Nobody can deny how information easily breezes through these days, especially with the help of social media outlets. According to statistics, more than 30 billion pieces of content are shared each month in Facebook alone. Content varies from web links, news stories, photos, posts, and more.

It’s so easy to share content with just a click of a button. Like or share it on Facebook and your friends have instant access to it. At times, what we retweet will even trend. Sharing has never been so easy. But we also need to be responsible on what we share online. Will it benefit our friends and followers? Or do we just want to simply “vent out” and express our thoughts and feelings?

Most people are not aware that there is some appropriate to what we share online, social media etiquette as I call it. Basically, we need to think before we post. Here are some questions you need to ask before posting online:

T – Is it TRUE? – Is the source reliable? Is it factual and accurate or just some hoax some people made up? What’s the use of information that isn’t true? It’s best to check the sources.

H – Is it HELPFUL? – Will the post benefit the readers? Is the information useful enough to help improve other people’s lives? The goal of information is to help people gain new or more knowledge about a topic. Make sure you post do that.

I – Is it INSPIRING? – Does the post elicit action and feelings from your readers? Some posts can help inspire people to go after something they’ve wanted to try for a long time. Meanwhile, other posts help make us feel better. They help the soul than having practical use.

N – Is it NECESSARY? – Do you really NEED to share it? Will it serve a purpose or are you creating social media clutter? It’s best to share posts that will benefit everyone. These can be news articles on natural disasters, world news, or what will generally affect everyone. If the general public needs to know it, then go on and share it.

K – Is it KIND? – Spread the kindness and goodness to everyone, even online. If it is rude and shaming others, then don’t post it. Cyber bullying is not to be taken lightly. A lot of people have become victim to it. And you don’t want to be one of the bullies. Nobody gains anything by being mean, offline or online. Kindness, on the other hand, makes you and others feel good.

Next time you want to share or post something, better ask yourself these questions. A little etiquette goes a long way, specially online.

The post Social Media Etiquette: THINK Before You Post appeared first on Ben Francia.

True, we are hooked on it. Posting and checking out our friends’ status updates, taking quizzes, and sharing news. Here’s the thing, anyone can be on Facebook, which means anyone can view intimate details about our lives. For our own safety, we need to keep in mind not to post certain information on Facebook.

Here are the 5 things should never post on Facebook or in any other social media accounts:

1. You and your family’s full birth dates – Sure, we like seeing “happy birthday” posts on our Facebook wall from our friends but when you list your full birth dates, you are also susceptible to identity theft. It’s best not to list you birth date, but if you still want to, remember to leave the year out.
2. Your relationship status – One of the most updated things in our profile is our relationship status. But it may be best not to publicize it, for the sake of avoiding stalkers. They may even use your relationship status as basis to know if you are alone at home.
3. Your current location – A lot of Facebook users enjoy the location-tagging feature, allowing them to let people know where they are 24/7. The problem here is you are giving out information that you’re on vacation and not at home. If you also post how long you will be gone, thieves will know how much time they have to rob you.
4. The fact that you are home alone – Parents/adults need to remind children never to post on social media that they are home alone. You wouldn’t want strangers knowing your children are home alone. This may endanger them.
5. Pictures of your kids tagged with their names – For the safety of your kids, avoid tagging them with their full names and exact birth date. Strangers may use these information to lure your children.  Just leave out these information when you post photos of your children.
6. 

The post 5 Things You Shouldn’t Post On Facebook appeared first on Ben Francia.

First off, you need to do your Facebook Content Plan by answering these You need three questions:

1. Who is your Audience?
2. What content to share?
3. When to post?

When doing your content plan, remember these steps:

• Write down your Customer profile – Give it a name!
• List down topic categories – What do they care about?
• FAQ’s and SAQ’s – Don’t forget list down your frequently asked questions and should ask questions.
• Subscribe to top 10 relevant Blogs and Facebook Pages – This is a great way to learn and engage with others influencers.
• Create a content posting schedule – A schedule to follow makes sure you always have content to share.

