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Why Facebook and Twitter Should Not Be Friends
Published April 6, 2014 by TheAdmin
I recently was posed the question why should Twitter not be synced to a Facebook page, why does it matter if tweets show up on a Facebook page? I want to do it because it is matter of convenience, it is time saving, etc.
My answer to that: absolutely not! Twitter and Facebook should not be synced to each other, Tweets should not be showing up on your Facebook timeline and Facebook posts should not be showing up on your Twitter feed simply because Twitter and Facebook are different platforms with different etiquette rules. If you are going to do social media then you need to make time and effort to do so.
Facebook Vs. Twitter
Facebook is more of a social networking site that allows you to connect with friends, family, classmates, acquaintances, businesses, brands, etc. and acts like a scrapbook of your life. Facebook relationships often come from offline relationships and acts as a means to strengthen relations.
Twitter evolves around communicating in 140 characters and acts like a town hall for people to be heard. Twitter is used to communicate and share content. Some Twitter relationships can come from offline relationships but often enough relationships are created online through common interests. Twitter acts like a listening tool as people can read about industry trends and what people are discussing. Engaging in conversations helps to build relationships with others on Twitter, and people with a large following can act as an influencer with what they say.
Let’s look at some of the issues.
1. If you tweet often on Twitter and your tweets show up on your Facebook page, you are going to inundate your Facebook friends/fans with status updates taking up their newsfeed and it will appear spammy. Your Facebook audience is going to tune you out even unfollow you just so that they can stop being inundated with your Facebook posts showing up on their timeline.
2. @Mentions do not work on Facebook, Hashtags are a recent featured added to Facebook but it is something rarely used in Facebook at the moment. Facebook may change its platform sometime in the future to integrate hashtags; Twitter may do away with hashtags as rumour has it. You can click on the hashtag in a Facebook post and it will take you to a link that will show posts from other people who have used the same hashtag.
3. What is the point of having Twitter and Facebook if you are posting the same thing? You might as well have only one platform to use, but then your chance of finding new business slows down. You want to be able to have users connect and engage with you, Twitter allows you to hold conversations and interact in real time while Facebook can show your followers what you are about.
In summary, keep your platforms separate from each other, it is ok to tell your audience that you are on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+, LinkedIn and provide a link to let them know where you can be found. Plan out what you want to post on your platforms — make a social media calendar and best of all, know what your audience likes so you can get the most out of your posts. Keep updating your pages by being active, and don’t neglect interacting with your audience!
Further reads:
Entrepreneur – Facebook Etiquette for Businesses
Entrepreneur – Twitter Etiquette for Businesses
My 50 Book Pledge Progress
Published March 8, 2013 by TheAdmin
March has arrived and I want to post what I have read so far as part of my 50 Book Pledge. In case you have not seen this post, I have decided to challenge myself and read 50 books by December 31, 2013. This is quite the challenge for me considering I read like not even 10 books every year. This is the year I am finally going to get around reading the books that I have kept on picking up from Chapters or have downloaded on my iPad and is just sitting on that digital bookshelf of mine. Here is a list of what I have read so far:
The Girl Who Played With Fire – Stieg Larsson
I have been incredibly slow in terms of jumping on to the bandwagon of reading the entire Millenium series by Stieg Larsson. So after all the hype died down I have sat myself down and got around to reading the series. Now I have only one more book in the trilogy to go! I have seen all three films including the American version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. All three books are incredibly long reads but so far I have only read this one and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. My next task now is to read the last one The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest. I like the two books so far but they are a bit intense to read because of the graphic subject matter it contains but at the same time you cannot stop putting the book down.
The book is available from:
Cornered – Ron MacLean
If you are a fan of Ron MacLean the Hockey Night In Canada host, then I suggest you pick up this book. This book gives an insight into his childhood growing up in the Yukon, his beginnings as a broadcaster, how he started out at the CBC, his moments on Hockey Night In Canada, Don Cherry as well as his experiences of being a part of the CBC at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
The book is available from:
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? – Mindy Kaling
Ok this book is no Bossypants by Tina Fey, but this is a fun read. I do not read humour books very often, but this book was totally worth the time reading. I totally can relate to her many stories which was a huge bonus so I understood where she was coming from. The parts of this book that resonated with me the most is how she talks about what it was like being a kid raised by immigrants. My parents are immigrants from Portugal, so it was always weird bringing some Portuguese food to school in your lunch bag, or having friends over and mom makes some codfish that stinks up the entire house. Mindy talks about growing up in Massachusetts with her Indian immigrant parents, going to university, her dating experiences, writing for The Office and what it is like to be working on the set as a writer as well as a starring in it.
