Top 10 Resources and Articles To Know Everything About Facebook
The Facebook statistics page gives out certain information that reveals a lot about our social networking craze. An average user has 130 friends. Wow, compare that with your real world ones. That will be a no contest. But what the numbers underscore is that social networking now is as ingrained in our DNA as morning breakfast. The numbers also reflect that Facebook with 400 million active users alone could be responsible for most of it.
Facebook controversies haven’t dampened log-ins. We still like to see what’s on our Walls. Where we are getting tagged, and who’s our new Farmville neighbor. Facebook still is like the corner coffee shop…a habit. There are some things on the web that set up a micro-universe all of their own. Think Google, think Twitter, and of course, let’s talk about Facebook.
For all true blue Facebook users, it’s also important to know what’s happening on it. For instance, how are the new privacy modifications going to the affect us? What’s the latest social application that we can plug into on Facebook? Or would it be safe to do that in the first place? Facebook news, views, and opinions help us keep us in the know.
I will ask you where you get your Facebook news from later. Right now, check these 10 resources that are always worth a visit for news and articles on Facebook. We will start off from some of Facebook’s own resources.
The Facebook Blog
It’s always best to get some news straight from the horse mouth. The information may not be unbiased, but it is relevant because you get to hear it first on the official Facebook blog. The blog archive is categorized around topics. Right on top, Facebook Fairytales is a fun read.
Facebook Help Center
Lately, the web has been full of chatter on Facebook’s new privacy controls. The Help Center is the best place to find out what’s it all about and how to apply it for your profile. There’s a full page on Facebook security. As is normal, when we sign up, the help section gets a visit only if there is a snag somewhere. But in this case, looking at help before you have to shout for it is worthwhile.
Facebook Developers
Get the breaking news here. The information coming out of the Developer news is a bit geeky, but you get to hear about everything that’s happening on the Facebook platform. The page has a few more sections like the Platform Live Status page which is like an update board on errors and cures. The Forum is the discussion board on Facebook apps and plugins. Showcase is the virtual display of how third party sites are implementing Facebook plugins.
Inside Facebook
Inside Facebook takes a specialized look at the Facebook platform and how it is relevant for developers and marketers. It is a niche site for those interested in innovative ways to use social media. The site came up in 2006, so it also has grown up with Facebook (Facebook was launched in 2004). The site gives you reports, metrics, and insights, on how marketers and social entrepreneurs are ‘exploiting’ Facebook. Two its sections – Inside Social Games and App Data catch the trends of games and applications on Facebook (and other social media). Some sections and downloads are open to paid subscribers only.
Did you know that there is an upcoming Facebook service called ‘Questions’? It could be potentially useful. Read about it here – “Facebook Questions” Tapping Into Friends’ Opinions, May be More Fun than Intellectual
Also see more of it here.
Mashable
Mashable is one of the top most social media digests on the web. Among all its other knowledgebase, you will find the Facebook Guide Book. It is as described, a hub of Mashable pages that help you master Facebook. From basic topics for the newbie to more advanced ones for specialized uses, you get it all.
Check out how to send a real gift on Facebook.
All Facebook
All Facebook is an independent blog that is in no way affiliated to Facebook. The blog discusses new applications, general news, and events that happen around Facebook. The only problem I could see with this blog was that I couldn’t find a way to dig into the archives. Except use the search box, maybe.
Searching for some tips, I found How To Develop A Facebook Page That Attracts Millions of Fans
Facebook Login
Again this is a blog that concentrates on Facebook how-tos and news. The blog pages are filed under categories on applications, games, help, tools, tricks, and a few more.
Reclaim Privacy
With all the talk of changes in Facebook’s privacy settings and the firestorm it’s generating, this little easy to use bookmarklet is handy. You can check the level of your privacy settings in three easy steps. The scan reveals the settings which are better off being private rather than public. The scanner will roll out in a couple of weeks time, after an update for Facebook’s new privacy controls. The site could do with a visit if you are concerned about privacy policies on Facebook.
