Fascinated, yet foiled by Facebook again | Travel Research Online

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Fascinated, yet foiled by Facebook again

I had another topic in mind for this column; but then this morning as I was browsing quickly on Facebook I realized that I needed to change focus.

I try to limit my time on social media during the business day, but I do manage several pages and groups so I feel the need to check it a couple of times.  Here are the four steps I try to take:

  • I look at new friend requests, that is pretty quick.
  • I move on to looking at the messages I have received, as these are like email for Facebook, right?
  • I look at notifications.  This is really important as it will tell me if someone has posted, commented, shared, etc. on one of my pages, groups, or my personal profile.
  • Lastly, based on time, I will scan through the news feeds to see what is going on, and if I need/want to get involved with any conversations, share some funny videos or inspirational thoughts, print out a great new recipe, or just say hello to an old friend.

As we all know social media is a great tool, but can also take (or waste) a lot of time if you are not careful.  I have started to limit myself to 15 minutes 3 times per day for just doing the basics and keeping up. Then, in the evening, I will go back and spend more time ‘playing around’.

So why am I telling you something you probably already know and do very well?  Because even though I think I am pretty proficient at Facebook, I have managed to figure out how not to get sucked in and spend hours every day. There is still so much more to learn!   I wanted to share just a couple of things that have helped me.

Did you know you can schedule your posts on your business page?  Yes, and what a time saver that has been!  Instead of logging in every day and trying to figure out what to post, I spend a couple of hours one morning a month, create a quick plan of what I want to post and then schedule them.  This way I know that something new and fresh will appear, even if I am not available to post that day.  (We will be doing a webinar on Oct 4th to demonstrate).

Also, we all know that we need to check our private messages, but did you know that only a ‘friend’ can send you a message this way and have it show up in your ‘inbox’?    Yet, anyone can actually send you a message.  If they are not in your friend list, these messages will appear as a ‘message request’.   How do you find this box?    Hidden, right here… open your message box and then click on Message Request.

fabpenney

 

It took me a while to realize that box was there, and it was full.  I think I had about 78, only 10 of which were keepers (most were spam).  So, I realized that even though I have a website with multiple email addresses, many people still find me on Facebook and are using this method to reach out.  I now try to check it daily because I do often get questions from agents, potential clients, or occasionally someone just looking for a long lost relative or friend.

If you would like to learn more about these tips on Facebook, check out my calendar of events.  Both of these topics are listed as upcoming Tech Tip Tuesday Topics in October.

Penney Rudicil started her travel career in 1995 as an independent contractor.  A few years later she started her own boutique host agency, The Travel Planner, Inc., working with independent travel professionals.

Believing that education is the foundation of success, and due to her dedication to the travel agent community, in 2006 Penney founded and is president of Travel Agent Success, Inc. She does a weekly 15 minute Tech Tip Tuesday webinar for anyone in the industry and hosts an in-depth monthly technology webinar for their members.  They also offer many resources and educational opportunities, as well as one on one mentoring and training. 

Email:   penney@tasuccess.com 

Website: www.tasuccess.com

 

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