Friday, February 3, 2012

Cuz I'm a Fan

     As promised, here another guest post. This one is from the lovely and talented Germaine over at Kiddothings. She's going to walk us through how to set up a Facebook fan page.



Thank you Paul for inviting me to guest post today. It's an honour to be here and it was a thrill to write something I have very little knowledge about. I only hope that your readers will at least learn something they shouldn't do from my post here about Social Media.

I have never been a sociable person. If you don't know me, I may seem aloof. Get to know me and I may talk more and let you in on a few secrets of mine....maybe. But I am never the bubbly, chatty kind. I'm a thinker and listener, more than I am a talker. I am happy having a few good friends than being popular with many. Aren't you glad you don't know me in person?

When I started my blog, I was contented just writing away, not really bothered with how I could gain more followers....until I got my first comment. That comment made me crave for more. It was addictive and I was hooked on getting word of my blog out into blogosphere. I signed up for Twitter to tweet my posts out. I also signed up for a Facebook account to share my blog with friends who might be interested in reading my mind.

Then, I decided to have a separate Facebook fan page because I saw other blogs having it and was intrigued. Having a fan page for my blog allows for anyone to keep updated with my posts while I keep my personal account well, personal. 

My tutor was Professor Google himself...

"What is Twitter"
"How to tweet"
"How to create a Facebook Fan Page for your blog"
"How to add a Facebook Like Box to your blog"

Twitter and FB were easy to manage with just a click of the 't' and 'f' at the end of each post to share. I was comfortable using them but I never explored how I could grow my following. Just look at my numbers and you'll get an idea of how much effort I've put in to gain followers.

Not long after, Klout decided to enter my life. If you tweet, you'll have a Klout score. I explored it for awhile and enjoyed giving my Twitter friends +K more than anything. I checked on it everytime someone gave me a +K and decided soon after, that I didn't need another number to define how I blog, or tweet in this case. So, I left it at that.

And now there is Google+ which I have yet to learn more about. I have 8 friends in there and I think they might be bored to their wit's end being in my circle. Oh and I am finally in Pinterest! What a wonderful place to get all inspired....and obsessed.
So you see, my social media life in Bloggyland, kind of turned out a little bit like my social life for real...only better. I have a group of good friends I'm comfortable blogsocialising with, just like how I have a few good friends in real life I love to get together with. I don't have a big following but I'm fine with that. I am happy to have found my little community of blogging friends who've made my blogging endeavours a joy and wish to keep them safe in my circle, until they find me too boring and leave, that is. I want to keep on blogging for the fun of it and have no intention of being a big-time famous blogger. 

I think it all boils down to what your objectives are in blogging. I have plans to do reviews and earn a little from my blog and I know I'd probably have to maintain my numbers in Twitter and FB in order to do that. Also, it's good to explore the options out there and find what works for you. Check out what your blogging friends are doing and seek advice from them.

I promised Paul a tutorial on how to set up an FB Fanpage. I don't know if it's the right way to do it but it's how I did it.

How to create a Facebook Fan Page for your blog

1. Go HERE and click on "Brand or Product".
2. Choose "website" as your category and type in the name of your blog.
3. Follow the Steps 1, 2, 3 after that and you're good to go.

How to add a Facebook Like Box to your Blogger Blog

1. Open the Facebook Fan Page that you created and copy the URL.
2. Then go HERE.
3. Paste your Facebook Fan Page URL where it is required.
4. Decide how you'd like your box to look like. Adjust the width etc.
5. Click on "Get Code" at the bottom.
6. You'll be given 3 codes. I can't remember why I picked the IFRAME code. Copy the code.
7. In Blogger, open the "Design" tab.
8. Click on "Add a Gadget"
9. Select "HTML/Javascript" and paste the IFRAME code you copied in Step 6.
10. Tadaa! Your very own Facebook Fan Page Like Box! Now go 'like' it yourself first.

Well, I guess that's about all the intelligence I have with regards to Social Media.

