Facebook announced last week that they plan to roll out a language change as part of a larger effort to improve user experience, increase engagement and promote consistency across the platform.

Users will soon be able to connect with your Page by clicking “Like” rather than “Become a Fan.” Source: Facebook

I absolutely believe that Facebook is making this change because they feel it will make users more comfortable linking up with a brand. The idea of “liking” a brand is much more natural than becoming a “fan” of a brand and this change in language is in an effort to lower the threshold between natural language and the call-to-action on the platform.

Yes, there are some arguments about the “lesser” commitment implied in the language alteration but I believe it will only help solicit even more engagement and opt-in from users on Facebook. In practice, nothing about the interaction is changing, only the language.

How do you think this change in language will affect user interaction with Fan Pages? Do you feel that this change is good for brands?

It is now possible to link your official Twitter account to your business’ Facebook Fan Page. What this essentially means is that you are now able to post to Facebook and Twitter at the same time.

While cross-posting is efficient for busy small teams and large organizations alike, I very strongly feel this is a spammy practice and should be avoided in most situations. Facebook and Twitter are very different platforms and users interact and communicate on each of the platforms in very different ways. These differences call for, at minimum, tweaked language per platform. Would you use the same copy for radio and television? Banner ads and text ads? Email campaigns and printed flyers?

If you would like to connect your Facebook and Twitter accounts:

1. Visit http://www.facebook.com/twitter/

2. Select “Link To Twitter” next to the Fan Page you would like to connect with. You must have admin privileges to do this.
3. It will redirect you to Twitter where you will need to log in under the Twitter account you would like to connect to the Facebook.

4. You will then be redirected back to Facebook and receive a confirmation of the link creation.

Note: Facebook has a built-in option for you to undo this connection if you should need to do so.

Do you cross-post your content? Why or why not? Do you feel Facebook integrating this new feature will turn off Fan Page fans or Twitter followers from the brands they connect with?

Geolocation applications and services are one of the most buzzed about trends in the social space right now. I currently check in on Foursquare, Gowalla and Yelp every place I go. (It’s a little ridiculous.)

“Geolocation is the identification of the real-world geographic location of an Internet-connected computer, mobile device, website visitor or other.” Source: Wikipedia

With the upheaval of geo options on the table, a number of third-parties are now trying to streamline and improve on user-experience leveraging existing APIs.

Some reads from early this week on geolocation:

• Kickball Looks to Punt Foursquare’s iPhone App to the Curb (The Next Web)
• Foursquare, Gowalla and More on a Google Map [Apps] (Mashable)
• How to Survive Geolocation’s Looming Apocalypse (Ad Age)

In other random news of the week, Ricky Martin has come out of the closet and new iPhone rumors have me hopeful of replacing my cracked 3G model this June.

If I were to go back to school, I would study ethnography in a heart beat.

As Wikipedia so kindly allows me to cite:

Ethnography is a qualitative research method often used in the social sciences, particularly in anthropology and in sociology. It is often employed for gathering empirical data on human societies/cultures. Data collection is often done through participant observation, interviews, questionnaires, etc. Ethnography aims to describe the nature of those who are studied (i.e. to describe a people, an ethnos) through writing.

Research agency Everyday Lives has launched an ethnographic research iPhone app and has a Blackberry version in the works. Very, very tempting but $12 for an application? I haven’t been able to commit to it yet despite good reviews.

Give it a peek of your own: EverydayLives application

Happy New Decade! (We are all tired of hearing “New Year” at this point.)

WHERE I’VE BEEN

Things have been very busy over at THINK, in addition to co-founding and organizing the inaugural WordCamp Atlanta with Brandon Sheats, one of my perpetual partners-in-crime, and moving to a very cute new apartment in the Poncey-Highlands neighborhood of Atlanta. I also didn’t seem to be able to stay away and, as of a couple months ago, have rejoined the Atlanta Rollergirls, flat-track roller derby league.

While I’m catching up on things, here is a quick run-down of my upcoming speaking engagements.