Once, you’ve established what you need, you can go ahead and execute your plan. I suggest you follow these basics to get started with your Facebook Strategy:

1. Post 2-3x a day. Post when it matters
2. Link back to your assets
3. Post catchy headlines and copy
4. Post only relevant content
5. Take advantage of the holidays
6. Use images or photos that communicate
7. Start inviting after 10 posts
8. Listen and Respond
9. Engage as a Person

Learn more about Facebook Marketing in this webinar replay. Make sure to register first and be updated for exclusive access to other helpful resources.

The post Facebook Marketing 101: Managing Facebook Engagement appeared first on Ben Francia.

Whether you are training your creativity or improving your technical skills, Tumblr can teach you a thing or two. Here’s how:

1. Follow other photographers – We learn a lot through observing, so follow other people in the art world. Continuously learn from photographers whose works you admire and draw inspiration and ideas from there. Don’t just glance at their works. Really take time to analyze and study why a photo is beautiful. Also, check out the details you really like about it and see how you can incorporate it to your own style. Look closely at the composition and lighting. You may also want to follow amateur photos and learn how to express creativity with minimal gear.
2. Ask questions – Tumblr has an “Ask” feature. Check if your favorite photographers have the feature enabled in their blog and ask away. Don’t be shy about your questions, a lot of artists are happy to share their insights with fans and aspiring photographers.
3. Find inspiration everywhere – Don’t just zero in on the photo field. Follow other Tumblr accounts without any photography-related interests. You may discover something that will inspire you like a creative use of colors and textures.
4. Share your photos – Don’t just follow others, share your works as well. This is a great way to get feedback. Figure out whose opinion to trust and learn from it. Soon you’ll be able to learn which comments are helpful.

Got more tips to share? Leave them at the comments below.

The post Become A Better Photographer Through Tumblr appeared first on Ben Francia.

If you have an account on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, you won’t have a hard time looking for a job opening. Lookup hashtags in Twitter, “Like” company’s career opportunities, or create a beautiful resume on Pinterest.

Mashable has some tips on how to use Social Media to hunt for a job. Here they are:

Twitter

• Use the search bar to look for terms that is related to the job you want. It’s best to include words like, “jobs,” “hiring” and other specifics to narrow down searches.
• Hashtags are helpful as well when looking for job openings. Type #jobs and #hiring

Facebook

• Update your profile regularly especially your work and education information.
• Add your “Professional Skills” which is part of the “About” section. It is underneath work and education. When you add the skills you’ve acquired, you optimize your professional appeal.

These are just some of the strategies you can do to land your dream job. Want to know more? Head over to Mashable and learn how to use Tumblr, Pinterest, and LinkedIn to your job advantage.

The post Hunt For A Job Through Social Media appeared first on Ben Francia.

The first thing you want to do is set up a Facebook page for your brand. So you might be asking, “Why do I need a Facebook page, when I already have a Facebook profile?”

Here are the main differences between a Facebook Profile and Page

• Usage – Facebook profiles are for personal use to connect with friends, while the Page are for businesses and brands.
• Friends and Fans – Our connections in Profiles are called friends while in Pages, we call them Fans.
• Size of Network – In your Facebook Profile you only get a maximum of 5,000 friends, whereas in your Page, you can have unlimited fans.
• Performance Metrics and Analytics – This is a way to measure how well our page is doing. It is only available in Facebook Pages
• Promotion – Facebook Ads are primarily available in Facebook Pages. On the other hand, in Facebook profiles there is now a way to promote your posts.

When it comes to setting up your Facebook Page, here are a few tips to consider:

• Use a Cover Photo that talks about your brand – It must be attractive and attention grabbing. Also, it should say something about your brand. It should not be an ad space and must not include any references to websites, contact numbers, address, etc., as this is against Facebook’s terms and conditions.
• Choose a relevant username – The format will be www.facebook/username/. For example, my Facebook Page’s username is www.facebook.com/InternetMarketingPH. Don’t forget to check the available username and confirm the other details before finalizing everything. Because once you select your username, you can’t change it anymore.
• Fill up the About and Info section – Make sure it is keyword rich. Don’t forget to complete the company profile and description.
• Use your Facebook Page Apps – This is a great way to promote your other social media profiles.

Leverage your business by setting up a Facebook Page. If you want to learn more about Facebook Marketing, watch the webinar replay here. Registration is free. Watch out for more Digital Marketing webinars.

The post Facebook Marketing 101: Setting Up A Facebook Page appeared first on Ben Francia.