[tweetmeme]Do you know how to tag someone on Facebook? You type the @ symbol and then the name of someone in the status box:
The comment will then show up in your news feed and the news feed of the person you tagged. (The name of the person you tagged is hyperlinked (in blue) so you can click on their name and visit their wall.)
Facebook business pages used to be able to tag people, but since the recent change in format, pages can no longer “like” people, only other pages. So you can’t tag a person anymore, which really is a good thing because it cuts down on spam. But that doesn’t mean pages can’t tag other pages.
Strategic Tagging: Acknowledge your clients
One way your business can use the tag feature effectively is to tag your clients. Thank them publicly for their business, for instance. This benefits your business in two ways. You’re showing appreciation for your client, and that is always a good thing to do! They might be more willing to give you a recommendation in the future.
Another way it benefits your business is that the tag is a subtle means of advertising. Since your tag shows up on your client’s news feed, the friends and pages they’re connected to will see your company name. Viral advertising at its best!
Strategic Tagging: Networking
You can also use tagging as a way to get your company’s name in front of a business you’d like to partner with. You can give them a “shout out” like you’d do on Twitter by paying them a compliment, for instance.
Strategic Tagging: Event Promotion
You can also tag events that you’re promoting on Facebook. Simply do it the same way, type the @ sign and then the first few letters of your event. In addition to sending an update to your fans, you can tag the event to spread the word to the friends of your fans!
One word of caution: Just because I recommend tagging other pages doesn’t mean I want you to spam them! Be judicious about tagging. Think carefully about what you want to accomplish, because if you tag too often, it’s very easy for that page to “unlike” yours!
If you’re in the Orlando area and would like personal training on how to use Facebook for your business, contact me for more information on my next series of Step-by-Step Facebook Training classes.
Gloria Grace Rand 