Facebook pages

[trulymyrtle]

I am coming to the realisation that I might need to start a Facebook page... what category to crafty bloggers/wannabe pattern designers/etsy shop owners use to make a Facebook page??? Help!!!

[mosschops30]

Hey just bumping this cos i am also interested in setting up a FB page.
What is yours on?

[trulymyrtle]

hi mosschops! my blog is here It's crafty - knitting and sewing mostly. I am a woman of many many interests, haven't actually narrowed down where I am going with this yet!

What about you?

[mosschops30]

Wow your blog is fab
did you know what you were doing or did you just start from scratch and learnt as you went along?
My oet project is about a high rise estate in newcastles west end. Its been there since the 60's, lots of history attached, they were supposed to refurb them all but are now pulling down 5 which completely changes the landscape. Its been an area that has been subject to regeneration for about 30 years.

I dont know what to do with all my pics and info. Trying to decide whether to put it on a FB page or a blog, tbh i know nothing about either, but at least i have a FB page, blogs are completely alien to me

[trulymyrtle]

Thanks mosschops!
I am a total novice. I started on 4 Feb 2012 knowing NOTHING! Well, I knew how to knit and sew but nothing about blogging. And, OMG what a month! It has been so much fun, a massive learning curve but so much fun!!!
I don't really know how it is going tbh...I seem to be getting a fair number of hits (a few off 4700 since I've been going in early Feb) but not too many followers yet. Although, I don't know how many - it all seems very confusing, members here, email subscribers, readers...???? This has me completely baffled!
I didn't really want to get into the Facebook thing - I am finding it a juggle with everything I am trying to do at the moment anyway, but I think it is inevitable... has to be done!

Your blog sounds really interesting - could be very appealing visually too? I can imagine some beautiful shots of families that have been there for years, stories, interiors etc. What is it called?

Let's hope someone elightens us about Facebook soon!

[mosschops30]

Wow again, i cant believe youve done all that in a month. How did you make it look so pretty?

The estate in looking at is called Cruddas Park, it was always grim but it just holds a special place in my heart for no apparent reason, thats howvths started.

Wishing you lots of luck for future blogging and Fb

[trulymyrtle]

Cruddas Park has a cool ring to it - are you going to call your blog that?

I'm not sure about the pretty thing - I desperately want a funky new header... Not too sure how to go about that!

[LittleRedFarm]

I found it really difficult to chose the category for my page but I think I settled for personal blog. I don't think it really matter.

Trulymyrtle, I actually really like your header. Did you mean you want to design another one or change the layout?

[trulymyrtle]

Thanks LittleRedFarm!
I'm wanting to sell stuff - bags on Etsy first and hopefully, soon, knitting and sewing patterns.... hopefully!
I'm feeling a bit confused - I was thinking small business??? But I'm not really, not yet. And, that is all assuming that it actually works!!!!
I did like my header when I first did it, but I want something a bit brighter. I was thinking of incorporating a logo. My current one feels a bit gloomy now!

[LittleRedFarm]

Ah I see. Yes, I guess it's a bit 'wintery' so time for some spring perhaps?

Yes, I also want to start selling things on etsy but my rationale for choosing personal blog was that I would always consider it to be a personal blog (one that will just happen to have my mini adverts on it). That way there is no problem when you promote your facebook page or blog for that matter, on sites or in places where businesses are not allowed. Perhaps it's not so important but that was what I thought.

[trulymyrtle]

Oh, I hadn't thought about that. Hmmmm.
I think I want mine to be my little enterprise! It would be my idea of heaven to do this type of thing full time I guess I am headed in the small business direction....

[RecipeJunkie]

LittleRedFarm - where was the personal blog category? I have just set up a FB page (linked to my personal account - took me a while to figure that out) and ended up having to use 'community' because I couldn't find anything for blogs. Am finding it all a little difficult - wonder if I've bitten off more than I can chew, maintaining aFB page as well as the blog and being involved on mumsnet too. Do you understand how to use the Like button - can you get a link through to FB for your blog? How do you do that?

