The Facebook Connection

[Rayela Art]

I resisted getting on facebook for a long time. I hadn't really looked at it, but had seen My Space pages and thought they were junky and useless. Facebook is a different story. I believe it is the best place to put your energy as far as networking to the larger creative community. It is integrated with so many other networking sites (blogs, flickr, youtube, twitter, etc.) and has every major non-profit, organization, foundation, museum, and interest represented there. Many people do not explore how to use Facebook to its maximum potential or understand how it works, so I thought I would give a brief description.

I have a personal page that is private to family and friends. On your personal page you can post links to anything that is on the web, your photos, sound bites, videos, etc. Then, I have a business page that is public: Rayela Art (Click on it to take a look, and if you like it, become a fan!)

Anyone one can start a business page or a group. Business pages are linked to your personal page and are set up in a similar way. Any links or comments that are posted have options below them where you can comment, show that you like it, or share it with your friends. This sharing potential is called viral marketing, where something can potentially pass on to thousands of viewers, for free, because someone liked it. If something gets clicked on alot, it shows up in a side bar of friends who are fans or who liked it and their friends can see it.

On your both personal and business pages, you can add different application boxes that are linked into your interests, including your blogs and the groups that you support. So, for example, every blog post I do shows up in both my personal and business pages. That is done through a group on Facebook called "Networked Blogs". You join that and link your blog and other blog readers can see your posts there, too. And, you can see what your friends are posting in their blogs.

Those of us who have business pages can add the links to our friend's business pages on our page. Whenever you become a fan of another business, it gives you the option to add that page to your page. Confusing? Well, it's an excellent tool. Take a look at mine, "Favorite Pages", and you will see the pages that I have fanned. Many of them are your fellow Fiber Focus Group members! It's a wonderful way to support and help market each other.

There is much more that can be done, but this just gives you and idea of the potential Facebook has in helping you promote your business or art. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have in how to use it. I've joined lots of different networking groups and have found that that is the most useful and fun place to spend one's time and energy and I encourage you to explore it. It can be addictive and some people get overwhelmed by it, but remember that all these things are simply tools that you can control in whatever way suits you best.

[Rayela Art]

Oh, and if you have a business page on Facebook, make sure to link it here so that we can find you. If you are a user, tell us what works for you and what features you like best.

[Eva]

I started a facebook profile and gave it up a few minutes later, because just when I had given my most basic data, facebook suggested friends I have no idea where they got them from! They must have rummaged my friends' Google adress books to find my name in there. I think this definitely goes too far. I'll have my profile deleted (I have to wait for 14 days to have it deleted completely). facebook creates connections I don't want to be exposed.

[Rayela Art]

Yes, Facebook does check your other connections, but you have to authorize any friends that you want. You can make your personal page as private or public as you want to. I think you can also do just a public page for networking with other artists. I can't remember if you have to set up a personal one first and then add a business page, but you could definitely start a group under any theme you wanted to.

I think this suggestion side is annoying, but it is a small cost compared to the benefits Facebook offers, especially in how integrated it is with other sites. You have to remember that it is simply a tool and that you can use it in any way that benefits your interests.

[Aida Costa]

I've resisted Facebook, My Space, Twitter.........makes me sound so stodgy, lol. For business networking, I use Linked In and it's a powerful (and strictly professional) networking tool.

I've resisted for several reasons. First and foremost is that I'd rather put my 'surfing' time and energy into my blog, visiting my fave blogs for updates, and the various textile/fibre art Yahoo Groups I'm part of.

The other reason is that I simply don't want a Facebook account. I'm not into web socializing (I'd rather see my friends in person). As for my many 'cyber' friends, we keep in touch through our blogs and the Yahoo Groups.

I agree Facebook can be a powerful networking tool if used properly. I suppose for now I just don't need it.

[Rayela Art]

I'm on LinkedIn, too, and have it integrated with facebook so that it pulls my info, new blog posts, etc., from there.