Welcome to the new Clearing Customs, with a new look, a new logo, and a new Facebook page!
I heard Facebook is getting kind of popular, so I thought it was about time this blog got on board. (Actually, I’ve been posting to Facebook on my personal site for some time, but now I’ve created facebook.com/clearingcustoms and will switch over completely soon.)
Your likes are appreciated.
8 Keys for Reaching the Facebook Masses
Facebook. It’s a big deal not just in the US, it’s a big deal all over the world . . . except in the four countries that, according to Mother Jones, currently are at least trying to block it: China, Iran, North Korea, and Vietnam.
The Guardian reports that at the end of 2013, there were 1.23 billion people in the world using Facebook, with 556 million of them getting it on the go, using smartphones and tablets to access the site every day.
Reaching all those people, and getting them to respond, doesn’t have to be hit or miss. According to a new study released by TrackMaven, there are 8 keys to Facebook success (and maybe they’ll help my blogging out, too):
1. Thursday is the most popular day for posting on Facebook, but posts on Sunday get the most interactions. (check)
2. 88% of posts include photos, and they garner 37% more interactions than posts without.
(check, check, check, check, check)
3. 67.3% of entries are written at or below the 5th grade level, with the highest percentage (17.5) composed at a level comprehensible by an average first grader. Facebook is easy. Facebook is fun. Facebook is easy and fun. (got it)
4. About 94% of posts have 49 or fewer words, but posts with 80 or more words average twice as much engagement as those that are shorter. (already there)
5. Share is the most effective call-to-action word for garnering interactions, compared to please, like, and now. I thought I would share this with you, so please share it with others. Share and share alike, I always say. (done)
6. 84% of posts have no hashtags, but those that do get more audience engagement. #Seven #hashtags #is #the #most #effective. (#saynomore)
7. Likewise, for maximum interactions, seven exclamation points—That’s right!! Seven!!!—is the best number! (great!)
8. And, now, are you ready for the last one? Are you sure? OK, here it is: The best amount of question marks is—are you really ready?—nine. Can you believe it? Do you agree? Yes? No? Maybe? (could it be any easier?)
Hey, now that I know the secrets of Facebook, maybe I should take a look at that Twitter-thing.
(Dana Liebelson, “MAP: Here Are the Countries That Block Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube,” Mother Jones, March 28, 2014; Jemima Kiss, “Facebook’s 10th Birthday: From College Dorm to 1.23 Billion Users,” The Guardian, February 3, 2014; The Marketing Maven’s Guide to Facebook, TrackMaven, 2014)
[photo: “Like,” by Adam Fagen, used under a Creative Commons license; illustration: “Facebook Like Button,” by Patrick Nouhailler, used under a Creative Commons license]
Clearing Customs 