Digg
Why not? It gives me one of the easiest ways to spot the most popular Facebook pages on the web. Search with a Facebook keyword and you get a complete list throw Digg’s filter at. Browsing through the ‘Most Dugg’ Facebook posts, I came across – How to Suck at Facebook – The Oatmeal
MakeUseOf
At the risk of blowing our own trumpet, let me just point out that we have 100+ articles on Facebook. Some of the popular must reads include
- How To Find Out If Your Facebook Account Has Been Hacked
- 8 Steps To Regain Control Of Your Facebook Privacy (and its second part)
- 7 Tips and Tricks To Be A Master At Farmville On Facebook
And we have a dedicated fan page on Facebook to keep you in the know of what’s trending on our site with articles and giveaways.
The Facebook grapevine does not end here, of course. You can find Facebook news and views in many other media outlets. Take Twitter for real time news. Try a Google Blog Search to see who’s publishing opinion on Facebook. Online newspaper sites like NY Times and Reuters are chock-a-block with Facebook news.
The information glut is overwhelming, isn’t it? Let us know how alert you are about news and alerts about the site where you have parked your social profile.
Image credit: Geek and Poke
Facebook beefs up privacy with three big changes | Social Media | Macworld
Facing a fierce public backlash over privacy issues, Facebook worked to reverse its tarnished image Wednesday by offering three big changes to how users can manage their privacy. At a press event, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that his company would “simplify” privacy controls starting with a redesigned privacy settings page.
“We’ve focused on three things: a single control for your content, more powerful controls for your basic information and an easy control to turn off all applications,” he wrote on the official Facebook blog.
These new controls, outlined below, will be rolled out to users starting Wednesday, but will take possibly weeks for all users to see them, according to Zuckerberg.
One simple control
Facebook is introducing a new privacy settings page to allow users to more easily control who sees the content you post. Using this setting, Zuckerberg calls “one simple control,” you’ll be able to set the content you create on your Facebook page to either everyone, friends of your friends or just your friends. Sharing of your content will also apply to Facebook products launched in the future—eliminating the need to set new rules to different types of new content, services, or features introduced at a later date.
Facebook says this revamped privacy settings page will help its users take control over how they share their personal information.
Keeping info private
The second privacy update outlined Wednesday is one that gives users a better handle on what basic information you share with the larger Facebook community. One big difference is you’ll be able to block people from seeing your Facebook page and your friends’ pages. However, Zuckerberg pointed out: “We recommend that you make these settings open to everyone. Otherwise, people you know may not be able to find you and that will make the site less useful for you.”
These controls will be accessible via a Basic Directory Information in the privacy page settings area.
Third-party privacy, please
Facebook says it is also making it easier for you to close off access from third-party applications (such as games) and Websites to your private information. Zuckerberg said that Facebook has added “an easy way to turn off Platform completely. This will make sure that none of your information is shared with applications or websites.”
Controls over third-party access to your private information also extends to Facebook’s controversial “Instant Personalization” option.” Already, partner sites can only see things you’ve made visible to everyone. But if you want to prevent them from even seeing that, you can now easily turn off instant personalization completely,” Zuckerberg said.
If you simply want to turn off instant personalization, we’ve also made that easier. Already, partner sites can only see things you’ve made visible to everyone. But if you want to prevent them from even seeing that, you can now easily turn off instant personalization completely.
Zuckerberg assures that these privacy changes are here to stay.
“If you find these changes helpful, then we plan to keep this privacy framework for a long time. That means you won’t need to worry about changes. (Believe me, we’re probably happier about this than you are.),” Zuckerberg said.
As much as these changes put more Privacy controls into the hands of users, it’s hard to say if it will quiet privacy activists and angry Facebook users. Many have asked that Facebook require users to opt-in to data sharing relationships as opposed to opting-out.
How Facebook 'Like' Can Destroy Your Personal Brand | Brand-Yourself.com Blog
Several weeks ago, I wrote an article explaining the Top Privacy Tips in Facebook. Now, for the sake of avoiding lots of “what-if” scenarios, let’s say that you have every single Facebook privacy setting set to “only friends.” You also took great caution as to the coworkers/managers/bosses who can see your page. Are you all set to do whatever you please on Facebook? Nope. Your Facebook profile quotations and ‘Likes’ are public for all the world to see. Subsequently, what you quote or Like on Facebook can destroy your personal brand.
