Facebook Finally Gets Clickable Hashtag

Social media's beloved hashtag is finally coming to Facebook.

While many users are already using hashtags on the site, they served no purpose until Wednesday, when Facebook announced in a blog post that they will be clickable and searchable.

"When you click on a hashtag in Facebook, you'll see a feed of what other people and Pages are saying about that event or topic," wrote Greg Lindley, Facebook's product manager.

The feature will allow users to join in on conversations like #NBAFinals and #NSALeaks.

Facebook has been teasing the feature since March, according to The Wall Street Journal, and it's now joining the list of other social media sites with functional hashtags like Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram, which Facebook purchased in 2012.

If trying to figure out how to properly use a hashtag, makes your head spin, read my blog: It’s Not your Grandmother’s Pound Sign: How to Use Hashtags in Social Media.

7 Keys To Turning Online Hook Ups Into Long-Term Love!

Upwards of 40 million people are looking for love via the internet so it surprises me that I still run across single people wanting to be in relationships but are leery about dating online. 

If you’re one of those, this news might change your mind.

A new study finds that, not only do one in three Americans meet their spouses online BUT those marriages are more satisfying and less likely to end in divorce than marriages that begin the traditional way.  

The study, which was funded by e-Harmony takes into account various forms of online venues including social media, chat rooms and email, as well.

It’s also interesting to note that of the people who met their spouses the “old school” way, more satisfying marriages were linked with couples who met in school, places of worship or grew up together than couples who met at a bar, at work or on a blind date.

So, why is online dating leading to more frequent and more satisfying marriages?

One reason is online dating stems from a deliberate, pro-active step taken by two people at the same time.  When you meet someone in line at the grocery store or even on a blind date, even if there’s a mutual attraction there’s always the chance that one person is more into it than the other.  With online dating at least you know that both of you have a similar desire to become a couple.  You also have a bigger pool of prospective partners, and online sites are more focused on finding long-term mates, the study showed.

I spoke with relationship/dating coach Anissa Oden, the founder of the smartphone App, MyBoopy shared seven tips fro finding love on line.

1.   Be patient.  There are millions of online dating users, so it may take some time,  Don’t be quick to throw in the towel if you haven't found that perfect match in the first few months.  Remember, you may have to dine with a few 'frogs' before you find your 'prince/princess' :-).  

2.   Keep an open mind and enjoy YOUR experience; recognize that each and every online dating experience is unique.  Don’t be heavily influenced by one’s success or failures; judge for yourself.

3.   When completing your dating account profile, do not pigeon hole yourself when it comes to your preferences.  For example, if you are a 5’4” female looking for a male that is at least 6’2”, you could be missing out on a great match.  Do you  really want someone at least 6’2” or do you just want someone that is taller than you.

4.    When you choose a username/screen name, don’t select one that may give the wrong impression of who you are and what you represent.  For example, a profile name of Sex Kitten 123 may encourage traffic, but it may possibly promote the wrong type of attention.

5.   Keep your dating profile brief, and concise.  Give enough information about yourself to intrigue those that are viewing your profile, but not so much that there is nothing else to talk about. 

6.   Use profile photos taken within 12 month and make  sure you take lots of pictures that clearly represent who you are.  If picture is worth a thousand words…. how many do you think four are worth?!?!  Avoid the selfies, especially in the bathroom or car.  

7.   Use common sense and never compromise your safety.  Use tools like Google to get preliminary background information.  There are online sites and apps that are also available (i.e. Beenverified.com) that provide some helpful information. But f your gut is telling you that something is not right …. it probably isn’t.

Below is my entire interview with Anissa.

 If you tried online dating and have an experience you’d like to share good or bad I’d like to hear it. 

Man or Child: Which One Are You in Bed With?

Somewhere God and Mother Nature are cracking up.  I mean, a day doesn’t go by without us getting another piece of evidence that proves just how challenging it is to maintain a successful male/female relationship.  As black women, the numbers already are working against us if we’re hoping to find a single, black man.

And now this:

New research commissioned by Nickelodeon UK to mark the launch of a new show has pinpointed the exact age that boys mature completely is 43 – eleven years after women.

And since I have an um … penchant for younger men, I see now, I may have to make some concessions here and there.

It also means that as the mother of boys -10 and 11 – I could be raising boys in perpetuity, and that’s not good at all.

There are just some things I don’t understand.

There were two girls in my family so I wasn’t nearly prepared for the boy stuff that my sons have introduced me to.  I’m still trying to figure out why passing gas is funny and I dread approaching the day when it switches from begging them to take a shower to wondering why they’re taking three a day.
That being said, I’ve gone through great pains to prep my boys for adulthood and I personally think their prospective wives will be pretty pleased with the job I’ve done.