UPCOMING SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
January 9
WordCamp Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)
Making Your Blog Your Business: Scale & Monetization

January 11
Social Fresh Nashville (Nashville, TN)
Social Media in the Music Industry (10:30am)
Corporate Blogging (5:30pm)

January 29
SoCon 2010 (Kennesaw, GA)
Blog Monetization (not yet titled)

February 8
Social Fresh Tampa (Tampa, FL)
(panel to be announced)

March 12-17
SXSW Interactive (Austin, TX)
The State of Music Blogs in 2010

March 29
Social Fresh Portland (Portland, OR)
(panel to be announced)

If you’re looking for a speaker for your upcoming event or conference, I’d love to be a part of it. Feel free to contact me about availability.

DIGITALUTIONS FOR A NEW DECADE

Phew! Now that most of the catching up is taken care of, here are my “digitalutions” for the new decade. My digitalutions are my digital resolutions (see what I did there?) that I am going to try my best to keep up with over the new few years or so. Each of the resolutions are influenced, if not powered by, my digital presence and interactions. My resolutions usually trend around a 60% long-term achievement rate which I am pleased with — let’s hope the same is possible for these longer term goals.

1. 1. BLOG DAILY
   It doesn’t have to be on the same blog every day but contribute at least one thought-out post per day. Between TessaHorehled.com, Drive A Faster Car, Tumblr and a small handful of other niche ones I’ve collected, I should never fall short of subject content.
2. 2. TAKE ENOUGH BREAKS AND SLEEP REGULARLY
   Nothing good comes from a lack of proper downtime.  I often sacrifice sleep because I tend to get very project-oriented in the middle of the night when there isn’t half as much incoming email, text messages, tweets, phone calls and other communication. Take two steps back from the computer, phone and every other potential gadget.
3. 3. SPEAK MORE
   I enjoy speaking and attending conferences/events very much because it offers a terribly unique environment for learning, networking and socializing. They’re almost little microcosms of the social web reflecting very similar offline (and mobile) behavior and roles.  Public speaking is something I have done a fair bit but a skill I would like to spend more time sharpening.
4. 4. SPEND MORE TIME ON DRIVE A FASTER CAR
   I have very big long-term plans for Drive A Faster Car and a detailed plan for how it will all be executed.  Unfortunately, I tend to stay pretty busy and DaFC is usually the first to suffer when things get stressful.  I need to determine the best way to tackle this massive but deserving project effectively without sacrificing my other activities.

What are your digitalutions for the year or decade? Any bad habits?

This afternoon I stumbled across this brilliant marketing campaign from Sony-BMG promoting Bob Dylan’s “ultimate” collection which was released a few years back.

Upon visiting DylanMessaging.com, fans are able to insert their own messages into the “Subterranean Homesick Blues” video and send it to friends.

There is also a coordinating Facebook application that replicates the functions seen on the microsite and features additional content such as the Mark Ronson remix.

This is an fantastic example of how you might be able to repurpose content you already have catalogued in new and engaging ways. Repurposing old content is a resourceful marketing approach for companies with limited assets and capabilities. Have an idea under the belt that once resonated well with a large audience? Find a new way to extend the idea that doesn’t “beat a dead horse” and provides relevant value for users on platforms where they are already engaged.

Today I have an exciting announcement — I have accepted a full-time position with the Atlanta-based “interactive idea agency” THINK Interactive as Senior Strategist, Social Media. I have been working in-house at the agency over the past month to see whether this would be a good fit for both myself and THINK and am very much looking forward to seeing what our future together develops into with this new step.

Since 1994, THINK has focused on helping companies and brands increase the value of their digital investments. The shop’s services entail digital strategy, digital experience design and delivery, digital marketing media and campaigns, and digital channel measurement.

My role as a Senior Strategist is focused on Social Media and encompasses activities such as social research and strategy, management of social research tools and thought leadership in the interactive and social community. Along with client initiatives, I will also be leading internal education at THINK — broadening our overall understanding of the evolving social media landscape, trends and best practices, as well as sharpening up THINK’s social presence.

