Timeline is Coming! How to Get Creative...

You may have begun using Facebook timeline on your personal account (love it or hate it?), and noticed that it is coming (preview available) for your brand page.  

Recently I've encouraged some clients to hold off on any custom landing page creation due to this change, and sure enough, the default landing page will be no longer.  As of March 30th, you will be pushed to the timeline view.  Custom tabs are still going to be available, but not a default landing page. 

Here is a great read on the impact of Facebook Timeline on your business page from Involver, a great app that allows you to integrate Twitter, YouTube, RSS feeds and more into custom tabs for Facebook.  http://blog.involver.com/2012/03/08/dont-believe-the-skuttlebutt-losing-default-landing-pages-isnt-a-deal-breaker/?_inv_out=4291&_inv_cp=6362723

I have converted mine, so if you'd like to take a look at layout, you can go to www.facebook.com/soaringsolutions.

For those of you ready to make the jump, consider the space you have for your graphic.  For now, I simply took a snapshot of my website.  But there are some great creative ideas, here are some for inspiration->   http://slodive.com/inspiration/showcase/facebook-timeline-brands

Design sizes for those of you giving it a shot on your own:

Facebook timeline header image pixel size: 851 w X 315 h

Facebook profile image pixel size: 125 w X 125 h

Facebook custom tab image pixel size: 112 w X 75 h

If your image is smaller, Facebook will build you a border.  If your image is larger, it will allow you to adjust focused space.

Go play around with this new space to show your personality, voice, message and creativity behind your brand!

No One Cares who Unfollowed you on Twitter

Does anyone else find these 

Tweets  ---> 

as  pointless as I do?  Ok, maybe your ego makes you curious, but does anyone else care?  Do you think your followers read this Tweet, click on all of the links thinking "wow, I can't believe this jerk unfollowed @insertwhinytweeterhere, 

I'm going to show them by unfollowing them too!"

Consider:

1.  Twitter has limits and faults.  While I've used apps to whitelist people I never want to unfollow even if they never follow me back, I have found myself able to follow them again.  (seriously, I would never intentionally unfollow @CarolJSRoth or @ChrisBrogan)

2.  Most power users are using some sort of automation tool that unfollows people who do not reciprocate in 'N' days, or who appear to fit the profile of a spammer.  Perhaps you fall into one of those categories.

3.  There are an infinite number of third party software applications out there supporting Twitter growth.  These may be developed by a highly VC funded software company with a QA team, or it may have been created, and solely supported, by your 12 year old neighbor with great coding skills. Often you cannot distinguish between the two.  Again, faults exist, they are mostly free, deal with it.

4.  Maybe the person is using Twitter for a particular business purpose, and you do not fit this profile.  This isn't a personal attack, this is strategic efficiency.

5.  And finally, social media is about creating a community.  When you post this sort of nonsense you look like the kid on the playground who kicks first and then cries and tattles when the kick is reciprocated.  If you stop posting negative Tweets trying to make others look bad, maybe people would stop unfollowing you...

What will your Social Media Legend Be?

I'm sure you've seen the many posts going around honoring the legendary Rapper Heavy D, passing at the young age of 44.

My first reaction was to go check out his old hit "Now That We Found Love" on YouTube.  For me it brings back memories of running in college, with this favorite tune on my Sony Cassette Walkman.  Such a happy, energizing rhythm, I hated how I wanted to repeat it over & over, but had to deal with that damn rewind button...

I find it pretty powerful how social media allows people to share news, memories, and pay honor to those that inspire them via words and visual medium.  These actions help people to reflect on important moments in their life and create a sense of community.

I found myself looking at his last Tweets, as these (oddly to some) are frequently cited & investigated following the death of a celebrity.  His final post before his death was "BE INSPIRED".  Those preceding it include paying honor to another lost legend, Joe Frazier, and other quotes of inspiration to his followers.

Think- if you were to pass much too soon, as Heavy D did, what would your social media legend say about you?  What kind of message would you leave behind for those who meant most to you, or those to whom you were a source of inspiration, but may have never known?

I know my friends would not be shocked that my last 2 blogs were about LinkedIn and Heavy D.  But mostly, I hope I leave behind messages of encouragement, knowledge, inspiration and humor!

Cheers Heavy D, thanks for years of musical memories.  Give Bev & Rudy big hug for me.