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Tag: COVID-19

What Can You Do to “Unplug” or Change What You See on Facebook?

This is based on an answer offered on Episode 12 of Hustleburg.

Question: With everything that’s going on recently, sometimes I need a little break from seeing the constant news cycle, especially about COVID-19, aka the coronavirus. What do you recommend for when you just want to unplug and think of happy or educational or fun things? I love using Facebook to promote my business, I just need a break. I feel bad, and like I’m not putting my business first by taking that break.

Take a Break

If you find that you need a break from social media’s onslaught of news and posts about COVID-19, the 2020 election, or whatever has you feeling this way, push back your laptop, close the platforms or the apps on your phone that you’re using. Take a literal break, by going for a walk around the block, calling to check in on your mom (she says you don’t do that enough anyway), playing or snuggling with your dog, cat, or whatever pet is in your home (they are also saying that you don’t do that enough).

Then, just turn off notifications on your phone and shut your laptop for a while. Only enable the ones that you absolutely must have on for the phone. If you’re an iPhone user, you can enable Bedtime, which is a feature in your settings to take a break in the clock app. Many Android phones have something called Zen mode, where you can’t do anything on the phone except to receive calls for a specified time so that you can disconnect. Use this “unplugged” opportunity to pick up that book or your Kindle to read for fun for an hour.

Focus on Something Else

Personally, I’ve taken to trying to meditate more, using an app on my phone to do so. By doing so, I get to relax while I ignore the world around me for 5, 10, or 20 minutes, by focusing inward, on happiness, or my relationships with other people.

You likely have some “extra” time right now due to a lack of commute, and you can use it for some self-care or to develop yourself. Think of that time as an opportunity, because no one is expecting that you’re going to be “on” all the time, that you’re going to be online all the time, and that it isn’t going to be something that does kind of drive you away.

Now that you’ve taken that break for yourself, I have some great news for you. When it comes to your online experience, you actually find what you seek online. The platform’s algorithms are designed to give you what they calculate that you want to see. If you interact with political posts, they’ll show you more politics. That also means that if you engage with stories about kindness, you’re going to see more kindness. Who couldn’t use seeing more about kindness and the good in the world?

The Good News – You’re in Control

I recently listened to an interview with the CEO of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, who designed the newsfeed for Facebook before moving over to Instagram. During that interview, he confirmed that they really try to tailor what you see online with the type of things that you engage with. So, the good news is that you truly hold the keys to design your own online experience.

Ready for the even better news?

Your most recent activity holds greater weight for the algorithms than your older activity. That means that the best time to change your online behavior, in an effort to change what you see, is NOW. Start engaging with the people, groups, and pages that bring you joy by making you the happiest. Disengage with those that are dragging you down by blocking them, unfollowing them, and just scrolling by. If you make your focus to comment on, click on, and like the posts that give you something of value, while disengaging with the people, pages, and groups that don’t, you’re going to see a huge change in what’s in your feed. By taking control over what you see online and who you interact with, you’re actually going to see a complete shift in what’s presented to you in your feed, no matter which social media platform that’s got you down.

Here’s How It Will Change

I remember a period of time when I worked in the non-profit political world, where everything in my feed was political stuff. Today, that’s really not the case, because I unfollowed many pages, I left a lot of groups, and I’m no longer connected with many of the people I was. I no longer interact with many of the same people that I did in that world, and it has completely changed the way social media is presented to me. It’s very rare that I see a political post that isn’t just the news of the day. There’s hardly ever political opinion within them, so I know from experience that you really can switch this on and off, almost like a light switch or a really fast dimmer.

If you are discouraged about what you’re seeing, whether it’s the upcoming 2020 elections, coronavirus, or whatever it is that just has you down, know that you can change what’s in your feed just by fine-tuning who you even allow to put things in your feed, and who you engage with among those that do have that permission.

Hustleburg Episode 14 – Answering Listener Questions About Facebook 4-2-20

In this Q&A episode of the Hustleburg podcast, Brett answers listener questions about Facebook in the second of two parts. This is the second episode of a platform-specific series on the Q&A episodes about the varying social media platforms. Episode 12 is the first part of this Facebook-specific Q&A series.

Should I be Using Facebook Stories, Live, or Watch Party? Why?

There is absolutely a benefit to each of these features for the small business owner.

  • Facebook Stories – Unlike Instagram, Facebook stories allow you to have all the same features, as well as swipe up capability without the need to pay for ad or be a large account. It’s also a great way to connect with younger users on the platform. The addition of stories to Facebook gives you a way of offering your community a glimpse “behind the scenes” of your life, business, or brand. It gives “insider access” to what you do, deepening the connection to your brand.
  • Facebook Live – If you have a good reason to stream live video content, this is a wonderful tool to do so. I like that you can create an event and hype around your business or brand that gives your community instant connection and interaction with you. It helps to deepen their connection, acting like a souped-up version of Reddit AMAs with real-time interaction.
  • Facebook Watch Party – I see the same value in offering the instant connection and interaction to your community that Facebook Live offers, in kind of the same way we used to call one another to watch a TV show or movie together, but separately.

