Facebook

[Giotto]

Hi Everyone,

I have recently started a "Facebook" account. I noticed that they have a special "Page" for visual artists. This is perfect for getting feedback on work in progress. It also comes up on "Google" or if you title your page like mine i.e. Denis Grace Sculpture, then anyone searching Facebook for "sculpture" will come up with your page.

This can be cross linked to your website if you have one or it can act as your primary site....and it's free !

So I invite you to check out my page and become fans....I invite your comments on my work positive or negative. If you have a page already or are planning to start one let me know and I will become your fan. Also check out my website.

Cheers,
Giotto AKA Denis

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Denis-...791293?created

[GlennT]

I have a facebook page but it is a friend page, not a "fan" page. I know many people are doing the fan page thing, but I have not been able to bridge the psychological gap to do this. I relate to people as friends, not fans, and I would feel funny asking others to be my "fans" even if they would be happy to do so. I also feel funny about committing to being a "fan" of someone with the exception of some significant public figures who I do appreciate and who may have that as their only option for communication.

Can someone explain this fan page phenomena to me, or tell why I'm right or wrong or missing the mark on this? Thanks.

[Giotto]

Hi Glenn...I had some questions about the term "fan" but then again that's the way they are doing it and I think it's more important to get my work out there.

Anyway I hope you reconsider and we both know your not a fan but a friend.

Cheers,
G

[rika]

Originally Posted by GlennT

I have a facebook page but it is a friend page, not a "fan" page. I know many people are doing the fan page thing, but I have not been able to bridge the psychological gap to do this.

Exactly my feelings. But...that was yesterday. As an artist I need to be able to break my own psychological barriers all the time, so I'll be your "fan" Giotto because I find your works interesting, and I like to see how others "do" it.

[StevenW]

Originally Posted by rika

Exactly my feelings. But...that was yesterday. As an artist I need to be able to break my own psychological barriers all the time, so I'll be your "fan" Giotto because I find your works interesting, and I like to see how others "do" it.

That's the spirit, I just bridged the psychological gap myself.. After all, ego is for sissies.

[GlennT]

Originally Posted by Giotto

but then again that's the way they are doing it and I think it's more important to get my work out there.

Thanks, but I still don't understand this. What does having a fan page do that cannot be achieved with a regular FB page?

[StevenW]

Originally Posted by GlennT

What does having a fan page do that cannot be achieved with a regular FB page?

You can't look as gay and obnoxious and full of yourself with a regular old friend page.

[jOe~]

You can't look as gay and obnoxious and full of yourself with a regular old friend page.

So who is happier? Might they have the answer to life? Maybe I should join? Nah. too much more time on the internet when I could have been enjoying myself.

[grommet]

Originally Posted by StevenW

You can't look as gay and obnoxious and full of yourself with a regular old friend page.

It's time to retire with a vengence this obnoxious use of the word. i am no fan.

ps- a fan page simply doesn't require approval to view, less time spent okaying friend requests?

[Giotto]

Thank you...those who are now "fans" I don't think of you as fans but rather your interested in my work and hopefully you will comment if you find something interesting. Also let me know if you start your own page.

I think of this as a way we can work together, share and be part of something.

I personally think the difference between friend and fan is semantics. Anyway the internet is the future and we all need to get on board if we have any plans of building a career.

So far I have website and Facebook page, if anyone knows of other ways I would be interested.

G

[tonofelephant]

Glenn, Not wihthstanding a Wall Street Journal pooh-poohing Twitter and to a lesser degree Facebook, FB can be a reasonable idea.

A regular FB page (a friend Page) is one usually for your personal friends.

A fan page is one for "Fans" who want to keep up with your business side. If you notice there is a huge amount of busineses and universities that have Fan pages. It is a way to get out their message in a less formal way (web site). It is also a way to tap into a different demographic than what you normally have. People do not look at your web page every day to see what is new. That is FB's Fan page use.

The fan page is not a place to detail your latest drunken tryst - save that for your regular FB page. Many people mix their personal and professional on their FB personal page. This potentially mixes messages and also dilutes the reason to read the personal page.

To further screw up your handle on FB, many businesses started FB "Friend" pages several years ago. Fan pages are only about about 1 1/2 years old on FB. Fan pages were specifically set up for businesses by FB.

If you have a blog, a lot of people tie their blog into their FB page or Fan Page. All of this underlines the point, how much time spent on FaceBook/Twitter/MySpace is useful and how much is useless time blown that could have been spent on working on a new artwork or playing with the kids?