They pick up their dirty clothes, put their dishes in the sink, take out the garbage, lay out their clothes and even can prepare a few meals on their own.


Why should I expect any less from a mate?

While the article has a lot of information that I think hits the nail on the head, I’m not buying this study completely.

There have just got to be some happy mediums out there, guys who are fun, energetic, hard working and sexy who have put away childish things for good … or at least the majority of the time.

So, yeah, I’ll laugh at some bathroom humor and do a load of laundry – but I will never wash a pair of Sponge Bob Pajamas for any man with body hair, including my sons.  That’s just a deal breaker.

But sadly, some women seem to believe having a silly man-child is their fate.

Eight out of ten believe that men ‘never stop being childish’ – with breaking wind, burping, eating fast food in the early hours and playing videogames – while 46 percent of women have had a relationship in which they felt they had to mother their partner a bit too much.

If there’s a bright side to this story, I guess is the idea that immaturity helps men bond better with children.  But even kids lose respect for a male adult who doesn’t know when it’s time to man up.

The news is full of stories of what happens to parents of both sexes who think being friends with their children is a good thing.  Sadly, Michael Jackson and Bobby Brown are just two examples of what can happen when men refuse to grow up.

This Father’s Day it would be nice if every dad recognized his role as leader, provider, confidant and occasional buddy to his children.


What a gift that would be for all of us!

It’s Not your Grandmother’s Pound Sign: How to Use Hashtags in Social Media

In 2010, the same year that “BFF” and “viral” were added to the Oxford English Dictionary, “hashtag” joined the fray of digital-related words that have become part of  our everyday vocabulary.  

But of  them all including “LMAO,” “unfriend” and “social networking,” “hashtag” may be the most misunderstood. 

#Confusing

What’s a Hashtag?

Simply put, a hashtag groups tweets together on a particular subject. When you add a ‘#’ directly in front of a word (or acronym) on Twitter – a link is automatically created.

You’ll find hashtagged terms within people’s Tweets. They are typically at the end, but can be embedded anywhere. When you click on the link you will see all the latest tweets containing that hashtag, making them easy to find among the millions of tweets sent each day.

When a hashtag becomes extremely popular, it can become a trend. Big events in news, sports, or entertainment tend to quickly generate heavy activity.

Why Add a Hashtag to Your Tweet?

Typing a relevant hashtag into your Tweet will help readers find your message, even if they aren’t following you.  On any given day, an infinite number of hashtags are circulating, so using the right one is key to success.

If you’re Tweeting about a big event – such as a conference – usually the organizers have designated a hashtag for people covering the event in social media. Look on the event’s web site or literature to find the appropriate hashtag.

Outside of a major event, the best way to find the right hashtag is to test out the term: type it into Twitter’s search box, and if it’s in use, you’ll pull up a list of related Tweets. The larger the list, the more popular the hashtag.

Another way to research is to use an analytical tool, such as hashtags.org. This allows you to view a hashtag’s analytics within a 24-hour period, as well as see a list of prolific users, related hashtags and posts using that tag.

Creating Your Own Hashtag

Anyone can start a hashtag and hope it gets picked up by users. This can be a great way to promote your business name, brand or new product. 

However, starting from scratch requires a consistent effort. Although it's possible for some hashtags to go viral instantly, it’s more likely that you’ll need to do some consistent work to help it pick up traction.

Tips for Using Hashtags

According to hashtags.org, if you’re coming up with a brand new tag, use a term that is “catchy, short and concise, clear, and relatable – users see the value in using it”. More tips for successful hashtags:

• Keep your tag short: Because of Twitter’s 140 character limit, no one will use it if it’s going to eat up half their available characters.
• Don’t be vague: if you’re hoping to interact with farmers who like tech talk, use the specific #FarmersTechnology rather than the general #Technology.
• Be wary with acronyms. Aside from extremely popular terms -like #DWTS, for the popular TV show Dancing with the Stars - acronyms can leave your reader in the dark.
• Don’t overdo it. Twitter recommends no more than two hashtagged terms per Tweet.
• Add Value: Be sure that every new Tweet you send with your hashtag has good content for your readers and avoid repetition.

Hashtags are a great way to promote your business and develop Global Visibility. They allow you to spread your brand, take advantage of popular trends, and get your message out.

What already established hashtags have you used? Have you had success creating your own?

Are You Riding On The Social Media Bandwagon?

Okay, so what do X- Rays, the telephone and the Mickey Mouse all have in common?  

They were all at one time thought to be fads that would never last.  We laugh now but some of us are turning our backs on social media because we think it’s a passing thing.

I remember as a child hearing an elderly person say,  “I know all I need to know, and I don’t want to know no more.”   At that moment, I vowed I would never become that person.   You don’t want to be that person either.  But a lot of your friends, family members and even co-workers are technologically stuck, and proud of it.  

