Facebook Graph Search Is Fully Launched

Facebook has announced that the new graph search is now available to all US English Language Facebook users.

The announcement from Facebook read as follows:

Graph Search makes it easier to make new connections; you can continue to search for friends and Pages by name, or use simple phrases to find something specific across people, photos, places, interests, and more.

Graph Search was originally seen as competition for Google, but upon further review, it seems to be a completely different way of accessing information online. Log into Facebook and give it a try. Please notice the personalization of information.

Good Blog Post and Content Ideas – Where Do They Come From?

Where can you look for ideas for fresh content and blog posts for your website and social media sites?

When trying to come up with ideas, I always start with these sources of information:

1. Reviewing questions that my customers ask me in the course of business. If one customer asks a question, chances are good that others are wondering the same thing. Poll your sales and customer service teams regarding topics that customers ask of them, as well.

2. Follow social media conversations with others in the industry and your own social media sites, if you have them. Topics of conversation in social media, chat rooms, and forums are great ways to find out what customers want to know. To help make this task less time intensive, consider using a tracking tool that will allow you to track conversations online that center around the keywords you select.

3. Don’t neglect images. Images that depict problems your products can solve or the happy results of the successful use of your product or service will help to engage online viewers.

4. Review search terms that website visitors are using to find your website. Look at the most popular search terms that website visitors use to find you, and make sure that you provide ample information about those terms. Search competitors and review search terms that they are optimizing for to identify industry trends that you may not see from your customer base. Look at those competitors that are in large or “cutting edge” markets for your field. For example, if you are in a high tech business, Palo Alto would be a more relevant market than Los Angeles. The reverse would be true if you are in the entertainment field.

5. Keep current with published articles on topics that relate to your field. If a print publication is writing about it, chances are the public is interested in it. Many marketers neglect industry or trade publications, but many emerging technologies, ideas, and trends can be found when the insiders of an industry talk with each other.

6. Do not neglect topics that are more during certain times of the year. For instance, an HVAC contractor would be better suited to advertise air conditioning repair in the summer than in the winter months. Updated content shows your audience that you are current and relevant to their lives, and that is a key component of engaging an online audience.

Generating these ideas and then strategizing with a calendar is a daunting task. Many companies work with an annual calendar, but I am fond of a strategy never plans more than 45-60 days in the future. The modern world is constantly changing, and website and blog content needs to be current and valuable to its users. I certainly do not know what I will want to know more about 12 months from now, do you?

Bottom Line: Content is king, and looking for the right content to feature on your website or blog has become a hot topic for those actively marketing online. It is a grind to constantly create new content, but the reward of successful SEO and Social Media campaigns is huge.

Eric Van Cleave is a Partner in Zenergy Works, A Santa Rosa, California based SEO, Website Design and Online Marketing Firm.