Don't like the new Facebook news feed? There are pros and cons to it. Now you're less likely to miss out on big news, for example.

But if you don't like it, here's a 10-second change that anyone can do to change it back.

In one of my recent blog posts, I touched on the idea of social review tools and how much I believe in the idea of customer reviews. It sparked a fair amount of conversation about the power of reviews, especially negative reviews. I sort of touched on a similar topic when I wrote this blog post on how to deal with negative blog comments, however, negative reviews are a different kind of animal.

In order to illustrate a few best practices for negative reviews, I’ll use a personal example. My parents own a restaurant, which is, of course, subject to the reviews of customers online on sites like Yelp and Trip Advisor. Recently, my mother pointed out a post that had been left by a somewhat disgruntled customer who was upset about their policy of a mandatory 20% tip on meals paid for with a gift certificate. She wondered what the impact of this review might be, since potential customers were reading it.

Dear Owen,

Since you moved over from COO of Facebook to become CEO of MySpace, you’ve certainly made a lot of changes to the company. You've let one-third of the staff go. Your entire executive team is new. Reports are that you're removing walls between cubicles and hanging white boards.

That's all well and good, but the problem with your network is with your network. It's not the sales person, or the cubicle walls. We need to see physical changes to the way your network works. As a marketer that represents large brands who use social networks, here are my ten suggestions for reinventing MySpace--before it's too late.

As many of you already know, early this month, we launched the Good Mood Gig Talent Search with our client Nature Made SAM-e Complete ®. We kind of thought that a new laptop, $5,000 per month for 6 months, and the chance to share your infectious good mood with the world might be an enticing offer - thankfully, we were right!

In case you've been missing out so far, here's a recap of what we're offering: a 6-month blogging contract with our team here at Ignite Social Media where you'll join us as part of the Nature Made SAM-e Complete ® outreach team to blog daily about how you maintain your good mood. Some specifics we're looking for in applicants include writing experience, solid knowledge of the Internet and social media, positive attitude and strong work ethic, organized, efficient, responsible and self-motivated.

Now, onto the exciting news:

In just over 2 weeks, the Good Mood Gig has received 729 applicants (and climbing). These 729 applicants have garnered a total of 109,753 votes! You can view all the applicants and vote for your favorite(s) here. If you'd rather apply for the gig yourself, you better head to www.sam-e.com now because the deadline to apply is this Friday, October 23. Don't forget to check out the Official Rules and the FAQ for more info.

For our next post in the social media nonprofit series, I wanted to highlight a campaign by The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) that I discovered after receiving an email from a friend asking me to sign a petition against animal cruelty. As I researched the topic on the HSUS website, I noticed their social media campaign against the major restaurant chain, IHOP. HSUS is attempting to persuade IHOP to use cage-free eggs like their competitors and are gaining support through various social media outlets.

Facebook

I started my research on the Facebook fan page. When you click on the HSUS Facebook fan page, an “IHOP” page pops up featuring this campaign. Fans can view a video of the harsh treatment of animals by IHOP’s egg supplier. They can then take action by signing an online petition, joining the FB cause, commenting on IHOP’s fan page, etc. The IHOP tab, however, is only one part of the fan page. Although HSUS regularly updates their wall with links to upcoming events and links to articles pertaining to their overall mission, the fan page is lacking discussion and interaction between supporters. It would be interesting to see a Discussion tab added to see where others stand on the issues and why they support the cause. Fans can comment on the posts made by HSUS but cannot post their own topics on the wall.

So, a couple of weeks ago, I posted an opportunity for you, our readers, to ask questions about social media marketing. I received a few great questions, so hopefully I’ll be able to shed some light on a few of them. I originally was going to roll two questions into one, but I ended up concentrating on just one for now. Not that the others aren’t as important, I just felt like I needed to do this one first. Anyway, here’s the question:

I'd like to hear examples when social media marketing is NOT the answer.

(Ok, not really a question, but a request for answers nonetheless.) So here are 5 examples of when social media marketing is NOT the answer.

When You are Doing it for the Sake of Doing It

We’ve got a great product and we want to make sure as many people know about it as possible. We’ve also got a great commercial, which is supported by an awesome website, and these hilarious posters and billboards. Oh, and we should probably tack on some social media to this, too, since that’s what the kids like.

::Sigh:: This is a case that happens all too often. Social media isn’t something that should be tacked on as a way to further your campaign, it should be something that is built into your campaign from the get go. Unfortunately, this luxury isn’t always available, but it certainly makes a social media campaign harder to implement if it is something just to be tacked on last minute. The moral of the story is to know WHY you are doing social media, and not to do it just to do it, because it can definitely flop.