And if they are anything like I was when I was seven sometimes you just need an answer to the question, “Why?” 

So why should you blog, create valuable content and build networks on social media? Is social media just the new hot thing or does it go deeper than that?

Social media has changed the way we communicate. It has given us as individuals control over how we express ourselves. It also affords us a golden opportunity to build a platform that will help deliver our message to millions – should we choose to do so.

And it is so very exciting.

I’ve been a media professional for almost 20 years and have been granted access to some of the biggest platforms in print, television and radio. But for a long time, traditional media has been considered a members only club.

Through the power of social media, the club doors have now been thrown wide open and everyone has been invited to the party. 

No longer do you have to beg for a little bit of shine. You can grab it yourself.

Yes, social media is here to stay. And that’s a very good thing.

Below are some fun facts about the Internet and social media that prove that:

• 1 out of 8 couples married in the U.S. last year met via social media.

• Years to Reach 50 millions Users:  Radio (38 Years), TV (13 Years), Internet (4 Years), iPod (3 Years)…Facebook added 100 million users in less than 9 months…iPhone applications hit 1 billion in 9 months.

• If Facebook were a country it would be the world’s 4th largest between the United States and Indonesia (note that Facebook is now creeping up – recently announced 300 million users)

• 80% of companies use LinkedIN as a primary tool to find employees

• The fastest growing segment on Facebook is 55-65 year-old females

• Ashton Kutcher and Ellen Degeneres (combined) have more Twitter followers than the population of Ireland, Norway, or Panama. 

• 80% of Twitter usage is outside of Twitter…people update anywhere, anytime…imagine what that means for bad customer experiences?

• What happens in Vegas stays on YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook…

• The #2 largest search engine in the world is YouTube

• There are over 200,000,000 Blogs

• If you were paid a $1 for every time an article was posted on Wikipedia you would earn $156.23 per hour

• 25% of Americans in the past month said they watched a short video…on their phone

***Facts quoted in Erik Qualmans Book “Socialnomiccs”.

What’s Your Social Media Sweet Spot?

Not sure when or how it happened but I somehow ended up in my parent’s living room charged with the challenge of getting my 75 year old mother social media savvy.

She has a book to promote. And I want to remain a part of the family.  

**Enter selfish plug on behalf of my mama here: PRAYERS FROM THE HEART is available for purchase. 

But of course my mother had questions.

“How often should I post? AND when is the best time to post?”  She asked while continuing to stare at the computer with a look on her face that was a mix of bewilderment and frustration. "This is confusing."

My mom is not alone in her confusion. 

“How often should I Post? AND when is the best time to post?” are the two questions I get most when I am speaking or conducting a workshop on social media.

And they are great questions because bottom line, if you want to gain global visibility through developing your platform then the frequency and timing of your posts are extremely important.

Unfortunately – there is no one answer that will work for everyone. 

Everyone and every brand is different and should therefore have a different audience and strategy.

What I can do is offer are some simple guidelines that will help you structure your content plan and discover your social media sweet spot.

To make it even simpler, we are only going to focus on Twitter, Facebook and Blogging.  Note that all frequencies are DAILY recommendations, for 7 days per week:

TWITTER:

• Frequency:  24 – 40 posts
• 1/2 of these posts should be content posts (very few of these should pitch your projects), ¼ should be personal posts (check-ins, funny comments or pictures) and ¼ should be RT’s or comments.
• The highest percentage of retweets occurs around 5PM EST, while the highest CTR (click through rate) occurs between noon and 6PM EST. You may want to time your most important post in that timeframe.

FACEBOOK FANPAGE:

•  Frequency: 1-2 content posts

FACEBOOK PERSONAL PROFILE:

• Frequency: 4 – 8 posts
• 1/4 should be content (very few of these should pitch your projects), ¼ personal (check-ins, funny comments or pictures) and ½ should be likes or comments on other people’s content.
• Most Facebook shares occur on Saturday. These shares tend to spike around noon, and a little after 7PM.

BLOGGING:

• Frequency: 3-5 times per week.
• The highest percentage of users read blogs in the morning, a higher percentage of men read
• blogs in the evening and at night, the average blog gets the most traffic on Monday around 11am Eastern Time and the average blog gets the most comments on Saturday.

It may seem scary or even undoable. So don’t make it an all or nothing goal. 

Whether you begin with one platform and master that goal before moving on to the next or begin slowly increasing your visibility on all three, the key is getting started. Set your targets you can hit, reward yourself when you do, and then increase your challenge. 

A social accountability partner might be what you need to remind you to stay on track.

Before you know it, posing will become second nature, your fans, friends and followers will increase and they will make YOU a daily part of their social media regiment.  

Sweet.

Now share your thoughts on frequency? Do you feel it's too much? Not enough? How often do you post on a daily basis?