Facebook and Google+
After this week’s readings I began to explore Facebook’s graph search function and found it to be a really fun tool to search for cats which is my favorite way to spend time on any social media platform. Yes I am one of those people. I can also see how graph search can be used for business purposes as well. It’s a listening tool that I can introduce to the USPS social media team which will help us tailor better content as we move forward.
Google+ is not a social media platform the United States Postal Service uses at this time, and I am still not convinced that Google+ is the superstar social media site it’s cracked up to be. Sure the format is bright and streamlined, perhaps a little more pleasing to the eye than Facebook. Yet I think it’s going to take a lot more time using it and really delving in to make the switch. Actually it’s not all about making a switch its more about mastering each social media platform so they all interact with one another. For the purposes of learning for the class we have created a google+ account and so I am learning to navigate the site. Still not quite sure about Google Authorship and how that will help my social media presence. In fact I am not so sure I really want better search engine optimization for my personal profile.
Having good graphics to go along with your posts is key to having people click on your content. I have put this into practice. Pinterest is a great place to get good graphics and google+ is a great tool for this as well.
I used the following two strategies to drive engagement I asked followers to “Like” a little bird graphic and I got a few people to click like so that worked. Also using Fill-in the Blank is a way to get a conversation going and drive engagement.
Questions
What strategies have you used to drive engagement to your social media sites?
Have you tried the Google Authorship tool and if so have you found it helpful?
Related articles
- What Can Facebook Graph Search Bring To Your Business? (nismonline.org)
- Cheat Sheet for Facebook Graph Search (detart.wordpress.com)
- How Google will Destroy Facebook with Search…Or Will It? (thesocialbusiness.com)
DarleenLove4learning 
Darleen,
Thanks for your thoughts. While it might feel foreign, I wouldn’t disregard the power of Google+. If you think Google is valuable, then you should feel the same about Google+. That doesn’t mean you have to use it like you use Facebook, but it’s something every business should use if they care about visibility.
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Adam:
I think the more I use it I will find more value. What I might suggest is that the USPS social media team explores its use. I am going to see if our competitors are on Google+ that may drive our participation. Thanks for the reply.
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Darleen,
I’ve been trying out several of the different engagement strategies that we’ve learned in class, and surprisingly, they really do all work! I’ve found that posting images (on any of the social networks) does make people feel more compelled to engage. I know when I’m on social media, I’m more likely to click and comment if I see a picture or album. I’ve also found that a call-to-action gets more people to respond. People use social media to connect and they really do want to get their opinions out there.
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Thanks so much for the view..Me not having that much luck but I understand the theory.
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