What’s the Best Way to Grow My Facebook Likes? Should I Use Ads?

The key is to add value to the ongoing conversation that is social media. Your page should have plenty of content before you publish and even invite your mom or spouse to like it. Create 10 or so posts before you launch, so that visitors will have something to look at when they visit. This gives them an opportunity to decide if they want to give you the “like.” Tactically, invite those on your friends list to like the page slowly, making sure you utilize the tools Facebook has available to you. I’ve found better results when inviting people both through a notification as well as a well-crafted message in messenger from your personal profile. Both of these invitations methods are only possible on the desktop version. I answered a similar question in greater detail on Episode 4 of Hustleburg, where I discussed getting greater reach organically.

When it comes to ads, I’m not a big fan of paying for “likes,” because they are generally superficial, and I’d prefer that they come for something of value that you’ve offered. Using targeted ads based on demographic and psychographic information to drive them to something you offer that will add value to them is a great way to grow your audience. They’re more engaged than someone who just likes your page in a “drive by”

Page Messaging is Mystifying Me. Is This an Important Metric for Customers?

My answer about the importance of this public-facing metric is going to be different for different businesses. If you’re in a fast-paced environment and customers expect that you’ll respond quickly, this is something to make sure you prioritize with your page. For example, if you’re operating an auto repair shop and a potential customer wants to know if they can bring their car in today to have it repaired this afternoon, you’re going to want to make sure you can reply to that person nearly immediately, like fielding incoming phone calls. Facebook calculates this metric by measuring your response rate to private messages… ALL private messages to your page. They measure two things, the percentage of messages you respond to and the speed with which you reply. For the first, you’ll need to reply to 90% or more to have a “Very Responsive” label on your page. For the latter, you’ll need to respond in a very timely manner. An explanation of calculation for both is included in the episode.

Start Marketing Your Business Online With These Three Easy Steps

If you’re just getting started marketing your business online, Beyond Your Side Hustle offers a FREE Getting Started Guide.

Find out more about Beyond Your Side Hustle here:

Website
Hustleburg Listener Community
Facebook
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Brett’s LinkedIn

If you enjoyed what you heard in this episode, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast on your favorite player. Each episode is available on its own post, with the entire catalog here. It’s available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast catcher. We listen to this show and our favorites on Castbox. It’s hosted by Podbean. We appreciate your attention, and we can’t wait to have you back for the next episode. 

Be a Guest on Hustleburg

If you have any questions you’d like to have answered on an upcoming Q&A episode, please take a moment to visit beyondyoursidehustle.com/podcastquestion and ask there. If you’re a St. Pete businessperson who’d like to sit down for an interview, please reach out to us here. 

Hustleburg Episode 13.5 Bonus Episode – Creating Normalcy in a Time of Uncertainty

As we face an unfamiliar landscape of isolation, working from home, layoffs, and remote learning, the stress of these changes couple with the uncertainty of our future to induce a lot of anxiety. As you struggle with this anxiety and a litany of change, here is a conversation I had with my partner, Morgan Dean, that we hope will help you to create normalcy in the chaos of COVID-19.

Find out more about Beyond Your Side Hustle here:

Website
Hustleburg Listener Community
Facebook
Instagram
Brett’s LinkedIn

If you enjoyed what you heard in this episode, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast on your favorite player. Each episode is available on its own post, with the entire catalog here. It’s available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast catcher. We listen to this show and our favorites on Castbox. It’s hosted by Podbean. We appreciate your attention, and we can’t wait to have you back for the next episode. 

Hear Your Question, Answered, on Hustleburg

If you have any questions you’d like to have answered on an upcoming Q&A episode, please take a moment to visit beyondyoursidehustle.com/podcastquestion and ask there. If you’re a St. Pete businessperson who’d like to sit down for an interview, please reach out to us here. 

The below transcript created automatically by Otter.ai

Brett Bittner  
This is a warning that the next few seconds are going to be rather loud and chaotic.

That clip that you just heard is probably what you feel like is happening all around you as you have tried to adapt in your new working from home mindset and the rest of this episode, this bonus episode of Hustleburg, is a conversation in which I talk about how you can kind of mitigate some of the anxieties, and some successful strategies for what we’re now finding is our new workplace. 