Thank you again Paul for having me over! :)

     You're welcome, it was my pleasure and I did learn something. I knew there was a way to separate my Facebook account from the blog, I just didn't know it was called a fan page. Sometimes it really is the little things that trip you up. If I could have those hours back I spent searching the for wrong thing on Facebook. LOL

     Want to get all social in the Kitchen? Drop me a line and you could be the next guest star sharing your wisdom, ranting, expounding on the virtues of... It's all good.


18 comments:

  1. It's amazing to me how many of us bloggers have the same point of view. I enjoyed reading this post just for the point of view since I already made my fan page!!!! :)

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    1. I agree, for all that we live such diffeent lives, we share so much in common. Thanks for droppin' by Susi

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  2. Yay! I can add 'the kitchen' to the list of places I've been! So, how come I still don't see your FB fanpage/like box?

    Thanks again for having me over Paul. Have a wonderful weekend! :)

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    1. You are welcome in my kitchen any time Germaine, you're a lovely guest. Next time, as an honorary Canadian, we'll break out that vodka then go dancing LOL

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  3. Very good tutorial. I would never have thought G is not social!!
    And yes Pul, where is the fan box? And your Twitter handle? Chop chop :)

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    1. They're on the list, I swear. There just aren't enough hours in the day. It's your fault BTW. If I wasn't having so much fun with your Monday Listicles, reading all those entries, having a good chuckle, I'd have more time.

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  4. Nice tutorial, G! You did a great job. I struggled with that stupid "like" box on my blog for hours...it's so frustrating to be technologically challenged ;)

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    1. Ah Jen, thank you for that. I'm glad I'm not alone in my struggles

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  5. Great tutorial Germaine!

    Growing FB fans is harder than Twitter methinks. I gave up asking my IRL friends to like the page!

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    1. It really is just what you become familiar with. The platforms are all so different even if they are essentially variations on a theme. Thanks for the visit Alison.

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  6. Hi G! So nice to see you here...you're an honorary Canadian for today (warning must drink beer and watch hockey - ha). Great and informative post.
    I already had my personal FB page before I started the blog, and my blog posts automatically updated to FB then. But then they got rid of that option and brought in the Fan Page.
    I wasn't going to create a blog fan page, but now that I think about it: you can't "like" my personal FB - you have to make a friend request. Only a few people who follow my blog and twitter have made friend requests. But that doesn't give them any info about my blog.

    So....I guess it's looking like I should make a Fan Page for Time out for Mom. Now the question is.....do I get rid of my Personal Profile Page?? It seems crazy to maintain 2, and like I said, I don't update it that much. I'd much rather focus on my blog.
    decisions, decisions.

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    1. I used to update my personal page with links too but not everyone on my personal page would be interested at all in that so I stopped. I always thought the blog page was a seperate extension of the personal one, not so. I have spent hours trying to find how to do that, had the name wrong, aaargh.

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  7. geez, me again....just explaining the probably weird blank email you might have got from me. not very socialable of me, eh? LOL

    anyway - sum up: You're It! (check out my post on Saturday)

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    1. See you tomorrow. It's a good thing right?

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  8. Germaine, I think you and I have the same theory about blogging! It's not about the numbers, it's about the connections and growing as a writer! And if I ever do decide to create a FB fan page, I'll come use your tutorial to do it! ;o)

    Hi Paul!! I'm Sarah Kate! Just wanted to introduce myself because I'm about to raid your recipe tab up there. ;o) I am always looking for new stuff and it looks like you've got plenty!!!

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    1. Hi Sarah Kate, glad to meet you. Feel free to raid the recipe box.

      I agree it's not about numbers, it's about the other things.

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  9. Hi G! THis is a great walk through. I tried setting up an FB page but I couldn't get the numbers up beyond 5 likes hehe =) So I took it down.

    Hi Paul! =)

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    1. Hi Janie, welcome to the Kichen. I too have had very few public readers until recently. I stayed at 11 for almost a year. I'm always surprised when some one I didn't know was following along starts to talk about everything I've been posting.

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Thanks for your comment, I hope you enjoyed your time in the "Kitchen".