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Facebook recently announced that they will be deprecating FBML (aka Facebook Markup Language), Hallelujah! How does this affect you? All custom tabs were created using the confusing (for non-engineers, i.e this guy) FBML. Now we can create custom tabs by pulling in our own web pages via an iframe. This means that you can incorporate things like HTML, CSS, and Javascript from your webpage into a custom tab for your fan page without re-coding the functionality into FBML. Here’s a four minute video on how you create a custom tab for your Facebook fan page using iframes; steps provided by Kim Woodbridge at (Anti) Social Development:

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Tags: custom, facebook, iframes, tab, video

Are you a LinkedIn member? If so, we’d love your help.

LinkedIn recently enhanced their company pages to let businesses feature more on their profile. It’s a nice enhancement and the way they did it is consistent with the “reference-based” nature of their site! When we post something, the site elicits recommendations from its members -- you -- to talk about your experience with us.

Visit our LinkedIn site, add a recommendation.

Our request is simple. Read More »

Tags: facebook, linkedin, social media, WebEX

I was at the Lady Gaga concert at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA last night in what initially was another routine concert outing (I average about five concerts a year) that quickly turned into my own personal tour on how Miss Gaga does social media. Even before the Oracle Arena opened its doors to her loyal fans, Gaga participated in an interactive Q&A session at Google HQ earlier which garnered approximately 40,000 questions after days it was announced via her YouTube channel.  

At the concert, the two massive digital screens displaying a  live Twitter stream of tweets from fans were expected, but to top that off, she used text messaging to raise awareness and money for her favorite charities. While on stage, she called one fan who attended the concert to personally thank him for the donation.  I even conducted my own impromptu poll with a handful of excited fans. Surprisingly however, most didn’t know she was hip on social media or followed her on Twitter or Facebook. I’m sure if I polled at least half of the concert goers, the results would differ dramatically. The numbers don’t lie. Gaga is still the most socially networked star.

Given all the coverage on Gaga’s use of social media, it’s no surprise that more celebrities are jumping on the social media band wagon to give their personal brands a major social boost.  But can the same social media playbook that helped elevate these personal brands be used for B2B brands?  To enlighten us, I turned to social media expert and blogger for ZDNet, Jennifer Leggio for her candid thoughts.

Despite Lady Gaga’s extreme physical presence, she’s maintained a level of approachability with her fans online. She treats them as if they are a part of her success, rather than merely the reasons for her success. People are fans generally because they want to feel included in something bigger than themselves and Lady Gaga gives hers an opportunity to do that by showing her true self — behind the wigs, 10-inch platforms and make-up — digitally.

I absolutely believe that B2B companies can learn from Lady Gaga and her online presence success. I think, to boil it down, companies need to stop being afraid of their customers and allow them to feel as if they are a part of the company. Despite the advances in social media over the last few years, many companies are still afraid to invite their customers in via blogs or online communities, and they don’t realize how that might alienate otherwise loyal customers. Companies, considering disclosure issues of course, should also be as open with their customers as possible. Allow their executive teams to be real – Cisco’s own Padmasree Warrior is a great example of that. This not only establishes thought leadership but also a human factor that draws in customers and partners.

- Jennifer Leggio

Well said, Jennifer! And since I rarely get to blog about music for Cisco but often share my favorite SOTD (song of the day) with friends on Facebook and Twitter,  I’ll leave you with my Gaga SOTD. Enjoy!

Tags: facebook, lady gaga, social media, The Social Soap Box, twitter, web 2.0, youtube

Last week, the co-manager of the Cisco Networking Academy Facebook page (@HilalChouman) pointed out an amazing customer post to me.

Ricardo Beltran’s girlfriend had baked him a custom Cisco birthday cake that obviously showed his dedication to Cisco. He was so proud of it, that he shared it on the Networking Academy Facebook page for all 188k fans to see.

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Tags: corporate social media, education, engagement, facebook, netacad, social media

Facebook, Twitter, Groupon – Social media sites grab the headlines as their valuations continue to skyrocket based on the perception that these sites significantly influence how we work, play, and shop today.  But how influential are they, really?

We know about Facebook and what a HUGE country its participants could now form; its growth continues unabated.  More people spending more time on games, vacation pictures, and stalking former flames. 

Twitter is truly a new media outlet with fast-breaking, world-changing news being tweeted 24x7.  Look at how Twitter helped to bring down an entrenched dictator in power for over 40 years in Egypt to get a sense of what unfettered access to information can do – even if it is only 140 characters at a time.  In its less world-changing form it is also a source of ongoing banality that can numb even the most avid tweeter.

And Groupon – yes Groupon continues to grow quickly as well. With its most recent foray into China the company is in 43 countries and has 51M subscribers (source:  Economist) but with other group coupon sites springing up like weeds in springtime, its competitive advantage has been severely eroded.  The concept has, however, changed shopping in ways that weren’t even anticipated only three years ago.

So what’s a retailer to do?  And perhaps, more importantly, how can retailers make money in social media? 

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Tags: facebook, retail, retailing, socialminer, twitter