Discover recent Facebook Changes at Lanarkshire New Media Breakfast

While we have been preparing for our second ever Lanarkshire New Media Breakfast, Making The Most of Facebook Timeline Pages for Business, we realised that it has been almost a year since we last delivered a New Media Breakfast on Facebook!

The last time we focused solely on Facebook was back in April 2012 - and it is frightening how much has changed in that time!

Like last time, the breakfast will highlight the many features of Facebook Pages and explore the ways that you can take advantage of the timeline layout to promote your business and encourage people to join your community.

However, we will also take a look at lots of new features that Facebook has introduced in the past year, including Promoted Posts, Sponsored Stories and Targeted Videos.

On top of that, we will also discuss the Facebook Pages Manager which is now available for all devices, and the newly released Graph Search, which can make it easier for people to discover and learn more about your business.

Another important change is the ‘20% Text Rule’, which limits the amount of text that can be contained in graphics used for business page cover photos and ads.

Of course, we will also look at the following:

• Branding 
• Tabs and iFrame Pages 
• Using the timeline 
• Liking, Commenting, Sharing and Tagging 
• Photos and Video 
• Syndicating content to your page 
• Insights 
• SEO

The functionality within Facebook pages is often overlooked with many organisations missing the massive opportunities it presents to engage with their community and share the important facts about their business.

With all these changes over the past year, we think it would be extremely beneficial for you and your business to refresh your memory and find out how to promote your page and grow your community.

On top of that, it will also give you the opportunity to visit Lanarkshire Business and Conference Centre, which is a fantastic venue in the heart of Cumbernauld College.

YOUR QUESTIONS
We are also keen to answer any questions you may have about the new Facebook Pages or, Facebook in general so, please feel free to send us any questions in advance to gordon@fatbuzz.com or post them as a comment on the blog or on the New Media Breakfast Facebook page.

THE SPEAKER
The Facebook Timeline breakfast will be presented by Gordon White, Managing Director, fatBuzz Ltd

Venue: Lanarkshire Business & Conference Centre, Cumbernauld, G67 1HU
Date: Thursday 21st February 2013
Time: 7.30am for 8am
Cost: £10+ vat
Directions: Show in Google Maps
We hope you can make it along to this event. If so, I look forward to seeing you on the day.

BOOK FOR NEW MEDIA BREAKFAST LANARKSHIRE HERE:

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Public, but not in the public domain...Digital Copyright explained in Social Media Podcast 50

It's been too long since the last podcast, that's something we're going to rectify in 2013.  Due to pressure of work, we've struggled to get the whole team together since the start of the year to record Social Media Podcast 50.

To make sure we get more podcasts released in future we're going to vary the format; we will still have the team together whenever we can but we'll add some interview editions and, we'll add in some solo podcasts on specific topics.

For those of you expecting the 'big 50' edition our apologies, we haven't been able to get together to do it but we need to move on so we'll celebrate when we get to 100 and, if things go to plane, that will be sooner rather than later!

DIGITAL COPYRIGHT

In this edition Gordon White, Managing Director at fatBuzz Ltd, has a really interesting discussion with Austin Flynn, Partner at Morton Fraser and Sam Price, Associate at Morton Fraser.  I caught up with them in their Edinburgh office to discuss the use of images online and to find out a bit about Creative Commons Licenses.

Many people wrongly assume that if an image, video or music file is made public on the Internet it's in the public domain, Austin and Sam explain why this is not the case.  The discussion explores some of the myths and mistakes that people make when using images found on-line.  They also clarify the different types of Creative Commons Licenses and the restrictions that can apply even when you're buying images from photo libraries.

This is a very informative podcast well worth listening to if you every use images in your content.

We hope you enjoy the podcast, if you have any comments to make or topics you would like us to discuss please leave them here on the blog or on our Facebook Page.

Play the podcast here:

Subscribe/Download Social Media Podcast on iTunes

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE US TO TALK ABOUT?
If there is a specific topic you would like us to cover in a future podcast please let us know.  You can email gordon@fatbuzz.com or send us a message on Twitter @MediaPodcast or, you can post it as a comment on the Social Media Podcast Facebook page.

If you have found this post interesting please share it with your on-line community using either the Twitter, Facebook and Share buttons below. Thank You.

Educating Children about Social Media - What's The Point?

