It’s been an exciting couple of weeks as a multitude of new applications have hit the Appbistro marketplace! Here we’re highlighting the most popular submissions.
dPortfolio gives graphic designers and photographers a simple way to showcase their work. Organize your photos into projects with custom descriptions and branding. With numerous share options and an easy-to-use content management system, we’re excited to see dPortfolio grow!
Peekeez lets fan page owners add a live video feed to their Fan Page. This lets Fans from all over the world view your webcam. Fans can comment, share and Like your Fan Page from the app interface. This application will without a doubt engage your Fans immediately!
Freeload is a Fan Page application that lets you share a downloadable file through your Fan Page. You are able to set the download to be delivered instantly, at a certain time or have it unlocked after a predetermined number of users request it. This is a great application for all sorts of Fan Pages wanting to release unique content downloads. Be sure to watch the video tutorial, which you can find on the application page.
Contact Tab is a simple yet important part of any small business’s Fan Page. Display your phone, fax, email, website, physical address and more through Contact Tab’s features. Brand your Page with a company logo and let users email you directly through the app’s message box!
YouTube by Keywords lets you showcase the top videos for any keyword query you specify. This is especially useful if you want to share aggregated video content with Fans who are not on your YouTube account.
Developer submissions have been skyrocketing and there are plenty of applications that we’re excited to launch in the coming weeks! Stay tuned.
Facebook has just added the ability to allow people to unmerge their Place & Fan Page, as insidefacebook.com reported earlier.
This is a substantial improvement to the usability between Pages and Places. When Places was first launched they gave people the ability to merge their Facebook Page into a Place. This made a lot of sense for people who had Pages that were more of a location instead of a business.
There has been quite a bit of backlash from the community - there was even a Page created called Unmerge Places & My Business Page. A recent status update from the Page read, “How many people decided to start over and how many are still putting up a fight? It doesn’t look like they’re going to unmerge. Not really sure where to go from here…” A response to the status read, “started a new page. went from 1200 to 320 but we pick up at least a dozen each week. with the changes in the old page i find myself posting to both.”
I run a small business myself at Chess Media Group, and we work on developing social customer strategies for much bigger companies, so I can identify with the challenges that small businesses (and larger companies) are faced with. I decided to put together this little social customer toolkit to help small businesses get started.
Customer Relationship Management system (CRM)
You need something that stores all of your customer (and other) data, and e-mail is not going to cut it. A CRM system will allow you to set up tasks, find all of your account information, follow up with prospects, build a pipeline, and much more. You can even run your e-mail marketing campaigns from a CRM platform. I’d recommend starting with something like Salesforce; packages range from $5-$125/person/month (for the enterprise version).
Social Channels
This is the mix of the social channels you are going to be using. I can’t speak to exactly what those channels are going to be since I don’t know your business, but more often than not it’s going to involve a combination of Facebook, Twitter, Blogs and Linkedin (and hopefully a third party community solution like Lithium or perhaps Jive). The information you get from these social channels should all feed into your CRM system. No cost here except for your time unless you decide to go with a fancy community platform, but if you decide to do that then things must be really going well, so no point worrying about it.
E-mail Marketing
Again, you can run this directly from your CRM system with some basic integration, but you’re most likely going to have to use something like Vertical Response, Mail Chimp or Exact Target. The cost here will be around $0-$100/month (Mailchimp for example has a freemium version for anything under 500 people in your list).
Monitoring Solution
You’re going to need something that monitors the web for you with relevant conversations and discussions that are taking place online. You can try some of the basic free tools such as Google Alerts, but eventually you want to move to something more advanced (and again something that integrates with your CRM system) such as an Attensity or Radian 6. Costs here can vary quite a bit, but you’re likely looking at around $200-$1k/month.
Technology Integration
Finally, you need someone to connect all of the pieces together for you. The vendors mentioned above should be able to help you out with pretty much everything, but it may be worth hiring a technology person just to help you sync everything up if you’re having trouble. This should really only take a few hours so it just depends on the person’s rate and the complexity of the integration. You can start to do some really creative things on the technology, but you need to understand what you want.
Overall, the total cost annually for a small business should be around $5k-$15k, which isn’t too bad to get started. I’m also assuming that you have thought of some strategy here, otherwise this all falls apart. Of course there are other things you can add to your toolset, but in my opinion these are the essentials for getting started. Most people focus only on the “social media channels” and forget about everything else (along with the integration into a CRM system that lets you track everything!). If I were you, I’d start planning and researching various vendors and start making the investment. You might have a better mix of things you are using so please feel free to share below!
Jacob is the principal of Chess Media Group a consultancy that focuses on social customer strategies for mid and enterprise size organizations. Jacob also blogs on social customer strategy and social media and you can connect with him on Twitter @JacobM.