It was over 500 days from being laid off during Super Deluxe‘s merger with [adult swim] before I was able to find a company and position that could motivate and excite me as much as my role at SDXE. THINK has casted this opportunity for me and I am eager to become a part of their growing team.

Jessica Michault, the online style editor of the International Herald Tribune, sat down with France24 earlier today discussing the new media and social media efforts seen from designers, bloggers and consumers during the Spring 2010 shows.

Tonight is the September meeting of the Atlanta Interactive Marketing Association (AIMA). I have been invited to attend and live-tweet the event, “Big Brands Discuss Social Media Initiatives,” being held at Georgia Tech’s Global Learning Center. The event is presented by AiMA and sponsored by BLiNQ Media and Google.

DESCRIPTION:
Social media has gone beyond fad status to credible marketing strategy. However, few organizations know how to create “working” tactics. Comcast does. AT&T does. The Red Cross does. On September 30, you’ll hear how Comcast uses Twitter as a customer service strategy, how AT&T creates authentic conversations with the youth market, and how the Red Cross produces enterprise results on a limited budget.

SPEAKERS:
Comcast – Frank Eliason, Senior Director in National Customer Operations @comcastcares
AT&T – Mimi Chan, Director of Wireless Youth Marketing
Red Cross – Wendy Harman, Social Media Manager @wharman
Moderated by BLiNQ Media’s Dave Williams, CEO and Co-Founder @blinqmedia

I’m looking forward to seeing Frank again whom I met last year at BlogWorld as well as meeting the rest of the speakers. If you aren’t familiar with Comcast’s experience with social media, do yourself a favor and Google it. They are a fantastic example of a company that has learned to go where their customers live online and better brand sentiment in the process.

The event is sold out and no walk-ups will be admitted.

To follow the discussion, you can follow my tweets at @tessa.

I’ve been up to a great deal which I will update you all on soon!

One of the most exciting of these activities is an upcoming series of free classes I will be teaching in Atlanta called Hands On Small Business, sponsored by Kirtsy and Microsoft Office Live.

Here is the schedule of Atlanta classes and links to register:

All of the classes will be held at:
ATDC Headquarters at Georgia Tech
Tech Square, 75 5th Street NW, Suite 202 Atlanta, GA 30308
(404) 894-3575

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5TH, 6:00PM-8:00PM

• Click here to Register for this Event

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7TH, 6:00PM-8:00PM

• Click here to Register for this Event

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, 7:00PM-9:00PM

• Click here to Register for this Event

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST, 2:00PM-4:00PM

• Click here to Register for this Event

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH, 2:00PM-4:00PM

• Click here to Register for this Event

Learn more about Hands On Small Business after the jump!

More about Hands On Small Business:

Women across the country are coming together this October and November for the Hands On Small Business (#HOSB) series — all brought to you by the Politics, World and Business section of Kirtsy and the very good people of Microsoft Office Live.

All 100 individual events will happen between October 5 and November 20, in 20 cities across the United States and Canada.

The practical, hands-on sessions will offer direct advice, instruction, and application tips for free online and social media solutions to help small businesses and entrepreneurs.

“The ‘hands-on’ sessions started as things often do, with neighbors and friends asking each other for help and advice on something new,” said Gabrielle Blair, one of the founders of Kirtsy. “Women often get together to compare notes. And there are a lot of us who want to talk right now about how social media and online applications can simplify our lives and enhance our small business pursuits.”

After hosting 10 Hands-On Social Media sessions with Microsoft Office Live in June, Kirtsy received a fleet of requests to host more of these informal, intimate gatherings across the US and Canada. At the events, attendees cover popular platforms and get hands-on direction setting up accounts and applying them to their lives.

The Fall Kirtsy “Hands on Social Business” sessions will be held in the following cities: New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Austin, Charlotte, Boston, Denver, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, Washington DC, Columbus, Seattle, Portland, Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Miami and Toronto.

Each session is free and open to the public.