Tag Archives: Facebook

Add a Facebook Like Button to Your Website or Blog

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This is a beginner’s tutorial and does not include information on how to add/edit your meta data in the html head tags. Adding the meta tags are not a necessity to add the like plug in to your website. – If that makes no sense to you, then you are in the right place!

This post will show you how to get the custom code for your site and how you may want to put it on your site. There are two ways to create the code for your website:

The Code Generator (recommended)

1. Go to Facebook “Like” Button Reference Page.

2. Skip right to the bottom of this page and you will see a form that looks like this and you will fill in your information like I have done for Virtual IT Assistants.

3. The get code will generate code like this:

Write the Code by Hand (simplest form possible)

1. Copy the following code

<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/widgets/like.php?href=http://www.Your-Website-Address.com" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; width:230px; height:80px"></iframe>

2. Replace the www.Your-Website-Address.com with your real website or blog site address.

How to Get it on Your Website or Blog

Blogger: In a blogger blog, go to “edit layout”, click on “add a gadget”, choose the gadget for adding HTML/JavaScript, and then paste your code there and save.

HTML: Once you have copied the code, paste your code into your website’s html pages within the body of your page. It’s probably best to start with your homepage index.html or index.php. Always open a page in a browser before uploading to your live website.

WordPress: This works best on self-hosted websites: Go to widgets and create a new text widget and paste the code, and then save. Another option is to go to your homepage and view it in your wordpress site’s html view and paste your custom code. Preview the changes if you edit a page or post.

Notice that the code for the Facebook “Like” button starts with an “iframe”. This means you will not be able to use this code on a wordpress.com blog. I am still working on a simple way to add the like option if your blog is hosted here so stay tuned.

The Dark Side of Social Media

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Look at these faces. Aren’t they beautiful? You can’t help but wonder, “What could a young, attractive teen like you have to be sad about?” The following photos are those of real teens who committed suicide after struggling with a vicious epidemic called cyber-bullying.


Ryan Halligan, age 13
Died: October 7, 2003
humiliated and back-stabbed via AOL instant messenger

Megan Meier, age 13
Died: October 17, 2006
betrayed & verbally abused by a friend’s parent who got on MySpace pretending to be a 16 year old boy?!

Phoebe Prince, age 15
Died: January 14, 2010
harassed via text messaging and Facebook

Alexis Pilkington age 17
Died: March 25, 2010
cyber-bullied on Facebook and formspring.me
 
If social media is so powerful that it is affecting our youth on such a deep level, then we must see to it that these powers start getting used for good.

This is sadly becoming a common issue. It could easily become even more common if children are left wading through the masses of social networking sites without a firm grasp on reality and heavy dose of self-assurance. Adolescent socializing is hard enough without adding the global factor of public confrontations. Education and the freedom to be open with a parent or other grown up support system when they are unsure of how to handle certain situations alone will save kids like Ryan, Megan, Phoebe, and Alexis.

Restriction is not the answer.

Many parents and teachers are concerned about sites like MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter providing too much information to and by our youth. Some believe that denying children (including teens) access to social networking sites will protect them from harm. It’s time to get real. Kids will find ways to set up online profiles at their friends’ houses, at school, or even at the local libraries. Electronic harassment is also happening via text messaging, instant messaging, and email.

Re-purposing social networking is the only answer.

Not only is it possible to used to emotionally hurt people, but I believe that it could really save people too. Social networking services that allow continual access to new resources for education and other public services. Students could talk to tutors on MySpace when they are having trouble with a certain homework problem. Alcoholics could get on Facebook and talk to AA leaders and members, even on Friday nights when their buddies are texting them to come out to the bars. Could Twitter become a useful part of the emergency broadcast system by tweeting weather warnings and Amber alerts to everyone’s cell phone within a targeted demographic area?

Ignoring it won’t make it go away.

Social media is swiftly bringing our world into a new age whether we are ready to see the change or not. Before, it was all about information, now it is all about sharing information. Social media could be the answer to some of society’s problems or it could make them much worse. If we decide to look the other way and tell ourselves that it won’t happen to our family, then the problem will get worse. We don’t have to sit by miss this opportunity for growth. We just need to learn how to use it appropriately, then we must teach our children.

No death should be in vain.

Dedicated to: Rachel Burdine, my best friend in middle school committed suicide at age 13. You could have really done so many great things. I still miss you.

Learn more.

Suicide Prevention

Parent Resources

Slow the Information Overload on Facebook

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There has been much talk lately among virtual assistants regarding “information overload” and many of us battle issues like adult ADD (attention deficit disorder). Nowadays, if we don’t write our articles and emails with enough bullet points and well structured headlines, our readers miss important details.

If you are like me and most of my Facebook friends, you do a lot of work and play on Facebook. This article should help you weed out some of the junk in your news feed that doesn’t interest you.

First, I must make a confession: “I heart Farmville.” The fact that it’s a game of “make-believe” that really and truly provides no real benefit should queue me in on the fact that it’s really not worth playing at all. However, I play it almost every night, and I play it with my mom and about 30 ladies I used to go to church with as a child. It’s a fun way for me to stay connected.

In case you have friends like me, you can easily hide “Farmville” or “My Daily Luck” updates from constantly popping up in your news feeds.

Here’s How to Hide Some Unwanted Info from Popping Up in Your News Feed

1. See an app update from your friend that you don’t care to see anymore.

2. Hover over your friend’s post on your news feed until you see the word “Hide” in the right corner of the feed.

3. Click on “Hide Farmville” or “Hide Cafe’ World” or whatever.

4. Make sure you don’t accidentally hide your friend’s feeds! You might miss pictures or links that interest you too.

Use these links in case you:

You may need to be logged in to Facebook for these links to work properly.

My point is to encourage the use of these features of Facebook. It’s not being rude or uncaring. They are here to help us make sure we are getting the information we do want and cutting out the information we don’t want.

Pleasantly Using Social Media

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Upon logging into Facebook after my lunch break to check updates and read up on all my favorite pages, I noticed a very rude and nasty post on my profile page.  Yes, on MY profile page!  The post was not something I would want a client, let alone my mother or any other family member to see.

One thing I always try to do when using social networking sites and life in general is: BE PLEASANT!  If I don’t agree with or like a post on Facebook or Twitter, I ignore it.  Simply move on.  I did, however, take the time to remove this post from my wall and then un-friended this person.  I don’t want that kind of trash on my wall or anywhere else in my Social Media happenings.  I’m not saying not to have fun, just use it pleasantly.

When marketing yourself as a business or business professional, remember people look you up on these sites to learn more about you and your business.  Search engines are crawling all over Facebook.  I can’t speak for you, but I do not want to be associated with anything like what was posted on my wall.  If my sex life is going to be broadcasted, I’ll be calling the shots on that one ;)    I’m a “fan” of 240 pages on Facebook, and yes, I’m one of those Social Media geeks that actually takes the time to read ALL the updates from those 240 pages [most of the time ;) ]   I’m there to network and engage in decent conversations.  Do you check out the profile of the person requesting to be your friend on Facebook?  I do,  and will pay even closer attention, especially now .

Thought I would just share this bit of information, especially to those who are on Facebook , to build awareness about your brand and your business.  Here are a few tips when adding friends:

  1. View the info tab on their profile page
  2. See who their friends are – any in common?
  3. Take a look at the Wall post and see what kind of posting/updates are there
  4. Get a general idea if you two are there for the same reasons (whatever that might be)
  5. As I always say:  Be yourself and have fun with Social Media