Blog – Page 25 – Louisa Chan

How To Use Facebook Video Calling: The New Facebook Skype Partnership

July 29, 2011 by Louisa Chan 1 Comment

New Facebook Features – Facebook Video Chat

Facebook introduced another new feature as it team up with Skype. It now allows you to have video chats within Facebook with any of your Facebook friends without having to log onto another VOIP application.
I tested it briefly and while there is a little lag, I could hear the conversation clearly and I could also re size the window of the video chat.
This is a great feature for small businesses as it allows you to reach your clients and potential partners easily for a quick connect without having the both of you log onto a third party VOIP application outside of Facebook.
And your friend does not even need to have a Skype account. Now that is a big win since everyone you know seems to be on Facebook these days (apart from the 750 million people on planet earth)!
This is a free application so there is no hefty tele communication charges involved while improving work flow with your business partners and contacts.
This feature is very simple to use and lacking in features since it is still in its infancy. I believe there will be improvement soon and in the mean time, here are my findings:

This is a PC to PC call, I do not see an option to use it on my iphone – yet. I am suspecting that will be in the near future.

This is a one-to-one video call – there is no option to add more than one friend to the video call and therefore group calling is not yet possible

I could however place a video message if the friend I want to call is currently not available for a video chat

I could call anyone on my Facebook friend list (but not to anyone outside of this list) and they can either respond to the call or have a video message from me.

I do not see an option to control privacy or filter calls from certain Facebook friends.

So how do you initiate or activate your Facebook Video call? Here’s a 3-minute video that shows you just how you can do that.

New Facebook Feature – Facebook Video Call/Chat

Look for the video icon on your friend’s profile page or on his/her chat box. Clicking on that will initiate a video call. He or she will be prompted to download a small plug in to set this up for all future calls.
If you do not see the icons, you can go to www.Facebook.com/videocalling and get started there. It is pretty straightforward, you can just follow the instructions there.
If you find this post helpful, remember to leave me a comment and click the “Like” and “+1” button at the top of this post so others too can enjoy this post. Thanks!
You can also get a free report on how you can Master Social Media In 5 Simple Steps Using An Hour A Week.

How The New Facebook Comment Gives You More Coverage

July 28, 2011 by Louisa Chan Leave a Comment

What is new with the Facebook Comments?

Facebook recently introduced preview links in its comment section. These preview links are not new to Facebook; they have been around in status updates. Most people are familiar with using links to lead to blog posts or YouTube videos. Links in the comment section remained as text links until very recently.
Today as I leave a link to my YouTube video and press “enter”, I see a thumbnail image of the video player with a title and description of the video. And I can also play the YouTube video right from the comment section.
While this is not a big change, it is a very convenient and effective way of leaving comments.

Why is it so? Why is this new feature important to you?

1 – It is a cleaner and more effective way of leaving comments and feedback especially when you are explaining something that requires more details or a visual walk-through.
2 – Being able to play a video in the comment section saves your readers from leaving the Facebook environment and they can still read the rest of the comments that relates to the status update.
3 – These preview links with thumbnail images for your blog posts and videos are graphic. And visuals are eye-catching. They draw attention to your comment and they stand out from other comments.
All these give your link extra exposure. And if you are using your page to leave valuable comments on others status updates, this can be a lead generator bringing others to your Facebook Page or Blog Website.

How do you do implement this change?

Simple, just leave your links as you did before and your YouTube will play at the comment section itself. Other links will be given a thumbnail image, a title and a description. You don’t need to do anything differently!
Just a note though for your YouTube Videos, you will not be able to change the description and title as you would be able to if you were to post at the status bar. This is because the image, title and description are only displayed after you clicked and submitted your link.
These are 3 good reasons why you will want to use links in your Facebook comments. I believe these will bring you more eye-balls and may even generate you more traffic.
If you want to watch my 3-minute video which explains this new Facebook feature you can visit “New Facebook Feature – Facebook Comments with Preview” or get my Free Report on “5 Steps to Mastering Social Media in 1 Hour A Week“.