For those who may be a bit confused as to what a Facebook Like page is, Facebook Like pages used to be the old Facebook fan pages.
If you are a job candidate and I search for you and find your Facebook link, I can see your favorite quotations and ‘Likes and Interests’ despite your tight security on your page. If I want to know more about you as an employee because I want to promote you or because you are having performance issues, same rule applies.
Let’s say I (potential or current employer) find you and while I cannot see much about you, I click on “Likes and Interests.” There isn’t much else to see about you, so why not? Is this where you said you liked skiing, snowboarding and golf? No, that is private. This is where I see what you Like on Facebook.
Are you one of the people who Like:
- Reading Someone’s Status Update and Thinking Oh, Shut the <expletive> Up! (1,343,430 people on Facebook Like this)
- I Am Going to Sit Back and Laugh When Karma Punches You in the Face (1,125,074 people Like this)
- I Thought About Knocking You the <expletive> Out on Multiple Occasions (304,567 people Like this)
- I Am Not Wrong, You Are Just Too Stupid to Grasp What I am Saying (278,842 people Like this)
- I am Sarcastic Because You are an Idiot (44,400 people Like this)
- Seriously, Shut Up, I am Going to Hit You (27,486 people Like this)
- I Deleted You Because You are Ugly and Your Status’ Suck (10,558 people Like this)
- I Am Smart, I Just Feel Too Lazy to Put Any Effort in My Work (4,234 people Like this)
- I Hate My Job! (3,561 people Like this)
If you Like these pages or anything remotely similar, remove them immediately if you care anything at all about your personal brand. While employers can also click on the pages and read anything you may have written on these pages, the simple fact that you Like them raises concerns about your character.
Yes, we are all regular people and some of these pages may ring true and are funny, but this information is public for everyone to see. Should they be public? That is a whole other issue. Right now we must deal with what is and be very conscious about what we do online that is visible for anyone to see.
It comes down to this: if you are a job seeker or you want to be promoted to a leadership position in your company, do the above “interests” reflect an ideal job candidate or an ideal leader?
Next, let’s look at your favorite quotations. Since your favorite quotations are also public, what do they say? Are they hardcore “I hate the world” quotes or are they inspiring, motivational and thought provoking quotes? An employer or prospective employer will draw conclusions about you based on your quotations if they read them. Use this public category to make an impact.
There are so many different types of pages on Facebook to Like, and quality authors to quote. You can leverage your personal brand by having your personal Likes or quotations reflecting your industry, charities, hobbies, etc. I do not think that it matters if you Like sports, movies, parenting topics, travel, or any pages of good quality. Believe it or not, there are even many fun ones to Like that are not offensive in nature!
Think about this the next time you click the Like button or publish a quotation.
Yes, it’s your Facebook page and you can say and Like whatever you want, but always keep in mind what you can control in your privacy settings and what you cannot. Public information is just that. What do you want the world to see? What do you want your (potential) employer to see?
Jessica Simko is a seasoned senior level Human Resources professional with over 15 years of experience in all facets of Human Resources Management. She is a Freelance Writer and Entrepreneur specializing in career/ life coaching and social media. Striving to help people connect their passions with their jobs and life, she offers great career, personal branding, and life tips on her new blog, Work and Life Solutions. Feel free to connect with her on:
Social Networking for Grown-Ups » The Glass Hammer
By Elisabeth Grant (Washington, D.C.)
By now you’ve heard of social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) and social networking (interacting in these different online spaces). In fact you may be sick of hearing about it!
Perhaps you have Facebook account, and maybe you’re even on Twitter. While these sites can offer great ways to keep up with friends, share photos, and be part of an online community, social media also offers important business opportunities as well. While you have to be careful what you post online (”Don’t Get Dooced“), don’t pass up the chance to make connections, brand yourself, and use social media in a business savvy way.