Facebook just pushed a number of new updates to their Facebook Fan Pages and Photos today (UPDATE: Facebook appears to be down - maybe they are reverting the changes already?).
We grabbed a couple screenshots to show you what has changed.
1. Applications Moved to Left Rail
What this means for Fan Page admins: All of the applications that you use needs to have a 16x16 icon. You can do this in the Facebook Developer application. This also means you need to remove “tab” from all of your marketing and collateral. Appbistro has already stopped using the terminology “tab applications” and is now using “business applications.”
2. Facebook allows Page admins to ‘Login as Page’
What this means for Fan Page admins: Community & Brand Managers can now login as their Fan Page, and limit their entire Facebook experience to that of the Fan Page’s. You can see a News Feed that is curated just for the Fan Page and be able to Like other Fan Pages.
3. Notifications for Fan Pages
What this means for Fan Page admins: Fan Page admins can now switch between accounts (as we learned above), but the amazing part, is that they can now get notifications as the Page. Now you can get real time updates about what your fans are saying & doing with your Fan Page!
One more thing: No More Default Landing Area?
We’re not sure, but we are hearing that Facebook also removed the ability to set a default landing app. If this is true, Facebook is going to hear a huge uproar from the community.
We’re really excited about all these new changes, and are looking forward to the Pages product getting a badly needed upgrade.
As always, Fan us on Facebook if you enjoyed this post!
Today Appbistro is excited to announce our newest application partner, North Social.
North Social has an extremely reasonably priced, high-powered set of applications for small and medium-sized businesses.
North Social gets ‘viral’. Period. Their application suite is so effective that many larger brands such as Coca-Cola, Sony, EA, and Garmin have adopted them as well.
Since we’ve reviewed and listed all 19 of North Social’s applications, we want to feature a few specific apps for you.
The Apps
Volunteer- We all know that finding good volunteers can be a daunting task, but North Social makes it a bit easier with one of their newer applications, Volunteer. Simply put, this is the perfect application for non-profit organizations.
If you’re hosting a big event, looking for consistent volunteers or simply just gauging the interest out there, this application can definitely help. Not only does it draw individuals to volunteer with your organization, it also keeps those volunteers and their contact information organized in it’s back-end program called North Contact.
If you’re a non-profit organization, looking to gain some volunteers, check out this app!
Show & Sell- Sometimes, we’d rather features a few of our products than have an entire e-commerce store on Facebook. Luckily, that’s exactly what Show and Sell does exactly that.
The principal is simple. Show off your featured products. Add a link for interested parties to purchase. Then, let your customers talk about them via North Social’s awesome Facebook Comment integration.
The application is simple, but an easy way to show off some cool stuff and more importantly create a conversation around it. Check it out here.
Fan Offer- Even with all of the “new” technology that exists out there, Coupons are still an extremely awesome way to incentivize your customers. Fan Offer makes this process simple.
What makes this application so useful to you are the viral features. First of all, you can require users to Like your page before receiving the coupon. This will keep the users in the loop for your future deals, news or promotions. They can also share the deal to their Facebook Wall, which gives you even more reach.
Whether it’s holiday season or just coupon time, you should definitely check out this application.
Exclusive- This is one of North Social’s newest applications and one of the coolest on the market.
The premise? You can offer exclusive downloads to fans who like and share your page.
If you’re a musician with a new tune, this is an easy way to spread the word about your upcoming work, while offering a little gift to those who love you the most.
Its versatility makes it well worth checking out. Find out more here!
Deal Share- This application is the first-cousin of the coupon, with a bit of a twist. Deal Share allows you to create group-deals for your Facebook Fans.
The way it works is pretty simple. In order for the deal to be redeemed, a certain amount of people must agree to purchase it. So if you require 15 people to purchase the deal and 20 agree to do so, the deal is on.
It’s a great way to gain fans, make some money and create some buzz around your business. Check it out here!
Conclusion
When it comes to quality, price-point and effectiveness North Social is really hard to beat. The fact that you get 19 different applications to choose from in their suite is definitely a bonus. The ease-of-use definitely helps too!
We highly encourage you to consider North Social when you are developing your social marketing strategy.
Have a great day and enjoy our newest apps from our friends at North Social!
Today Facebook updated their Platform Roadmap by accelerating the timeline for a number of features and changes. Originally, many of these items were scheduled to take affect sometime in Q1 of 2011, but now they are all set to be pushed at the end of 2010.
Items changed:
- Support for iframes in Page tabs - Now Q4 2010
- No new FBML apps - Now End of 2010
- OAuth 2.0 Required for all new apps - End of 2010
- FBML tags fb:board, fb:editor, fb:wall, fb:feed - All no longer available after 2010
We don’t know what you’ll be doing on New Year’s Eve, but it looks like we’ll be at work, making sure our apps don’t break. Cheers.