On Page Optimization Alone Does Not Guarantee Search Engine Ranking Nor Traffic

July 7, 2011 by Louisa Chan Leave a Comment

Businesses and individuals are beginning to set up Facebook Fan Pages and Google Place Listing after reading about their effectiveness in generating free and new traffic.
I am glad to see many taking action to make use of new and digital media for free and viral traffic. However there are 2 things that I like to highlight:
You need to know how to set it up correctly. Any high school kid will be able to set up a Facebook Page or a Google Listing; it is no rocket science. However, not everyone will know how to set it up correctly so that it is search engine friendly.
And even less will have a strategy for how businesses can make use of the newly set up pages and how those tie in with the total marketing strategy.
Setting up the page remains the easiest part of the equation. Using the correct strategy for your business niche and market will require some expertise and that is where you can tap into your marketing agent’s expertise.

Dynamic Nature of Organic Search Requires On-Going Optimization.

Google Place Listing With Synergy Marketing Pro

Another point to note is that ranking and positioning is dynamic in the organic search engine world. Having your business listing on page 1 today does not guarantee that you can retain that position if you do not continue to optimize your page – especially when your competitors are doing so.
Nothing stays constant in a dynamic world. So while having a presence is getting into the game, it is only the first step. To consistently showing up on searches will take on-going effort. With a little help from your marketing agent you will be able to achieve that and tap into free Google and Facebook traffic.
Feel free to pass this on to your friends and remember to leave me a comment or two. You can also get my Free report on how to Master Social Media in 5 Easy Steps Using 1 Hour A Week here.

Understanding Mobile Phone Users – What That Means To You

June 19, 2011 by Louisa Chan Leave a Comment

Understanding Mobile Phone Users
There are more people using smart phones and tablets (such as iPad II and Samsung Galaxy). And that is a big market whose demographic and users habits we want to understand.
Google did a study conducted by Ipsos OTX, an independent market research firm on “The Mobile Movement: Understanding Smartphone Consumers.”
The results are based on studies done at the end of 2010. It is based on 5,000 US mobile phone users.
If you are interested to better understand how mobile phones are used in your user’s daily lives and how they are influenced by their phones in the way they look for information, research, shop and respond to mobile advertising, watch this short and informative video.LINESPACE

If you have a business or a brand or if you have an online presence, it is now time to think about setting up a mobile site so your visitors on smart mobile phones can find and see you on their mobile devices.
You want them to be able to visit your landing pages, see your offers (products and services) and leave you their contacts (email or phone numbers) in exchange for future updates, tips and freebies.
Websites are great and you need to be thinking about setting up mobile presences because of the growing trend and the impact it can bring to your business.
Thinking of setting up a mobile site? A mobile landing page? Building a mobile database (so you can continue to communicate with your market via their smart phones) or getting your mobile shopping cart ready? Just get in touch and contact us.
If you find this post helpful, feel free to pass this on to your friends and remember to leave me a comment or two. To get more tips on social media you can get a free report on Mastering Social Media In 1 Hour A Week Here.

Mobile Marketing: How To Scan A QR Code Or A 2D Barcode

June 10, 2011 by Louisa Chan 5 Comments

How Do You Scan QR Codes

I wrote about what QR Codes are in my previous post; my niece’s Nintendo has QR Codes / 2D Barcodes, and how we can decode these codes.
And since I have some questions raised about the purpose of having these codes and how one can interpret these codes, I am putting together a video and some additional explanations that will provide some clarifications.
If you see QR Codes and you want to know what information or data these codes are representing, you can do either of the following:
1 -Snap a photo of that code with your phone – any phone with a camera will do
2 -Download a free QR Code reader here
3 – You can now use the newly downloaded application to read your QR Code.
The decoded QR Code will bring you to a source of information, either a website, an image, a text or a video.
Or you can
1 – Download the free QR code reader onto your phone first
2 – Launch that application and use it to snap a photo of the QR Code
3 – The decoded QR Code will bring you to the same source of information.
You can watch this short video here – the part I took with my flip camera was not very clear and I was not able to keep the screen still (I was trying to demonstrate using my left hand as my right hand was holding the flip camera!). But I hope you can see the demonstration as I stepped you through the process of scanning these codes.