Out of the Playground
Social media may have started out as a diversion for teenagers and college students. But, in recent years, as Diane Garnick, Investment Strategist at Invesco Ltd. (and noted social media practitioner) explained:
“Social media stopped being a Generation Y playground and became an important tool for discovering, cultivating and expanding business relationships. Bridge the gap between you and your competitors by expressing your best ideas in an electronic forum the entire world can see.”
Social networking isn’t just for “kids” any more. The White House is on Facebook. The Library of Congress is on Twitter. Social media has evolved into a space where serious conversations can take place, and important information can be released. It allows for new ways to communicate with the public, with clients, and with potential clients. The best feature of social media is that it’s opt-in. People become your fans or friends on Facebook and your followers on Twitter, because they’re interested in what you have to say. Therefore, your message is more effective when you send it out: it’s reaching an targeted and relevant audience.
Grow Your Personal Brand with Social Media
Mary Gillen, a business owner who wears many hats (including writer and web developer) maintains the blog Learn One Thing where she offers ideas on marketing, social media, blogging for business, and more. When asked about how social networking has helped her business, she explained, “in my experience, participating in social media has brought me better rankings in the major search engines, which then leads to business, because people can actually find me that way.”
She cautions that it’s both “important not to ignore this ’shift’” to social media, but equally as important not to jump in blindly. Instead, she says, “start simply, and build on your skills as you go.”
Social media allows your audience to find you in multiple ways. Stumbling across your Facebook wall or Twitter feed can lead people to more information on your web site. Your web site or blog (or the best case, a hybrid of both) is your “online business base,” says Gillen. Your base is “where you post and publish content that educates visitors about what you do. You can then use your social media accounts like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook, to drive traffic to the content on your site.” Tweet news of a promotion on Twitter with a link back to your web site. Post information about an upcoming event on Facebook and your “fans” immediately know.
The more social media options you use, the more opportunities you have to catch different people’s interest. Mary Gillen encourages you to “re-purpose and publish what you know as your ’story’ in different ways: videos, ebooks, blog posts, slideshows, Tweets, Facebook Fan Page postings, LinkedIn Answers etc. This gives folks the chance to understand that you know what you are talking about. This process then contributes to their decision to do business with you.”
Facebook and Twitter Tips
Need more some concrete tips to see how social media can help you promote your business and business self? Here are a few to get you started.
- Business Appropriate – On Facebook, keep personal content (photos, statuses, private information) hidden by tweaking settings and creating lists (like Work, Friends, and Limited). On Twitter, be consistent. Don’t tweet a link to a business article one day and a note about what your cat just did the other day. Set up separate Twitter accounts for business and personal uses.
- Email Signature – Include a link to your Facebook page and your @Twittername in your email signature, so that every email you send out alerts friends and colleagues of your presence in social media.
- Interaction – Make contact with other people on Facebook and Twitter. Intelligent and constructive comments can lead people back to your social media pages or web site. And retweeting shows that you’re listening to what others are saying and you’re involved in the Twitter community.
Wired for Work: Get a Job FAST using LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter - Secrets of the Job Hunt Career Podcast
If you haven't looked for a job lately, you're in for a surprise.
Until recently, job searching was fairly simple. You scanned the classified pages of your local newspaper. You chatted with family, friends, acquaintances, and you asked for recommendations. When you found a lead, you mailed in a resume and cover letter, crossed your fingers, and waited for the phone to ring.
To put it mildly, things have changed. Most job opportunities aren't listed in the classified pages anymore. Your cookie-cutter resume and cover letters no longer cut it. And on top of all that, today's job market is tough, the worst since the Great Depression.
The old places people used to look for jobs, like newspaper ads, are dying. Even the online employment sites you might know about, like Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com or HotJobs, are a dead end for most people. Here's why:
-- The job often doesn't exist. The job listings at these big-name employment sites are stale. They're often copied directly from company Web sites or internal applicant tracking systems, which are chronically out-of-date. Worse, many employers post phantom jobs at these sites, simply to harvest resumes and fill their applicant database. Employers perpetuate this jobs treadmill because it's cheaper than hosting job fairs or hiring recruiters. And the Web sites are happy to play along, because the more job listings they have, the more visitors click through their pages, and the more they can charge in advertising and listing fees. But for you, this jobs merry-go-round is a colossal waste of time and energy.