Hopefully this will help you understand my take of the truth behind the FB hype.

Carl

[GlennT]

Thanks Carl, that helps. I still don't know if i'll go that fan route. I would have to get over the idea of asking people if they want to be my "fan". Everyone knows I'm just a regular guy.

[Giotto]

Another advantage is that you can advertise the page. This is not cheap and I don't know how effective it is but FB can advertise it for you and charge by hits.
I have given the fan thing some thought and I guess I have no problem with it...because....there are sculptors out there who I really like....so I have no problem being someones "Fan" no problem at all.

G

[cheesepaws]

Hey G.

You might link your web site to Google Analytics (free) to track site usage and measure the traffic you are getting directly from Facebook.

CP

[tonofelephant]

G: Cheese is right. You can use Google Analytics (its free - don't know why, most analytic places charge for the same information) to find out where and how many visitors come to your website/blog. Not only does GA tell where the visitor is from (state & city) it also tells which pages are accessed and for how long. A great free tool. Unfortuantely it is addictive to check and will burst your bubbles on how effective your marketing is.

From GA, found out that 15 people visited my sight over 2 years time from the ISC. More local organizations delivered more hits. Guess who got dropped? These were hits not sales.

GA is also good for some laughs. Just yesterday had 4 hits from the Ukraine. Haven't done any marketing in the Urkraine.

Carl

[Giotto]

Thank you both...
Do you have FB pages ? Post the link if you do.

I am on it. Google ads and Google analytics. Great places to start. I have also just built a turn table and I setting up for video taping to eventually link my work to youtube.
I am really enjoying this and I am discovering new sculptors I didn't know about...anyway from now on when I post WIP I will be posting the facebook link. I get more feedback that way.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Denis-...791293?created

http://denisgrace.com/

Cheers,
G or D whatever

[Zophia]

I have a facebook page i use to network with other artists around the world. it is awesome seeing ukranian blacksmithing and all sorts of other art and processes. Add me for artist networking. zophiankonga@msn.com

i guess just search for that or zophia kneiss. i think i am the only one by that name.

Z

[rika]

Originally Posted by GlennT

I still don't know if i'll go that fan route. I would have to get over the idea of asking people if they want to be my "fan". Everyone knows I'm just a regular guy.

It's just a word, Glenn, an unfortunate one. And you don't have to ask people if you don't want to. They find you. If I was starting today, I'd go with fan pages too I guess. My personal page is not personal, I get requests all the time from people I don't know (mostly artists) and I just can't say no. By the way "fan" sounds much better than "follower" on Blogpost or Twitter!

Giotto, if you want more exposure and more fans, there are lots of art related groups on FB that you can join and post your art on their wall, and you'll get quite a few fans from there as well.

[underfoot]

Originally Posted by rika

It's just a word, By the way "fan" sounds much better than "follower" .

or perhaps "disciple"
I joined up so I could keep in touch with my kids while they're travelling.
Then I was contacted by some people that said we were at school together.......but they were all old......(unlike myself)

[grommet]

Originally Posted by underfoot

or perhaps "disciple"
I joined up so I could keep in touch with my kids while they're travelling.
Then I was contacted by some people that said we were at school together.......but they were all old......(unlike myself)

[robertpulley]

I'm having trouble figuring out the Facebook thing myself. It seems people perceive it in different ways. Some as a promotional tool, some to keep track of true friends and relatives, some to validate their existence by collecting as many "friends" as possible. Though I share the same aversions to setting up a Fan page as others have expressed, it seems to make more sense than using your Friend page as a promotional tool.

[Harryman]

I believe you can also have different privacy settings for your fan pages, your fan page can be searchable and viewable to the general public and your friend page can be more private.

[Giotto]

Hi Everyone,

I just got the following notice from facebook

Introducing the Like button
Starting today people will be able to connect with your Page by clicking “Like” rather than “Become a Fan.” We hope this action will feel much more lightweight, and that it will increase the number of connections made across the site. Learn more.

So no more "fans" so for those of you who haven't visited my sculpture page....check it out. I am detailing the process I go through as I work.

G

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Denis-...e/385496791293

[jOe~]

Before you start pushing buttons read: www.pcworld.com/article/194770/how_facebook_plans_to_dominate_the_web.html and this one http://scobleizer.com/2010/04/22/facebook-ambition/

[grommet]

that's why erratic behavior is to your benefit. Keep running in a serpentine pattern so they can't get a bead on you.