The book is available from:
The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern
Do you enjoy reading mystical fantasy type of books? If you said yes, then I suggest picking up a copy of The Night Circus. Le Cirque des Reves comes and go into towns without notice and disappears as soon as it comes in, only showing up at night. The circus travels mostly around Europe in the late 1800s, early 1900s and follows the comings and goings of this travelling circus. The story follows the characters Marco and Celia, duelling magicians and lovers who have been brought up since childhood in the circus and have become trained magicians. They have been battling each other in a game that tests their magic abilities that unknowingly to them will result in a duel to the death.
The book is available from:
How to File a Complaint in the 21st Century
Published February 20, 2013 by TheAdminRecently I had been having trouble with receiving calls left right and centre from the people responsible for the ScotiaBank Scene Visa Card. For 3 days in a row I had received calls from people wanting to sell me this card. During the first call, I cut in and said that I was not interested in receiving this Visa card and that I had asked that I do not receive any more calls about it. The next day in the evening, I get another call, same business, again I said no. The third call the following day after I got the second call, this is Friday now, the other calls took place on Wednesday and Thursday of the same week. Again I said no, I said this is the 3rd time in a week that I have received a call, mentioned that in call #1 that I didn’t want to be contacted anymore about signing up for this card. The person on the other end had apologized and said he was not aware that other calls were placed to me in the same week. So I took to Twitter and sent a tweet to ScotiaBank assuming it was them that were responsible for having these calls placed being that is a Visa card issued by ScotiaBank.
Tweet I sent out to Scotiabank.
I sent the tweet out on a Saturday and on Monday February 11, I received a response back from ScotiaBank customer service.
Response from Scotiabank.
After exchanging private messages I was able to resolve my problem. I was so glad to put this matter behind me and get this situation fixed. Kudos to Scotiabank customer service for helping me out with this matter. My only criticism is that it would be great if ScotiaBank provided customer service through Twitter on weekends. Banking is a 24/7 365 day thing that we all do so and if you are going to offer customer service especially if it is for a bank then it should be available 7 days a week not 5. I sent the tweet on a Saturday and got a response on Monday, this is not great customer service but at least I got a response which was better than getting nothing.
Here are a few tips I can offer to you in helping getting your complaint resolved via Twitter:
1. Try to tweet to the proper people who can help you out. They can always tell you who you should get in touch if you end up tweeting to the wrong person.
2. Tweet nicely, no need to sound like that angry screaming customer over the phone. Briefly explain the situation and whoever you tweeted to should get in touch with you. They are most likely to ask that you direct message them or they may send a direct message to you to take things further and resolve the matter. Take note that you have to follow each other in order to send direct messages.
3. If things do not get resolved then I would suggest calling or emailing someone directly or go in person to help get your situation cleared up.
Product Review: MAC Cosmetics Lipstick
Published February 9, 2013 by TheAdmin
Left to Right: Russian Red, Up the Amp, Girl About Town
Lipstick and I were never friends until I purchased these lovely shades from MAC Cosmetics. I always used lip gloss but I just find it absolutely frustrating how quickly lip gloss disappears no matter what brand I use therefore I decided to give lipstick a try. The last time I used lipstick was in high school so at least over 15 years ago. I stopped in at the MAC Cosmetics counter at The Bay in Hamilton and chatted with one of the ladies at the counter. I picked out a bunch of shades to try and I went with the three shades that I am going to talk about in this post. I was advised to pair the lipstick with lip liner to not only enhance the colour of the lipstick but to also give it better staying power. She was definitely right, after wearing each shade on a different occasion, they held on for hours on end after having to eat and drink and give some pecks on the cheek to some people.
Here are a few things that will happen with the lipstick:
1. The lipstick does come off a bit onto the glass that you are drinking from.
2. Yes if you give someone a kiss it will be transferred onto their skin.
3. Buy some heavy-duty makeup remover because this lipstick is very tricky to remove. Even the next day I will still see a bit of it on my lips.
Russian Red: This is a matte lipstick so it does not have a glossy appearance when you put it on, it has more of a velvet finish. It is a deep blue based red shade that is perfect for when you are going out on the town. I normally like to pair this shade of lipstick with either a light silver or charcoal eyeshadow and black eyeliner. I have a pale white skin complexion so I felt this shade of red was the right choice for me. This indeed is one of MAC’s top-selling lipstick shades.
Up the Amp: This colour is not as dark as it looks when you put it on. It has a glossy finish which I really love about this lipstick. It is a nice shade of pink that is perfect for daytime or nighttime wear.