-- The better the job, the more likely you'll be lost in the clutter. Nowadays, a typical job posting can attract hundreds or thousands of resumes. Company recruiters, buried under an avalanche of e-mails and resumes, often miss the best-qualified and experienced applicants.
More than ever, you've got to network to find a job or promotion. And for a growing number of people, that means using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social-networking tools.
Although these new job-search tools are mostly free, they can be wonderfully effective. You'll have early notice of unadvertised job opportunities, and direct access to the hiring decision-makers.
Even if you don't find your next job on Twitter, LinkedIn, or some other networking site, using these tools can boost your image to potential employers. Most employers now use social networking sites to help screen job candidates, according to a recent survey of 2,600 hiring managers by CareerBuilder. Of those who conduct online background checks of job candidates, 29 percent use Facebook, 26 percent use LinkedIn, and 21 percent use MySpace. About one in 10 employers search blogs, and 7 percent follow candidates on Twitter.
Unlike submitting your resume to a jobs listing site where your application often falls into a black hole, the profile you establish on social networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter can enhance your career in two major ways. "First, you can highlight your career achievements and the attributes that single you out as the best candidate for a job," says Andy Beal, co-author of Radically Transparent: Monitoring & Managing Reputations Online. "Second, these profiles can also rank well in a Google search for your name. Should a potential employer decide to include Google results as part of its background check, they'll discover the content that you carefully constructed to portray yourself in a positive light."
In the old days, you had firm control of your introduction to prospective employers. You wrote the resume and cover letter, and provided your references. Of course, you included only the things that made you look good. But today, employers can get lots more information about you by searching the Internet. If you've never sat down and looked at what information is out there, it's time to start.
Let's take a peek at your online image, as seen through the eyes of a prospective employer. What will they see when they Google your name?
On your Web browser, type your name, city of residence, and perhaps your line of work into the search box at Google.com. Are you among the first results, or is the result someone else with the same name? What details about you are available? Being at the top of the search results can be a good thing, or it might be bad, depending on what shows up.
Does your name appear as a speaker at a professional event? Have you won an award? Were you mentioned in a class reunion? That's good. On the other hand, does your name lead to a Facebook page, where potential employers can view embarrassing photos of you drinking beer at a friend's party? Not so good.
Now, put yourself in an employer's shoes, someone who has received your cover letter and resume, but wants to learn more about you before scheduling an interview. He or she might perform an online search to see what information about you is available. Do you want this potential employer to see your Facebook profile? Your Twitter account? If so, make sure you've set your privacy settings to allow public viewing. Of course, this will allow prospective employers to see the same information as everyone else–the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Movin' On Up: What Do Your Social Media Sites Reveal About You?
Did you know that 53% of all hiring managers use social networks to perform background checks on employees? So, if you interviewed for a job and end up being one of the top candidates, some employer may search your online references, such as Facebook and LinkedIn to learn more about you. If they looked at your Facebook profile, what would your pictures tell a potential employer about you?
An estimated 80% of employers want employees and job candidates to know how to use social networking tools.
39 Most Popular Facebook Pages In The World for Job Search
Learn where so many job seekers are going on Facebook for leads, job search tips, company research and more.
How to use this list
- Each row shows how many fans that page has right now, and mentions which language is used regularly on that page besides English.
- A country flag means that page is for people in that country only while the globe icon (
) means a page with international scope e.g. job listings for multiple countries.
Please share this on Facebook with friends who will find it useful, and don’t forget to fan the JobMob Facebook Page.
On to the list…
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19. | Mohamed in Dubai aka Shady seems to be a very likable guy, and Wall posts get lots of reactions as a result. Entertainment- and fashion-oriented job listings are listed under Discussions. | |
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If you found this article handy, you’ll enjoy reading Success Story: How I Used LinkedIn and Facebook to Find a Job During the Recession.