Heads Up for Businesses: Positive Facebook Feature–“Call To Action” Buttons for Pages

News for businesses (possibly brands, places, and public figures as well)

If you are like me, you may have assumed that Facebook would notify their users (you, Page admins) of useful new features by email. BUT no. I recently discovered that Facebook announced a new feature on their own blog, which blog I don’t remember ever knowing existed. I’m not here to complain about their communication methods; I just want to share the info with you!

Positive New Facebook Feature–“Call To Action” Buttons for Pages

Until now, all Facebook Pages for businesses, brands, public figures, etc. (as opposed to personal accounts) had the “Like” and “Message” buttons up there at the bottom of the header image (the “Follow” button was useless because you had to “Like” in order to “Follow,” and following was then automatic). But now Page admins have more options.

As a Page administrator you can now choose one of seven call-to-action buttons to place next to the “Like” and “Message” buttons.

The seven optional buttons are: Book Now, Contact Us, Use App, Play Game, Shop Now, Sign Up, and Watch Video.

As of December 11th 2014, Facebook said their new “call-to-action feature will roll out in the US over the next few weeks and worldwide next year.” So you should have this option available to you by now, or at least very soon.

The great thing about this new FB feature is that “call-to-action buttons link to any destination on or off Facebook that aligns with a business’s goals”

You could use one of these buttons to link to whatever you think will best promote your business: your YouTube channel; your blog; your newsletter; your website’s product page, order form, contact form, bonus offer, event registration form, performance booking form, etc.. Use your promotional imagination!

Get the most out of your button

You may want to pin a post to the top of your timeline (at least temporarily) calling people’s attention to your new action button. And if you’re extra creative or off-beat, you could use the pinned post to explain what fun thing you’ve linked to the button.

Note from a personal user’s perspective

You may want to check out all the FB Pages you have previously Liked, to see if they have instituted any new buttons, and what links they might be offering you.

What’s next?

You may want to add “Check the ‘Facebook for Business > News‘ page” to your monthly chore list, so you can keep up with any new developments.

Please comment below to let me know about YOUR experience with these new Facebook buttons.

Thanks!

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© Noname Porter-McShirley

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What To Do With FaceBook, Twitter, or Any Social Media Site

New Year’s Eve, while looking for live video of the ball dropping in New York’s Time’s Square, I saw yet another headline claiming ten reasons to quit FaceBook. A relative who doesn’t use social media wanted me to stop and read the article, thinking it might tell something I ought to know. As I went down the list, the author’s grievances with FaceBook pointed more and more to mindless users (why put something on a social networking website and then complain that it isn’t private?). I made a mental note to write a blog post of positive reasons TO use FaceBook, and how FaceBook’s insidious methods are irrelevant to the thoughtful user.

 

I was going to cite that anti-FB article, but it’s not worth my time to find it—I “ASKed” it (yes, I use Ask.com because why should we let Google become the Buy-n-Large from Wall-E ?) and found multiple pages of links to people over the last few years all listing reasons to stay away from FaceBook.

 

As for HOW and WHY to make GOOD use of FaceBook, let me just share with you the following excellent post which I found very well written. While it focuses on Twitter, its points are equally applicable to FaceBook, or probably any social media:

 

Why I Was Wrong About Twitter, by Adam Grant

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-grant/why-i-was-wrong-about-twi_b_4553656.html

 

It’s up to you: do you want to be pointlessly addicted and manipulated (a “me-right-now” FB/Twitter user), or do you want to use available tools (any social media site) to be thoughtfully positive and creatively productive, contributing meaningfully to your friends and the whole world around you?

 

When the FaceBook window asks, “What’s on your mind?” you can’t blame FB if you don’t either enter something good or pull your fingers away from the keys.

 

Oh yeah, one little note: you might want to empty your browser’s cookies after using FB, so they can’t track you all over the net.

 

© NPM

 

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It’s Been a Busy Spring…

It’s been a very busy spring for me. I never meant to go so long without posting to this blog. But I’m coming back…

First stop was to check my other social sites (FaceBook, etc.), commenting on what others are up to and reposting some things I really enjoyed to FaceBook:
 http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003226279447

Next step is to add some valuable content to the web–some things I hope others will find helpful, or at least interesting. This is planned to happen really soon. I have lots of notes to edit into posts.

But right now I must complete an errand
Regarding a new business I am starting with a friend.
This will be a helpful business too,
And we hope it can help you.
I’ll let you know what it’s all about
Just as soon as the webpage is present to tout.
I have to finish drawing the logo,
And make sure the prices are in a row,
With a bit of fine print all in tow.
I have to finish the HTMLs
And double-check how everything spells.

(Yup, I checked, it spells “everything”. …..Just kidding.)

So, I’ll see you here again soon.

I’m excited!
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© 2012 NPM
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