Before December 1, 2010, Facebook required that contests, sweepstakes and competitions that were advertised on their site be managed and data collected through a separate, third-party site. Essentially, businesses, agencies and individuals could advertise contests within their Facebook page(s), but to actually participate in the contest, users had to follow a link to a site separate from Facebook to input their personal information and enter the contest.
But, on Wednesday, December 1, Facebook announced a revision to their Promotions Guidelines that says Page owners can not only advertise contests, sweepstakes and competitions, they can now collect data directly through Facebook applications. The announcement is accompanied by several clauses that caution Page owners regarding the nature of their contests, prizes and methods of participation. Most notably, Page owners must include a written release of Facebook in regard to their contest, cannot force users to complete such Facebook activity as a status update or Wall comment, and cannot advertise contests that include prizes of alcohol, tobacco, firearms or prescription drugs.
What does this change mean for Facebook Page owners? Likely, it will result in greater contest participation because it will not require users to leave Facebook. No one likes having to use their browser’s “Back” button or otherwise navigate backwards. This update to the Facebook Promotions Guidelines will allow users to stay engaged with page content, easily participate in contests and, most importantly, will help Page owners attract a larger and more loyal audience.
Looking to run a contest on Facebook? Check out these apps!
Easypromos
With this application, you are able to manage and customize your own promotions. Adding a promotion is a user-friendly, one-step process. The first contest is free and additional contests are $15 each. Click here to check it out.
Video Contest
Oolium’s Video Upload Contest allows users to upload their own videos to your Facebook Page. The other users then have the opportunity to vote for their favorite video declaring a winner! Free 90 day trial. Click here.
Giveaways
Giveaways are a huge way for small businesses to create awareness around their brand. A simple “Caption the Pic” or “Fill in the Blank” Facebook post is a speedy, sure way to grow traffic. Every time a new member hits the “like” button or makes a comment, the content spreads to their feed, exposing your brand (virally) to that member’s friends and family. Before you know it, you’ll have a bundle of comments to choose from and you can announce the winner to all fans. Furthermore, when contacting the winner, be sure to ask them to post their prize on Facebook. 
An example of how Where I’ve Been uses incentives for their fans to write comments about a photo.
Tagging other brands in the same relevant space
Imagine you’re promoting a small shoe store. You’re not only competing against other shoe shops in the area, but also the big guys like Nike, Aldo and Nine West.
When you post content about your industry, don’t be afraid to tag the competition; your message will show up in their feeds too. This exposes you to a targeted audience! Also, pretending the competition doesn’t exist helps no one, so keep your content as relevant as possible. It shows that you’re an expert in your industry and that instills confidence in your fans. 
An example of how Poggled uses their partnerships with bars around Chicago to promote certain deals. This specific Facebook post is visible to Poggled fans, as well as Chicago Bears and The Red Canary fans. An effective and efficient way to reach more people!
Talk with them, not at them
It’s okay to self-promote every now and then. It shows that you’re keeping your community up-to-date with what’s going on at your company. The best way to go about self-promoting is to ASK your fans their opinion. For example, if you are launching a new product, create a Facebook post around the product, including a link to the product itself, and end with a question. “Hey fans, we just released version 4.0 of ___________. What do you think? We’d love to hear your thoughts!” Asking the community to comment is valuable for a number of reasons:
a) comments/likes from fans spread virally across Facebook.
b) you’re gaining insight from the people who actually want to use/buy your product.
c) it shows that you’re engaged and care about what your fans have to say.
When a fan comments – whether it’s positive or negative – be sure to respond immediately. Never leave a comment unanswered. Remember, the golden (unsaid) rule of Facebook is to talk with your community, not at them. 
Where I’ve Been YouTube channel promotion on Facebook.
Fans are visual creatures
Create videos and post pictures from events, shows or the company headquarters. They are wonderful conversation starters! Facebook fans are visual creatures and will be more likely to comment on something they can feast their eyes on.
Bookyap frequently posts videos and articles that target book enthusiasts, bloggers and authors.
Don’t be afraid to show off your less serious side
Fans are more likely to engage with brands that are cool, personable and down to earth. Find a relevant article that’s comical? Share it! See a funny photo that’s noteworthy? Post it! You never know, it might just be the perfect conversation starter you were looking for.
A fun article about travel used on Where I’ve Been.
Psssst! Just to let you know, the above post was written by Katy Lynch. Katy is President and Founder of SocialKaty, a groovy social media consulting biz located in Chicago, IL. All examples shown are taken from SocialKaty’s clients. For more info about SocialKaty, do a little dance and visit http://www.socialkaty.com.
The transformation of what Tom Foremski calls the “Media Valley” that emerged from the Silicon Valley, has created myriad new business development opportunities spanning all industries, operations and strategy.