On Safer Internet Day 2013, Derek Howie tackles the increasing prevalence of underage social media use.

‘You’re not allowed to use Facebook until you’re 13 anyway - what’s the point in discussing it?’

Unbelievably, that was the response I got when I told someone I was going to write about underage use of social media for Safer Internet Day.

What’s the point? While we're on the subject, what’s the point in talking to under-16s about sex? And what’s the point in talking to under-18s about alcohol and drugs?

The point, in case he still hasn’t realised, is to impart knowledge and, hopefully, help children make more informed decisions. 

Hoping something will go away, or in this case asking ‘what’s the point?’, is precisely the sort of mentality that has seen British teenage pregnancy rates consistently remain among the highest in western Europe.

Unsurprisingly, one of the main ways to reduce teenage pregnancies is through education - and the same goes for social media.

Now, let’s not pretend there aren’t risks associated with social media. Of course there are.

But we can’t ignore the fact that underage children are increasingly joining social network websites like Facebook and Twitter - often without adult supervision.

Talking of facts, an expert at the London School of Economics recently estimated one million nine to 12-year-olds already use Facebook, despite the fact they are meant to be 13 before becoming members.

Do we ignore those one million children? Ask ‘what’s the point?’.

Of course we don’t. We confront the issue. We listen to the children (god forbid) and find out why they are using social media.

Most importantly though, we educate them.

We discuss the risks and the dangers associated with social media, we explain the legalities surrounding it, and we advise the children on how to stay safe online.

And we don’t stop with social media. We talk about Internet safety, personal data and even sexual exploitation online.

Late last year, I saw for myself just how important, and divisive, this issue is.

fatBuzz welcomed a primary 7 pupil in to the office for a day’s work experience, and while he was here, he asked our Facebook community whether or not he should be allowed to use social media.

The response was fascinating.

Unsurprisingly, there were a wide range of views. Some suggested that children should definitely be allowed to use Facebook, but only with parental supervision.

Others said that social media should be taught in schools, while some even suggested he should get off a computer and play more football.

I didn’t agree with all the comments, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk about it, does it?

In England, the 'dangers' of social media are currently being taught to schoolchildren as part of a pilot project launched by the Information Commissioner's Office.

If the pilot proves a success, it will be rolled out in schools nationwide.

There is already a growing consensus that the way children are being taught information technology in schools is in need of a radical overhaul.

Could social media be taught alongside coding in the new curriculum? I don’t see why not.

Regardless of our opinions on social media, there is one undeniable fact - we all have a role to play in ensuring that every child is safe online.

Do you think children under 13 should be allowed to use social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter? If so, what age do you think is appropriate? How do you think we can teach children about Internet safety?

Join the discussion on fatBuzz’s Facebook and Twitter pages and join the Safer Internet Day conversation using the hashtag #SID2013.

If you have found the content on this page interesting please share it with your online community using the Twitter, Facebook and Share buttons below. Thank you.

New Media Breakfast LANARKSHIRE: Facebook Pages for Business

MAKING THE MOST OF FACEBOOK TIMELINE PAGES FOR BUSINESS

Venue: Lanarkshire Business & Conference Centre, Cumbernauld, G67 1HU

Date: Thursday 21st February 2013

Time: 7.30am for 8am

Cost: £10+ vat

Directions: Show in Google Maps

Facebook remains the largest social media platform with over 33 million users in the UK therefore it is difficult for any business to ignore it. The functionality within Facebook pages is often overlooked with many organisations missing the massive opportunities it presents to engage with their community and share the important facts about their business.

The New Media Breakfast will highlight the many features of Facebook Pages and explore the ways that you can take advantage of the timeline layout to promote your business and encourage people to join your community.

fatBuzz has experience in developing communities and managing Facebook for commercial and charitable organisations - he have created over 100 pages for clients; we will use some of these to demonstrate what you can do to engage and reach out to your community.  We will show you live examples of what others are doing on their pages and provide some ideas to help you promote your page and grow your community.

We will look at the following:

• Branding
• Tabs and iFrame Pages
• Using the timeline
• New functionality
• Liking, Commenting, Sharing and Tagging
• Photos and Video
• Syndicating content to your page
• Insights
• Advertising
• SEO

The presentation will also take a look at Facebook Insights and show you how you can use the information available from Facebook to track the effectiveness of your activity and your individual posts.

