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An Affinity For Facebook

“Change is inevitable. Change is constant.” ~ Benjamin Disraeli

Understanding how Facebook operates is becoming increasingly important as their engineers constantly tweak their search and ranking algorithm which determine if the strength of a Facebook “friend” relationship make it worth displaying your post on a news feed. That’s right, Facebook searches wall content and makes determinations as to what will be displayed on a news feed. This Facebook algorithm is called EdgeRank and has a direct impact on what your followers may see. Typically, when you hear about a search engine being changed, the result is improved functionality and findability. However, where EdgeRank is concerned many Facebook users report this new ranking method has actually driven down the views their content is receiving.

Why you may ask, would Facebook reduce views? There is some speculation that companies have gotten so effective at creating no-cost search engine optimized (SEO) organic Facebook campaigns they needed a mechanism to push these companies towards paid advertising plans. Whatever the reason, there’s no need to be discouraged. Despite recent changes, Facebook remains a valuable marketing outlet for your company. Below is one way to increase the odds your Facebook content will be seen by your target audience.

EdgeRank utilizes something they call Affinity to look at the strength of relationships on Facebook. Strength of relationship translates into “hmm, does the follower really want to see this or are they just superficially interested so we will keep the post off their wall. The way to work with Affinity is to make communication on Facebook as mutual as possible, with as much detail as possible. Here’s an example: your company Acme Superjuice has a Facebook business page. One of your Facebook friends is Joe’s Blenders. When Joe’s Blenders posts something about an exciting new product they are rolling out, don’t just hit the ‘Like” button. By all means hit Like, but the best way to get Affinity to assign weight to the relationship you have with Joe’s Blenders is for you to post a comment on their wall. When Joe’s Blender’s posts a comment to your wall in response, Affinity will see that as a high quality contact and make it more likely your wall posts will appear on a news feed. Comments between page owners create high-value bridges which translate into views, so get a dialogue going. Make posts as interactive as possible and invite others to join in comment streams. As part of your business networking plan be sure to communicate with other business owners and customers that posting comments adds value, and when they post to your wall you’ll be sure to write back creating that important bridge. Both sides benefit. As with all social media, when someone posts to your wall or account, whether good or bad, be sure to reply.

While it may seem tricky, Facebook remains an important tool for brand building and there is room for plenty of creativity. We recently assisted a client in creating a contest on Facebook that surpassed expectations! Stay tuned for more on that…

Looking for more Facebooks tips?: keep content up-to-date, add photos and videos of interest, and contact IWD for more information on growing your brand through social media. The online world is constantly evolving and IWD will help you stay current. You’ll “Like” (and hopefully comment on) what we can do for your company!.

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Case Studies – a great tool for sharing success!

On occasion we’ll be posting case studies of projects we’re excited to share. Case studies are a great way to illustrate measurable results from our marketing efforts. The studies we post are selected to reflect the wide-range of services we offer for web design, online marketing, and print materials. After you’ve seen what we’ve done for our clients, find out how we can help your business!

View Case Study [PDF]

Here’s one more thing for you to think about. We’re very happy with the dynamic format we developed for our case studies. Do your visual presentations need some pizzaz so you can really strut your stuff? Our visual specialists can help you create a presentation people will remember.

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What happens if you hit the dreaded update link on your WordPress website?

Is curiosity getting the better of you? Are you wondering if you should click that pesky little “please update now” link in the dashboard of your WordPress website? Well, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is, yes, you should be paying attention to keeping your website up to date.  Why?

  • Security – Outdated software and components mean higher risk of viruses and exposure to hackers. Every time WordPress releases an update it means the previous version has vulnerabilities that have been resolved. Just as you update your anti-virus software quarterly or annually, you need to use the same vigilance with your website.
  • Site Improvements – Code is getting leaner and faster. A software update can speed your site load times. Keep in mind that Google and other major search engines factor load time into their ranking results. A slow load time may mean a competitor’s site that loads faster gets ranked higher.
  • New and improved functionality – The public has grown pretty sophisticated about what they want and expect from a website. Using out of date technology may reflect poorly on your business. For example, is your website compatible with mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets? If your website is providing ecommerce, are you offering a full-range of options to enhance your customer experience?

Here comes the bad news…

As with any software or plug-in update there are risks to take into consideration when updating your WordPress site. What are the risks?

  • Breaking your site – By updating a component and not checking for compatibility with your website you may break the layout/design of the site and impact the functionality.
  • Inaccessible – An update may cause the site to go down and make it inaccessible to browsers or display an error page. Another accessibility issues when updating a site may occur when there are excess files that need to be removed. If not removed, the site may not load, leaving you scratching your head and calling in an expert.
  • Lack of experience – There are precautionary measures to take when doing a site update. Infinite Web Designs is experienced in these site maintenance precautions which ensures a smooth updating process. That will save you time and aggravation!

Interested in having us help you?

We are offering a special new year package, contact us today!  203.307.5107 or email us at info@infinitewebdesigns.com

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What The Inauguration and MLK Means to Real Estate in 2013

How are the Inauguration and Martin Luther King Day related to real estate news? President Obama has just been inaugurated to his second term.  We just passed Martin Luther King Day, a

Fiscal Cliff Comedic Graphic Design

Who else is frustrated by the way our government keeps playing with our lives?!?!

The post Fiscal Cliff Comedic Graphic Design appeared first on Infinite Web Designs, LLC.

Great News for Anyone Planning to Buy a House in 2013!

It’s been a long 4-years for property values. Ever since the bubble burst of 2008, which led to the worst  economic crash since the 1930’s, housing and mortgage experts have been hyper-focused

Home Cost Index at a 20 Year Low

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Historically these two measures are the best indication of when it’s a good time to invest in real estate Rent-to-Buy and Home Prices to Income Posted: 28 Sep 2012 07:23 AM PDT

New Short Sale Guidelines

Homeowners with underwater mortgages should experience easier short sales with new federal guidelines that go into effect Nov. 1, 2012. The rules, announced Tuesday, no longer require homeowners with an eligible hardship

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