Pinoy-Canadian web developer AJ Batac put together a drop dead simple javascript bookmarklet today that makes it easy to share any webpage youre visiting in Google Plus, along with a comment. The way it works is that your account publicly +1s the page, then gives you the option to share it with whatever Circles you choose.
via You Should Grab This New Google Plus Sharing Bookmarklet, It is Oh So Easy.
Let’s start out with addressing a few caveats. First, these senior Googlers could be posting a ton privately and we simply don’t know it. But it’s more likely that their lack of public engagement is indicative of their lack of engagement overall. This is especially true of Google’s management, which has an incentive to promote Google+ publicly.
You could also argue that the SVP of search or ads shouldn’t be expected to be heavily engaged on Google+, but given the fact that Google intends to integrate Google+ into everything it does, I don’t buy that argument either. When Google+ first launched, Gundotra told me personally that Google+ is an extension of Google itself, thus why the company chose the name.
It doesn’t matter how you slice it: if Google’s management truly believed in Google+ as the future of the company, they would be more engaged. Not being connected to a product that has such a direct correlation to the company’s future is dangerous. This is about leading by example. Why should Google employees be excited about Google+ if their managers aren’t excited?
via If Google’s Management Doesn’t Use Google+, Then Why Should You?.
Users part of the initial roll out of the news feed redesign announced yesterday are also receiving several other unannounced changes to Facebook’s interface. These include an expansion of the character limit on posts from 500 to 5,000, a rollout of the floating navigation bar we saw tested last week, the ability to edit bookmarks in the home page’s left navigation bar, and a more convenient way to leave birthday greetings. Over the last few days Facebook has also buried the poke button within a drop down menu, and removed the ability to accompany a friend request with a message.
By launching these interface alterations now rather than amongst other sweeping updates at the f8 developer conference on Thursday, Facebook may be able to reduce the shock to users. The timing will also help the site keep attention focused on Platform-related updates that directly impact developers. Unfortunately, the combination of so many changes with the prompts necessary to explain them gives the home page a foreign look that may turn off some users.
Facebook will add new feedback buttons to stories in the news feed, according a TechCrunch source. Starting with “Read”, “Listened”, and “Watched” buttons, users will be able to indicate that they’ve already consumed a piece of content. This will allow them to provide more specific information about how they’re related to different types of content, which could help Facebook refine the news feed to show them more of similar types of content. The tip matches with the tagline “Read, Watch, Listen” which AllThingsD heard will be used for the f8 conference.
The keyword “dollars off” in a retail offer-related Facebook post provides the highest user engagement — 55% higher than average — out of 10 popular choices, according to a September 2011 report from Buddy Media. And ubiquitous “coupon” ? It had an engagement 39% above average.
On the other end of the spectrum, seemingly popular keywords, such as “sale”, “save,” “deal,” “% off” and “bargain” have lower-than-average engagement rates – 30% lower in the case of “sale.”
Buddy Media, which has produced a comprehensive report on what works and doesn’t on Facbook, is hardly the first to weigh in on the subject of effective words on social media.
Today Google launched the beginnings of an API for the company’s Google+ social network.
APIs allow outside developers to connect with and build applications on top of web services like Facebook, Twitter and now Google+. In fact much of the success of Twitter and Facebook is a result of both services’ developer APIs. If Google+ is to have any hope of catching its competitors it needs a strong API.
via Google Rolls Out a Developer API for Google+ | Webmonkey | Wired.com.
Facebook news feed updates by both users and Pages display a “Share” button that lets users repost that update to their friends. Updates that have been reposted at least once display a count of how many times they’ve been reposted next to a link labeled “View Shares”. This link helps posts stand out in the feed and indicates to your audience that other users thought the update was important and its therefore worth reading, clicking or reposting. Its important for you to solicit Shares of your updates so they receive this distinction.
Here we’ll walk-through how the View Shares link works, and provide strategies for how you can attain Shares and the benefits they bring for your business.
via How to Get Users to Repost Your Facebook Page’s News Feed Posts Through the Share Button.