Girl About Town: Out of all the three shades, this one is my absolute favourite!!!!!! This is a fuchsia pink colour so if you do not like red lipstick, go with this one because it is just as fun and sexy to wear as Russian Red is. Like Up The Amp it does have a glossy finish. Along with Up the Amp I highly recommend that you touch up your lips now and then to keep your lips looking fabulous!
Me wearing Girl About Town
The featured lipstick shades in this blog posting can be purchased at any MAC Cosmetics location or online. Each shade costs $18 plus tax and shipping costs if you buy them online.
My Often Encountered Annoyances With Twitter
Published February 9, 2013 by TheAdmin
I have been on Twitter since 2008, way before it was cool to be on Twitter. Twitter was simple, it was quiet and the best part, Tweens and spammers were not around then. Now, the most common question I get when I talk to someone is, are you on Twitter? Twitter is not rocket science when it comes to using it, I just wish people learned how to use it better. This is a list that I have compiled about what I think are some of the most common issues that not just myself but everyone else I am sure have encountered on Twitter.
1. The Geography Challenged
Small businesses or individuals who run their own business who do not understand geography. If a person cannot get access to your service or buy your products then you need to find people who are closer to you to follow. I recently had a mortgage broker from Surrey, BC follow me. That is great that you are following me but if I need a mortgage I think I am going to find one closer to home out here in Ontario. I appreciate the follow but a lesson here is to find individuals on Twitter who are in the same geographical radius as you in order to draw in business. These are the kinds of people who you want to attract to your bricks and mortar shop and hopefully become regular customers. Do not try to waste your time chasing after people who live on the other side of the country unless you are friends or interact frequently with them.
2. Spammers
People who post their music videos on my Twitter feed. I get those kind of tweets “Hey you like alternative rock, here is my video…” or something to that effect. I go and click on their profile to check them out and all I see on their timeline is the same tweet said over and over to individuals. You just made yourself to look like a spammer, that is not a great impression to make. Tweet about your video, but use hashtags in your tweet to help to be found. Do not go around tweeting your videos one by one to people, that is such a waste of time and a total turnoff for lots of people. Also try not to just use Twitter if you want to promote something, use Facebook, YouTube, blogs, etc to help make your pitch.
3. TWEETS ALL IN CAPITAL LETTERS…WHY IS THERE THE NEED FOR THIS????? NONE!!!! STOP IT!!!!! Typing in all capital letters is like yelling at someone, use your conversation voice which should be relaxed instead of sounding angry.
4. Twitter Trolls
Those people who don’t tweet much but like to start-up trouble. I have had quite a few encounters with these kind of Twitter folk. They try to pick a fight with you, say nasty stuff to you…block them, report them if you have to. Focus on your energy on something better, do not waste your time with trolls.
5. Auto Reply Messages
I hate them so much, they are so fake and if I get one, guess what? You just lost a follower. This is most common when you just begin to follow somebody and usually minutes later you get a private message, saying for example thanks for the follow, here is a link to my website. You are not a robot, do not sound like one! Take the time to actually message someone back and show your real appreciation that they are following you. I just find auto reply only to be useful in emails if you are going to be away and so you let people know who send you emails that you are not going to be responding back until a certain date.
6. Going hashtag crazy in a tweet
Too many hashtags can really drown out what you are trying to say. I usually like to cap it at three hashtags to keep the message readable.
7. Not sending a response back
Send back a message in a timely manner. Someone took the time to send you a message, please be kind and message back, do not ignore them.
8. The constant need to take selfies
Ok really did you need to take 100 pictures of yourself and post it on Twitter every single day? Do you need to have attention 24/7? The answer is no, so don’t waste your time, selfies attract creepers so have fun dealing with them.
9. People who claim to be Twitter or Social Media gurus
1. I hate the word guru. 2. Congrats you know how to write a phrase in under 140 characters but when I look at your profile, it looks like you are a spammer. There has to be at least several hundred thousand of these “gurus” floating around on Twitter.
10. Spam Bots
Spammers always have to ruin everything, you cannot escape them, they are like pesky flies you can’t get rid of ever! It is easy to spot a spam bot, no or little followers and their user name is rather odd like @rubyblueuiqk0z and if you click on their time line, the wording is the same in a lot of their tweets. No you will not get a free iPad if you follow them or RT them lol. I curse the person or people who developed spam bots. Twitter, why have you not fixed this issue yet???
My Goal in 2013
Published February 5, 2013 by TheAdmin
I have decided to take on a challenge in the year 2013 and that is to read 50 books by December 31, 2013. On Twitter, I had seen some tweets promoting the 50 Book Pledge and I thought that it would be a good challenge that I could try out. I like to read but I am lucky if I get through 10 books in a year, but now I need to get through at least on average about 4-5 books a month in order for me to accomplish this. Every time I go to Chapters I always see these books I want to read but then I never buy them, well now I get to push myself to pickup those books and read them. In my opinion reading books is a better way to kill time than having to watch TV or surf the net, so here I go on my adventure of attempting to read 50 books! If you are wanting to know more about the challenge, here is the link to the 50 Book Pledge.