How To Scan QR Codes or 2D Barcode

The purpose is to get information quick and easy. One scan of the QR code and it can tell you where a product is made (if code is on packaging). I use a QR Code on my business card; one scan and you’ll have my website, contact details in your mobile phone for easy reference.
There are many applications for these codes and your marketing agent will be able to help you tap into the power of these codes. I can safely say that these 2D barcodes will be popping up more on printed material, T-shirts, stationery, restaurant menus and product packaging. Look around and you’ll see more of them popping up near you.
If you find this post helpful, feel free to pass this on to your friends and remember to leave me a comment or two. You will probably also like our free report on How To Master Social Media In 1 Hour A Week.

My Niece's Nintendo Has QR Codes / 2D Barcodes

June 7, 2011 by Louisa Chan 1 Comment

My niece’s Nintendo has QR Codes

My niece was playing with my iphone and asked why I take photos of square codes (the ones you see on the top left corner).

I explained the basics of QR Codes to her and demonstrated how this 2D Barcode works. She listened quietly.

Next morning, she asked me where she can find the application for scanning these QR Codes. She had found a QR Code that came with her Nintendo and wanted a firsthand experience of scanning it!

I pointed her to a free QR Code generator and she took to it like a duck on water! Since then, she has been experimenting with and helping me check in on Foursquare as well as updating my Twitter tweets and Facebook statuses using my mobile phone.

It all seems to come very intuitively to her. No wonder the teens and youth take to Social Media so easily!

OK, coming back to QR codes, so what are they? What do they do? Why would use them? And how do you make sense of or decode those weird looking square thingy? Basically these were the questions she asked me.

So let’s tackle this one by one.

What Are QR Codes?

There are called Quick Response Codes as they can be read and decoded quickly by a cell phone. Sometimes also referred to as 2D barcode.These 2 dimensional barcodes encode data horizontally and vertically (hence 2D) and can therefore store much more data then the conventional barcodes.

What Do They Do?
These codes store compact information. On being decoded (after being scanned with a mobile phone or a decoder) it can link you to a source of information whether in text, an image or to a URL. So for example after you scan a 2D barcode your hand phone app may bring you to a certain website.

Who Would Use Them and Where Can We Find These Codes?
Off line, we see these codes in magazines, text book covers, flyers, business cards, posters, T shirts, mugs, stationeries and yes even bill boards. You can also stick QR codes on product tags and packaging (for product description), basically anywhere that wants to store information.

QR Codes bring offline visitors to web sites, fan pages, event pages, coupons, and YouTube channels, to your online stores and websites. They can also bring those on mobile devices to offline local business stores. They are truly bridging the gap between offline and online.

QR codes allow you to bring a load of information to your customer in a quick and convenient way. With these 2D Barcodes, mobile phone users no longer need to type in long URLs (I can never type using those tiny qwert keyboards) and once scanned the data is stored in your phone for future reference. How convenient is that?

How Do You Make Sense Of Them?
You do not need any high tech, chunky hand-held scanner to decode these. If you have a mobile phone a with a camera you are ready to go. To decode these codes just follow the steps here:

1 – Go here to download the matching QR decoder for your phone model
2 – Activate the application (by tapping on the app) and snap a photo of a QR code (try the one on top left corner)
3 – It will read and decode the data and bring you to the pre-programmed destination page.

Sometimes, it may bring you to a transitional page (if you scan this QR code you will know what I mean) but all you have to do is follow instructions. You really can’t go wrong.

So the next time you see this funny looking square thing, just take out your mobile phone, snap a photo and let your decoder bring you to a place where more information is given for a product or service.

If the information or relevant and important to you it now stays in your phone and you can access it anytime you like. Isn’t that cool? Mobile devices make life easier and more fun.

If you find this article helpful, feel free to pass this on and remember to leave me a comment or two or sign up for our newsletter here.

Sticky Mobile Coupon – Are You Offering Your Clients The No-Hassle Digital Coupon?

June 2, 2011 by Louisa Chan 2 Comments

Mobile Coupon Stays And Does Not Require Clipping!

Most people are attracted to a special offered by vendors or service providers. They are more willing to try new things or use services and products that they would normally save up for special occasions like Birthdays and Anniversaries.