The cold call is dying a fast death because, simply put, there is no need for calls to be so COLD. Clara Shih at the BizTechDay Conference in San Francisco highlighted one of the greatest strengths of Facebook and most social networks - the connection capability.
Social Networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Quora recommend people you may want to connect with. They allow you to search for people by name, email, high school, past employer or favorite dog, and find the degrees of separation with your current contacts. If Sally knows Bob and Joe knows Bob, then Sally will more likely connect with Joe because they have a mutual contact in Bob. Social media facilitates this process more than ever before.
It can feel overwhelming to generations who came before the Facebook Generation (Gen F). I feel completely natural exploring new media and growing an online presence. My dad, on the other hand, constantly asks me basic questions about how to update his status on Facebook or use an application (and my grandpa for that matter! He is 87 and has a FB profile and LinkedIn). While they are in the social media space, it takes longer to adopt and adapt.
As Generation F ages and comes to power in the real world, the entire dynamic of companies and business development may be transformed. Social media has vastly different ways of reaching success than traditional business.
It’s the ones who unselfishly contribute and disrupt that win. Gary Hammel nails this point.
“Credible arguments, demonstrated expertise and selfless behavior are the only levers for getting things done through other people.”
Social Media, at its core, is not about the network technology, the software or the cloud; it’s about people. When you realize this, the applications will be much easier to navigate and use to your benefit, and your bottom-line will be reached more easily. Whether you want to reach people in the social media or technology world, provide customer service for your product or learn more about your competitors, there is an App for that! Just remember, there is always a person behind the tweet, the update or app.
Check out some of the best self-promoters. They are the best because they don’t necessarily promote themselves as much as add value to others, establish a brand, and watch their ideas go viral. Most of the top business development people have extensive networks in social media grown through sweat and persistence in their online brand as well as expertise in their field.
I still have a lot to learn, but when I realize that social media is a tool to connect with real people and not the other way around, my brand and online identity becomes synchronized with my offline relationships.
I am a commercial real estate advisor, and I work with tenants to find office space. This is a very old-school industry, which, in my mind, makes it ripe for disruption with social media. I will not succeed by pushing a real estate agenda on my Twitter Followers, Facebook Friends or LinkedIn Connections. I want people to know what I do and that I am an expert in my industry, but sometimes I have to do this by becoming a student or expert in theirs.
Social media is a tool to build relationships. Apps and networks facilitate your own branding and networking.
The “Media Valley” is a great place to search, connect and develop for free or at little cost, but it’s your time, direction and identity that help you succeed.
Justin Bedecarré is Real Estate Advisor at Cushman & Wakefield, one of the leading commercial real estate firms covering the Bay Area. Justin has represented firms from Fortune 100 to startups in media and technology, including Thomson Reuters, Rhapsody, Sony Music, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, AKQA and Hearst Corporation, to name a few.
He co-founded the prominent real estate blog Bay Area Commercial Real Estate Blog and can be reached on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. He studied economics and political science at the University of California, Berkeley.
Hundreds of thousands of companies and individuals use live video streaming services to spread relevant information, company news and entertainment to the web world. From Hanson to the Zuckerberg’s, live video provides different types of value to different audiences.
Today, we are thrilled to announce the newest partnership and application to our site- Livestream.
A Bit About the Company
Livestream launched in 2009 and now hosts well over 700,000 channels in their network. They have over 16.7 million unique viewers to their site every month, including embedded players.
It is both a virtual television studio as well as an embeddable video player. The company provides two live streaming platforms. One is a free, ad-supported version whereas the other is a paid, white-labeled version.
All someone needs to create a Livestream channel is a camera and an internet connect and you’re on the way.
They have provided web-streaming services for Foo Fighters and Hanson concerts, Facebook Live and even the first internet-broadcasted birth.
A Bit About the Application
Thanks to Livestream, Facebook Page admins can now host live video directly on their Fan Page for the first time ever! To make this even better, it’s completely free!
The application takes your current Livestream Channel and embeds it on your Facebook Page. This is an improvement to live video for a couple reasons
First of all, since Facebook has a user-base of over 500 million users, adding the capability to host your live video directly on Facebook expands your informational/entertainment reach.
Secondly, this expands your creative marketing efforts on the platform. With this integration, you’re now able to engage your Facebook audience in a new way.
Take these advancements and add custom branding opportunities, live-chat features and the ability to spread your message to other Facebook users and you’ve got your new Livestream application.
To check out the application, go here!
Our Final Words
We’re excited to launch this partnership and want to know how you plan on using Livestream on your Facebook Business Page. Feel free to comment on this blog or on our Facebook Wall.
As for the Appbistro team, I think you’ll see us using this Livestream Application very soon.
Have a great week everyone.