Recommended Reads!
Published August 29, 2012 by TheAdminI have spent all summer reading books and I have to say that I am impressed with myself because I have been so busy but I made the time to read. I love summertime as I can sit out in my backyard on a nice summer evening and read until it gets dark. During the winter months I managed to rack up quite the collection of books on my iPad and on my bookshelf, so I have decided to share some recommendations of books that I enjoyed reading.
1. Outlander – Diana Gabaldon
This book was first published in 1992, and somehow I just discovered it in 2012 thanks to a friend who recommended that I read the book and check out the entire series of novels. One of the science fiction themes I enjoy the most, I have to say is time travel. This book focuses on the character of Claire Randall, a nurse, who ends up travelling in time from 1945 in Scotland to mid-1700’s Scotland where she meets her husband’s ancestors. She does not know how she ended up travelling back in time but is quickly forced to adapt to her new surroundings and is eventually seen as a witch because of her strong knowledge of 20th century medicine that she applied in helping to heal severe injuries and illnesses in the town she was living in. She is determined to find her way back to the 20th century and back to her husband. Claire loves her husband dearly but since she is stuck in the 1740s with no way back, she ends up falling for James Fraser. What does she do? Does she try to go back to the 20th century or does she stay in 1743? This book is not a romance novel by any means, but has elements of romance, thriller and drama rolled into one. This book is fairly lengthy but every time I started to read the book, I could not put it down.
Available from:
2. Sisterhood Everlasting – Ann Brashares
This is a prequel in the series of The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants series. This book made me a bit upset as one of the major characters in the series goes away, which by the end of the novel reveals what happens to that character. The girls, Tibby, Lena, Carmen and Bridget, pick up where they last left off, already graduating from university and well into their adult lives. Despite all of them living throughout the United States, the girls manage to reunite for what should have been a fun girls trip to Greece, where the travelling pants last sent them, turns into a trip of sadness. The trip becomes a real opener for the girls and what is going on in their own lives and helps to tie loose ends from their past. The moral of the story is that love will bind people together and the people who are closest to you will always be there for you no matter what happens in life. Although this book did make me a bit mad for what the author chose to do, overall I have to say, it was a great read.
Available from:
The All Too Common Mistakes Businesses Do With Social Media
Published August 6, 2012 by TheAdminI have sifted through lots of social media pages for businesses and I have seen and even experienced some frustrating moments. I decided to compile a list of some do’s and don’ts of using social media for businesses. The list does not go in any particular order of importance but here it goes….
1. If you are going to get people to provide testimonials don’t use the following people to be a reference for you: Family, Spouse and Friends. Get actual customers/clients to provide a statement. I know some people who have their own business and caught them using their spouse as a reference on their Facebook page.
2. Don’t copy others, be original and be YOU when it comes to using social media. Don’t be a fake online, you may meet your online contacts in person someday.
3. If you want a “Like” on Facebook, give people a reason to like you. Provide content and be interactive with your audience. People are only going to “Like” you to win that iPad you are giving away, but they will not care about you once the contest ends, they may even unlike you afterwards.
4. Respond back in a timely manner. Do not ignore people who have sent a message to you. Be polite always!!!!!
5. Don’t spam your followers!!!! That is how you lose followers.
6. Keep information private. Use private messages or email, if you need to ask any personal information.
7. Do not self-promote all the time! Share your experiences but promoting and helping others is a good way to balance out what you are posting. Pushing yourself can be a turn off!
8. Stay active!!!!! Post messages a few times a week, interact with others helps to keep your profile fresh and you will be at the forefront on your followers.
9. Check your spelling before your messages gets posted. It is embarrassing to have spelling mistakes and sometimes your message can be communicated incorrectly and may not get what you just wrote.
10. When you post a message on Twitter use just a few hashtags (I would say three or four maybe at the most), do not drown out your message with several hashtags as it may make the message hard to read.
11. When you provide a link, make sure it works. It is kind of frustrating trying to click on a link that does not work!
I’m Back!!!!!!!!!!!
Published August 3, 2012 by TheAdminOh how I have missed blogging oh so much!!!!!!! I have had to take some time off between April until now as I have been crazy busy with so many things especially work!!!! It is back to blogging and I am looking forward to writing and posting lots and lots of things for you, my lovely readers to read!!!!
Words and Thoughts 