FACEBOOK AND SEO
We will take a fresh look at the impact and potential impact of Facebook on SEO. These are not specifically as a result of the new Timeline layout but we will take the opportunity to update you about the changes and how to maximise the SEO value of your Facebook activity.

YOUR QUESTIONS
We are also keen to answer any questions you may have about the new Facebook Pages or, Facebook in general so, please feel free to send us any questions in advance to gordon@fatbuzz.com or post them as a comment on the blog or on the New Media Breakfast Facebook page.

THE SPEAKER
The Facebook Timeline breakfast will be presented by Gordon White, Managing Director, fatBuzz Ltd 

Venue: Lanarkshire Business & Conference Centre, Cumbernauld, G67 1HU

Date: Thursday 21st February 2013

Time: 7.30am for 8am

Cost: £10+ vat

Directions: Show in Google Maps

We hope you can make it along to this event. If so, I look forward to seeing you on the day.

BOOK FOR NEW MEDIA BREAKFAST LANARKSHIRE HERE:

If you have found the content on this page interesting please share it with your online community using either the Twitter, Facebook and Share buttons below. Thank You.

Using Video for Business - February New Media Breakfast, Glasgow

USING VIDEO FOR BUSINESS

Venue: 29 Member's Club, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow

Date: Friday 1st March 2013

Time: 7.30am for 8am

More and more people are using video as part of their online communication and content marketing and the number of people consuming video content continues to increase. With the introduction of 4G and the continued rise in the use of mobile phones and tablet devices for accessing the internet the consumption of video content is predicted to keep on growing.  Video content is getting easier to create and people are becoming more relaxed in front of the camera.

The February New Media Breakfast will explore different types of video content and look at some of the successful videos used in current marketing. We will also look at different options for producing video content and the type of equipment required for video capture.

Capturing the content is only part of the process, we will also take a look at video syndication and how you promote your content and encourage people to watch it, and share it.


Some people may wish to use video content but don't have the resources or inclination to create their own content; we will explore the options available when outsourcing video production and highlight some of the things to consider when planning a video project.

We hope you can join us for what should be a fun, but informative breakfast. If you have a specific question you would like to ask, please post it as a comment on the New Media Breakfast blog post. Alternatively you can post it on Twitter as a direct message @fatbuzz or you can email us at hello@fatbuzz.com

THE SPEAKER
Gordon White, Managing director of fatBuzz Ltd will present the January New Media Breakfast.

HOW TO BOOK
Venue: 29 Member's Club, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow
Date: Friday 1st March 2013
Time: 7.30am for 8am
Cost: £10 +VAT

BOOK FOR NEW MEDIA BREAKFAST GLASGOW HERE:

No.29 MEMBERS GO FREE 

If you are a 29 Member you can attend the breakfast free of charge. Please email malcolm@fatbuzz.com with you membership number and he will add you to the attendance list.

We hope you can make it along to this event. If so, I look forward to seeing you on the day.

If you have found this post interesting please share it with your online community using either the Twitter, Facebook and Share buttons below. Thank You.

What is Responsive Web Design?

Over the festive period we received an email from a prospective client who has known the business for several years now. However, this client never realised we did website design until we mentioned Chris's recent arrival to the design team in a blog post.

fatBuzz started out as a traditional design company doing design for print, then we moved into web design in the 90's and Web 2.0. As many of you know, we run the monthly New Media Breakfast where we deliver presentations focused on the need for and importance of social media. This is potentially why most clients think we’re only a social media agency when we’ve actually had 25 years experience in design!

Our recent recruits to the design team, David (fourteen months) and Chris (two months) have an in-depth knowledge of web design and manage a range of websites for various fatBuzz clients. Between them they have experience in using CMS systems, HTML, CSS, PHP Jquery/Javascript and the Adobe Creative Suite. Their main objectives are to provide our clients with a prominent web presence by developing unique, user-friendly websites that are aesthetically engaging and surpass those of competitors.

This year, at fatBuzz, we aim to ensure you receive regular updates, spanning the range of our services, through our blog posts. We will not just bring you news, events and updates from the world of Social Media but also from those of Design, Marketing and Video Production.

So, we kick off the first design blog post this year discussing a hot topic, Responsive Design...