Customers look out for and diligently clip printable coupons from magazines or newspaper. These days there are digital and electronic coupons that you can add to your grocery cards as well as great deals based on aggregate sales offered by Groupon (who works in partnership with the vendors and takes a cut of the fee from the vendors).

But I am not talking about those.

As a service provider, whether you are an online or offline business, whether you are providing physical products or services to your clients, you are now able to provide them with a quick and convenient way of using your discounts offers – without having to pay any partners any fees. And that is through mobile coupons.

And you do not need any special software or subscribe to any costly service (unless you want to offer video coupons – which is really cool and I can get you those as well). And your clients do not need to go through lengthy process of entering in names and zip codes nor do you need to remember to carry any cards around.

All your clients really need is their mobile phone. Yes, if you clients carry and use mobile phones you can now offer them hassle free mobile coupons which they can redeem anytime before the expiration date that you set.

Here’s are some ways you can execute this:

If you have a Google Place Page, you are already “mobile coupon” ready. All your clients need to do is to visit your Google Place Page and tab on the offer link and your mobile coupon will appear (as shown).

Here’s an example of a mobile coupon: www.budurl.com/JuneCoupon – click on this if you are on a PC or tab on the link if you are seeing this on your mobile phone. And that’s all you’ll need to do!

Mobile Coupon For Synergy Marketing Pro

Isn’t that easy?

Details are all given on their mobile phone and all they have to do is to present that mobile coupon to you when they visit your store/business centre.

They will not need to enter any information, not need to cut out anything nor remember to bring any cards. all they need is their mobile phone and your mobile coupon URL.

Convenience and Stickiness of Your Mobile Coupon

Another thing you can do very easily is to offer Foursquare Specials – especially if you are a local business with a store front. These are not difficult to implement – if you have the expertise.

So get in touch with your marketing agent and have them set up mobile coupons for your prospects and clients and see your sales increase!

Social Media 101 – 2 Practical Steps Before You Sign Up For Your Social Media Accounts

May 31, 2011 by Louisa Chan Leave a Comment

Social Media 101 For Newbies
If you want to maximize your social media or social networking efforts and minimize the sense of overwhelm and “not sure where to start” syndrome, here’s an 11-page document for Social Media Newbies to check out.

It’s called “Social Media 101 – 2 Steps Before You Sign Up For You Social Media Accounts”.this short and useful report (and loads of other resources) will be a helpful read.

This report preps you before you start on your social networking sites so you can cut down on reworks and wasted efforts. I wish there was something like that before I started working on my Social Media Platforms.

Social Media 101 For Newbies With Synergy Marketing Pro

Content discussed includes the following:-
– Why you need to use Social Media
– How you can use it to your maximum benefits
– Who you can reach with these social networking sites
– What you can do using these sites
– and more

It is an interesting read and provides insights into the kind of preparation one needs to think through before rushing onto the various social media platforms.

I hope you find this report useful and practical and let me know if you have any questions or feedback!

Full Report On Social Media 101 Here:

This costs you nothing to download, read, print or even embed it on your site (blog or facebook). No opt-in required, just a free gift to you.

Feel free to pass on the report and share this with your friends. For a more detailed discussion of using social media for the busy executives or entrepreneurs you can download this free report 5 Steps to Mastering Social Media In 1 Hour A Week.

Sticky Mobile Coupon – Are You Offering Your Clients The No-Hassle Digital Coupon?

Mobile Coupon Stays And Does Not Require Clipping!

Convenience and Stickiness of Your Mobile Coupon

About Louisa Chan

Get in Touch!

Securing Your Facebook Connection

New Facebook Feature – Facebook Video Call/Chat

Why is it so? Why is this new feature important to you?

How do you do implement this change?

New Facebook Feature With Facebook Comments

Dynamic Nature of Organic Search Requires On-Going Optimization.

How Do You Scan QR Codes

How To Scan QR Codes or 2D Barcode

My niece’s Nintendo has QR Codes

What Are QR Codes?

Mobile Coupon Stays And Does Not Require Clipping!

Convenience and Stickiness of Your Mobile Coupon

Full Report On Social Media 101 Here:

Connect With Me

About Louisa Chan

Get in Touch!