Melanie asked a question is typical of the reality of many bloggers. Until now, Melanie uses Facebook to keep in touch with her actual friends. She runs a blog but the topic of her blog is not something that interests her current friends and family members. So she cannot really rely on them to spread the word.
How does she expand and find new fans for her blog using Facebook?
We cannot answer this question without considering: How do you separate your private and public life in Facebook?
The first step is to set up your Privacy Settings for your Facebook account. You can decide who sees what on Facebook. Amongst other things, I restrict the views of my photos and videos. You can specify who and which actions (edit, comment, tag) people can take on your information.
Managing Your Friends
Start by creating a friend list for your blog’s friends. Plus create a very limited profile for people that you wish to accept but are unsure. This will allow you to decide what information you wish to share with your readers and virtual connections. Create as many lists as you need. Before you start, it may be a good idea to start a list of your true friends filled with people who know you in real life.
Recall that you can either say that only these friend lists can see or access a type of data or you can set that is everyone can do it except certain lists. You can even do that by naming a specific person. I would still create a list for that person, just in case you need to add names in the future.
Click on the Friends links (top menu bar) to access the Make a New List button.
Then, you can promote your Facebook profile on your blog. I put the link to my Facebook’s profile on my sidebar. I also check for Facebook links on blogs that I read and will join their group or add them as a friend. These actions will be the basis for implementing the Facebook promotion techniques I highlighted last week.
Do not set up a second Facebook identity
It is not manageable and against Facebook policy. Plus, I asked people who tried 2 Facebook accounts in the pass and they gave up. Using the Privacy Settings is the way to go.
Setting a Facebook group or a Facebook page is a viable option only if you have a large base of fans. Then, you put that link to your blog. Keep in mind that Facebook groups do not use the social graph as effectively than profile.
Nov. 2009 Update: I do not believe that setting a group is a good option. Setting up a page instead. Since the changes that took place in Facebook pages after I wrote this post, I now use pages. Facebook pages remains are even harder to promote than a profile page. Since my blog is my own name, the choice was easy for me. I still promote more my own Facebook profile but I use more and more the pages to connect with readers.
If you are a blogger with a smaller fan base or that do not have a lot of time for expanding your traffic, I feel you will get better results if you concentrate on your own Facebook profile.
Promote Yourself on Twitter
Also join Twitter. You can grow a base of followers with shared interests more quickly than on Facebook. Then add the people with whom you build better relations to your Facebook friends. If you are new to Twitter, read my Twitter basic commands to give you a head start.
+ Follow me on Twitter
+ Add my as a Facebook friend
March 1st, 2009 at 16:57
Hello Kim,
Although I am quite familiar with Facebook now, I have learned many useful tips reading this very informative post of yours. Great job, my friend!
For your information, Facebook do not allow its users to have more than one account – contrary to Twitter. One who gets caught in this situation will most probably have both accounts suspended by Facebook, without notice.
Warmly,
Chantal
March 1st, 2009 at 17:40
Thank you for the precision. I was so caught in the functionality that I forgot to mention this crucial fact.
March 1st, 2009 at 19:30
No fault, Kim. These things happen to all human beings, and I am certainly one of them!
By the way, I just added your blog to my blogroll. It’s a real pleasure and honor for me to have you there!
Chantal
March 2nd, 2009 at 00:32
Hi Kim – this is great! Exactly the information I needed – I didn’t know you could make friend lists in Facebook! Thank you for posting this!
March 11th, 2009 at 11:40
[...] you are a blogger, there is no doubt on my mind: you should be active on Twitter. I mentioned before that Twitter is a powerful marketing tool to raise awareness about what you do. It enables you to [...]