Given the high volume of people now using mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets to access the Internet, it is essential to have a mobile-friendly website. Furthermore, with the plethora of tablet devices and smartphones now on the market it’s becoming near impossible for software developers to continue creating websites for each and every resolution and device. However, there is a new standard that goes further than a simple ‘mobile enabled’ option for your site; in other words, Responsive Design.

Responsive design involves flexible grids, layouts and images allowing one to swiftly move between devices and maintain website readability. The site will respond to the user’s behaviour and environment based on screen size, platform and orientation. As the user switches from laptop to tablet device or smartphone, the website will automatically switch to accommodate appropriate resolution, image size and scripting abilities.

This has far more capabilities than suggested by the term ‘mobile enabled’. Responsive design is increasing in popularity as a result of the rising number of users accessing the Internet on multiple mobile devices. This type of design opens up websites to a huge number of users that were before repelled by the incompatibility between their devices and the simplistic ‘mobile enabled’ website.

There are some fantastic posts already written up about responsive design as you can see here:

http://coding.smashingmagazine.com/2011/01/12/guidelines-for-responsive-web-design/
http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/11062-11-gorgeous-examples-of-responsive-design
http://mediaqueri.es/popular/

If you have any queries about responsive design please drop us an email and we’ll be more than happy to discuss this with you.

If you have found the content on this page interesting please share it with your online community using either the Twitter, Facebook and Share buttons below. Thank You.

A new event for 2013 - Lanarkshire New Media Breakfast

THE 1st LANARKSHIRE NEW MEDIA BREAKFAST

DATE: Thursday 24th January 2013
VENUE: Lanarkshire Business & Conference Centre, Cumbernauld, G67 1HU
Time: 7:30 for 8am

WHAT IS THE NEW MEDIA BREAKFAST?
The New Media Breakfast has been running in Glasgow and Edinburgh for over three years.  The breakfasts are knowledge sharing and networking events designed to bring you up to date information about new media that will help you to understand this new way of communicating and how to make the best possible use of social media as a marketing tool for your organisation.

The New Media Breakfast is a very popular and well established event on the business calendar in Glasgow and Edinburgh but, it can be difficult for people based outside these cities to attend on a regular basis.  For some time now we have been asked to run the breakfasts in other areas and we have had many such requests from businesses based in Lanarkshire.

You can find out more about the New Media Breakfast series and see some of the topics we cover at the New Media Breakfast web site - Click Here.   

SOCIAL MEDIA DEFINED
The term “social media” is bandied around on a daily basis yet, more often than not, it is misinterpreted or misunderstood. We will define social media and how it relates to marketing and promoting brands.

We will also provide real examples that prove a healthy return on investment is possible when social media is fully understood and used in the proper manner. Likewise, we will provide examples that explain why so many organisations are wasting their time, and ultimately failing, with social media.

The January breakfast will explore what social media actually means. We will define social media in a business context and try to dispel some of the myths.

Most people understand what social media is on a personal level however, when it comes to business, the definition is less clear.

How do you apply the principles of social media to your business and how do you get a return on your investment? Hopefully we will be able to help you understand what social media marketing is all about and how you might be able to use it within your business.

We will also explore how you choose what tools to use and how you can become 'trend proof' if you adopt the right social media strategy.

BLOGGING
Following the introduction to social media we will take a closer look at blogging and how blogs play a very important part in successful social media marketing. Your blog should be the hub of your social media, the presentation will exlain why that is and wat options you have for setting up your blog.

We will also explore some initial content ideas for your blog and explain how to make it interesting, engaging, findable and shareable. We will be giving away lots of inyeresting information in this initial presentation - not to be missed!

THE SPEAKER
Gordon White, Managing director of fatBuzz Ltd will present the January New Media Breakfast.

HOW TO BOOK
Venue: Lanarkshire Business & Conference Centre, Cumbernauld, G67 1HU
Date: Thursday 24th January 2013
Time: 7.30am for 8am
Cost: FREE
Directions: Show in Google Maps

To book for this event, please send your details to malcolm@fatbuzz.com.

We hope you can make it along to this event. If so, I look forward to seeing you on the day.

If you have found the content on this page interesting please share it with your online community using either the Twitter, Facebook and Share buttons below. Thank You.