capturing video, and share it. (If you have an iPhone of course, as its not yet available on Android.)

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

PS: You can find me on Vine @NinaLKovner

“To understand the mindset of the connected consumer, one must realize that everything begins with search and intent.”

Brian Solis

Many of us have heard the news about Facebook Graph Search, a new search and discovery tool. While it is still in beta testing with a select group of people, I found a few things that might be helpful in understanding what it may mean for all of us.

I love this video from Facebook explaining why they created Graph Search. This is a good place to begin understanding this new tool.

Lets first understand that there are two ways to look at this new feature. Personal and Business. I am going to focus on the business side for this post. The best way I can wrap my mind around Graph Search is to think of it as a super social, highly targeted and personalized Google.

To learn more about becoming a more discoverable business on the Web, check out our Webinar.

What You Can Do Right Now on Facebook

Consistency engage on your business page

Post relevant content at least one time per day

Be sure your About section and contact information is strong and clear

Claim Your Page Name (URL) (Here is a post I did on that in case you do not know how)

Be sure your business is categorized correctly (Click here to learn more about Business Page Categories)

Here is another video from Slacktory on Facebook Graph Search, with a hilarious spin. It’s awesome.

PS: To learn more about Facebook Graph Search, click here.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

“Be human. • Be aware. • Be honest. • Be respectful. • Be a participant. • Be open. • Be courageous.”

Brian Solis

By now, most businesses have some type of Facebook presence, but there is still a long way to go to be able to turn that presence into a tool to engage, build meaningful relationships and deliver value to your community.

Think of it this way: If a human walked into your place of business, would you say hello? Would you answer their questions? Would you say thank you when they gave you a shout out? Of course, the answer is yes. Guess what? That is exactly how we want to engage with humans on Facebook.

Engagement on Facebook is measured by the amount of Likes, Comments, Shares, RSVP’s to an event or Answers a Question you posted as a poll. You can see this “measurement” right next to your Likes number, it’s called “Talking About This.”

And remember, if you are having an Event such as a Grand Opening, a Product Launch, a Fundraiser, etc to make use of the Events tab. We have found it to be one of our most engaging Tabs.

Where Am I Going To Find The Time? So there you have it, 5 simple things you can do to increase engagement. So now I know what you are thinking; where am I going to find the time to do all this?

Make a commitment to spend 30 minutes a day on your social pages. That is it. And if you have to, wake up a half hour earlier. Schedule yourself in the salon. Do whatever you have to do. If you want it bad enough and it’s important to you, you will find the time. You always do.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

“Brands are either part of the conversation or they’re not and as a result, they’re either part of the decision-making cycle or they’re absent from the heart, mind, and actions of the connected customer.”

Brian Solis, author of Engage and The End of Business As Usual

As many of you know, I spend a ridiculous amount of time on the web. I have a healthy obsession with engaging and listening because I care about you and want to help you and your business.

(infographic discovered on Google courtesy of Bluewolf)

Erik Qualman, author of Socialnomics said it best…”The ROI of social media is that your business will still be around in 5 years.” I could not have said it any better.

So remember. Engage. Listen. Care. Three simple yet powerful words to remember, both online and off.

If you ever have any questions for me regarding my blog posts, feel free to post questions to Facebook or email me by clicking here. I will always respond, both online and off. Because I care.

(shared with LOVE from your passionista Nina)

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

Marcel Proust

Thank you for all your love and support this year and for being the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. We appreciate you <3

Wishing you a Happy Holiday and an awesome New Year!

Your Passionistas- Gordon, Nina, Zen, Faith and Cody

Here are just a few opportunities I see:
1. Capturing cuts, colors and styles
2. Introducing a new team member
3. A quick tour of the salon
4. Introducing a new service or product
5. A super quick how-to

Where Am I Going To Find The Time?
So there you have it, 5 simple things you can do to increase engagement. So now I know what you are thinking; where am I going to find the time to do all this?

Your Passionistas-
Gordon, Nina, Zen, Faith and Cody