[LittleRedFarm]

Hi RecipeJunkie,
Mine says category - 'websites and blogs', sub category - 'personal blog' but I remember when signing up that it wasn't clear at all. It is possible to change category once the page is up and running (in basic settings info) so rather than let it put you off I would just sign up, with the community category for example, and then worry about changing it later.
Once the facebook page is set up it's easy to maintain and well worth the time invested. Personally I found that having a facebook page has helped with traffic immensely (second only to pinterest.
Make sure that when you have your page you 'like' some other pages in the same niche area as yous, add your blog posts to the page (manually or automatically) and do some regular updates / try interacting with your audience.
To add a facebook like button go to the layout view of your blog (choose design on top right menu bar then select layout) and then add an html widget. Copy and paste code into it from here developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/plugins/like/. You can play around with the design too before you press 'get the code'.

[RecipeJunkie]

Wow thanks LittleRed Farm - I will try and absorb this over the weekend, Also thinking about twitter.

Couldnl't find your blog - do you have alink?

[LittleRedFarm]

The twitter button is even easier, just click here twitter.com/about/resources/buttons#follow
Here's my site

[RecipeJunkie]

LittleRedFarm - thank you! With the help of my extremely jetlagged Husband, I got the Facebook 'like' button up and running.
Thanks for the link to your blog too - we were at the dentist yesterday... I loved the baby painting frame thing too - sucha fab idea.

[LittleRedFarm]

Well done! and thanks :)

[RecipeJunkie]

Little red farm - font of all knowledge... do you know how I can put a link into my blog pages on blogger to go to my Facebook page (not to get people to 'like' me on their page, but that will take them to my 'Recipe Junkie' facebook page that I set up...(which is here if you're interested - a work in progress)

[trulymyrtle]

RecipeJunkie I know - I've just done it... If you go to //www.trulymyrtle.blogspot.com and click on the bottom of the facebook box I've installed (I think it says social plugins) it will take you to a facebook page where you can set one up for yourself.
I did the like box. Fill in the form and then click on go - then on the next page click Iframe - copy the code and paste it into a widget html thingy on your blog. With me? You might want to fiddle with the height and width to make it suit your blog. I made mine 200 wide and 145 high.
You have no idea how long it took me to work this out I had to find a tutorial on line because i couldn't make sense of all the computer speak!

[LittleRedFarm]

That's right, you can use the Facebook social plugin pages to make a button for your blog.
Another option (and a very easy way) is use the insert a picture or text widget in blogger and just have it point to the URL of your facebook page which is this www.facebook.com/pages/Recipe-Junkie/293895114010686
I used this method to link a single facebook icon as a picture to my fb page

Recipejunkie, there are two other things that might be interesting for you:

your facebook url can be shortened by claiming your facebook page name. for example mt page url is just www.facebook.com/Littleredfarm. You can find out more here

Also, when you add a link to your status update if you add the link first before typing any text a thmbnail image will be displayed as well as the link.

[trulymyrtle]

Thanks littlered just changed my user name. didn't know that about status update. wondered why mine didn't have a picture. I read that you can't automatically add blog posts now - is that right?

[LittleRedFarm]

yeah not possible anymore. Facebook says

Importing a blog or RSS feed to your personal Facebook account is no longer available. If you want to share your blog posts on Facebook, you can:

Use Facebook Notes to customize your blog posts in a rich format that's compatible for readers on Facebook
Link directly to your blog posts from your status

[trulymyrtle]

what do you think is better? I was thinking I'd link back with a photo...?

[LittleRedFarm]

the notes thing is too much extra work i think. i would just link with a photo.

[trulymyrtle]

Ta

[trulymyrtle]

Actually, have two more questions for you
how did you get more information in the box "personal blog"? I'd like to insert my blog address there. And where did you get your lovely buttons on your blog F T RSS and P?