Wanted: Good Mood Blogger

We’re excited to start spreading the word about an opportunity from us here at Ignite, and our client, Nature Made SAM-e Complete ®. It’s called the “Good Mood Gig” Talent Search, and we are actively seeking a blogger to post daily about your good mood and the kind of great stuff that floats your boat. Apply for this position for the chance to land a 6 month blogging contract with a $5,000 a month stipend, AND a brand new laptop computer. That way you can blog about your good mood anytime, anywhere.

Today I will continue the 26 Social Media Marketing Examples by taking a look at some of Victoria Secret's social media efforts. At first, I was curious (and somewhat hesitant) to research this particular brand. As a guy, no amount of online discounts, facebook quizzes or PINK tweets could entice me to add this label to my top dresser drawer. On the other hand, I believe it is every guy’s mission in life to figure out what this spoken-of “secret” a certain “Victoria” keeps that somehow only my lady friends know. And I found out that all Miss Victoria conceals is actually an effective social media campaign…..and maybe some good deals on lingerie.

While originally browsing through the Victoria’s Secret website, I found it to be an e-commerce site with plenty of opportunities for spending a small fortune, but when it came to social interaction, the only efforts I noticed on the part of Victoria’s Secret were email sign-ups and personalized accounts for shopping their online store.  These are good ideas, but I am feeling a lack of connectedness to the brand (and no that’s not because I’m a guy).  Overall, the site is effective for purchasing items, but socially, it seems that Victoria has yet to reveal to me what she really has to hide…

In my quest to find this “secret”, I stumbled upon something called PINK.  PINK is Victoria’s Secret’s line aimed at a younger, college-aged generation of lingerie shoppers.  After a little research, it is apparent to me that the the people of Victoria's Secret know this demographic very well. I gathered from my research that the overall goal of this campaign is simple:  to drive brand awareness and sales by offering a multitude of discounts and specials through their social efforts. However, there is more to it than just that.

Good Morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to a new feature I’m starting right here on this blog to help you, the reader, understand how to use social media the “not wrong” way. I say “not wrong” because the “right” way isn’t always clear, as the book is still being written, best practices are still being developed, and we might not know the extent to which social media is effective until much later. There are, however, plenty of ways to misuse social media tools. Think of how you might use a table saw, for instance. A table saw is used to cut things, mostly wood, but what you build is your prerogative. There are precautions and measures you can take to make sure you’re going to make the best outcome possible, but everyone produces unique results. But use a table saw the wrong way and you’ll end up in the emergency room with a few less fingers. 

Hey, Genius…

Now, I’m not saying you will lose any digits if you mess up using social media, but I hope I can at least help you prevent a disaster to your brand or your online reputation. Before I dole out any advice, however, let’s get something straight: I am not a Social Media Expert, nor do I claim to be. Anyone who tells you they are is full of turkey, in my opinion. Because social media is based on the technology and tools that are available at any given time, social media is really nothing new. It’s just that now there are new platforms that allow you to listen and directly respond to the people interested in what you do and how you do it.

The social media case I'm writing about today, UK-sponsored 10 Downing Street, is unique among the others in our series of 26 Social Media Marketing Examples In Detail.  Unlike the other list-members who use social media as a means to convince people to buy/utilize a separate product or service, the sole purpose of the UK Government's social media efforts is to promote use of the UK Government's social media efforts.
Already 60 million citizens strong, the United Kingdom does not seem to be recruiting too many new faces. Instead, 10 Downing Street's social media efforts are designed to allow better and clearer access to the government. So instead of selling widgets or promoting a service, 10 Downing Street is sponsoring the development of civic-minded citizens by making the government seem more accessible via its use. It also makes Prime Minister Gordon Brown (aka "the PM") look pretty tech-savvy.

So let's jump in and see what the UK's been up to.

The UK Government on Facebook

So it turns out that the official UK Government Facebook page, Number 10 Downing Street, is actually a Facebook application page rather than your typical fan page. Considering the 60+ million residents the UK boasts, the current total of 335 fans and 583 active monthly users makes me think this isn't the best way to activate your Facebook audience. The application page lacks any content under the Info tab on the app page, the administrators of the page have not posted any content, and very few users have posted on the wall. Rather than having the entire Facebook presence exist within a single application, Number 10 Downing Street could greatly benefit from creating a fan page on which the application could live and serve its purpose while also providing administrators, leaders, fans, and users a more interactive channel to access and share information.

With that said, it seems that they're at least off to a decent start with the application. It's actually pretty cool and useful (and even though I'm located in the US, I added it to my profile so I can get daily updates of the British government in a cute box on my profile). The app is pretty well-organized and is jam-packed with news updates, photos, videos and articles.