Welcome to a bonus episode of Hustleburg. In this one, we’re going to be talking about a lot of the things that have changed as a result of coronavirus or Cova 19. We’re actually recording this on the day that Pinellas County orders a stay at home order for the coronavirus, and it’s going to be released. The day after that it takes effect and I’m having a conversation with Morgan Dean. She is a law student at Stetson University College of Law. She also happens to be my partner, and we’re talking about some of the things that we’re anxious about, or that we are concerned about and how we can kind of mitigate some of those concerns as we face this, what has become at least a temporary new normal. So I’d like to welcome Morgan to the show.

Morgan Dean  
Thank you so much for that warm welcome.

Brett Bittner  
So Morgan, in our dynamic, generally speaking, I’m more of a calming presence, whereas you might be perceived as a bit more anxious. And I know that when it comes to this particular situation, you’ve been very consuming of the news, and have let it worry you probably a little more than I would like. Tell people a little bit about some of the things that you’re experiencing as a student who is having gone from going to class to now all remote for the remainder of the semester and kind of the things that have changed about your routine and things that are making you anxious about this new normal.

Morgan Dean  
Yeah, so it’s definitely weird. I got used to going to campus to study in the library and see people from my classes, as well as attend class. And now, none of that is happening, which is really weird. So, one of my classes is recorded. It’s not even live. So that’s very, there’s like no interactive element now, which is tough, especially in law school where so much of it is like discussing the law and trying to figure it out, like as a class really, because we’re all in the same boat. The other class is live using zoom like technology through Blackboard, so that’s nice, because you at least get that interactive element. But yeah, like you said, I consume a lot of news, obsessively I would say a little bit. And you know, I’m kind of also an insomniac. And so this is, this is not an ideal situation. Um, but yeah, I’m seeing a lot of changes and I know we’re seeing a lot of changes in the Small business community here in St. Pete. And yesterday was the great American takeout day.

Brett Bittner  
Oh, yesterday was great American takeout to help support some of the restaurants, small business restaurants as they try to adapt to a to go and delivery only model for the foreseeable future. So as you’re moving off of campus and doing more of your studying at home, and even classes at home now, what are some of the struggles that you’re finding that you’re having?

Morgan Dean  
Well, um, I think it’s just like the lack of the routine and the, like, lack of stability in a way like, and I you know, it is a little like, I am an introvert and I’m a homebody to an extent, but it definitely starts to wear on you. I think I’m on day 12 of not leaving the house except to go to the grocery store.

Brett Bittner  
Yeah, that sounds about right

Morgan Dean  
And yeah, I mean, it It’s definitely weird. I’m finding like, it’s kind of sometimes it’s hard to focus when I’m working on class stuff, especially with like the craziness that is having two rambunctious dogs and a crazy cat. So that’s a little difficult. And I think some of it is also the changes that are potentially happening in our grading system moving from GPA base to potentially pass fail. Can you sort of, you see, there’s a lot of positives and negatives on both sides. But this is definitely a difficult semester and very unorthodox, and I think everybody’s just trying to adjust to it the best they can

Brett Bittner  
Well, I think people that are home from their everyday jobs are certainly trying to adapt to conference calls and zoom being part of their everyday life. And we did insert a little bit of audio at the beginning of this episode to give you a taste of what that chaos can feel like, if only for a few seconds there. But you know, you’ve got kids and dogs And things going on in the background that are that are certainly distracting. And hopefully most of our small business people are remaining open, if they’re essential, or if they are unable to remain open, they’re doing some things as I am to, you know, plant some of those seeds for longer term projects and goals, to make sure that down the road, we’re going to be successful. Even if in the short term, we’re having some struggles. And one of the things that I wanted to make sure that we talked about today is focusing on what you can control. You know, you talked about the change in grading and everything being at home now and just a topsy turvy world. You know, a lot of people who have kids in the school systems school is at home for either the foreseeable future, possibly through the rest of the school year. And so with those closings, you know, really we have to learn that the only thing that we can control is ourselves and try to Do a little bit about the environment around us. And one of the ways that I found to be useful and I think that you have as well is if you figure out a daily routine, you know, where you’re getting up at kind of the same time, you’re making sure that you’re getting whatever stretching or exercise or physical activity. You know, you know, make sure you’re working that into your day and, and making sure that you’re departing your quote house to get to your quote, office, even if you’re just segregating where you do that work from the rest of the house so that when you’re sitting there, it does feel like you’re at work because it’s a situation where you’re setting that routine. Okay, this is home me in this new world. And this is work me when I’m in this space, and yeah,

Morgan Dean  
I think it can also help I haven’t personally tried this because I’m kind of lazy, but I think it can also help to get ready like you’re going to work, you know, Oh absolutely. If you’re someone who wears makeup, putting on makeup putting on like I mean you know you can be a little comfier than you would be at work maybe but still putting on you know, real clothes and not just like your pajamas, which like I said, I haven’t been great about. I have to say that I think that that can help as well, from what

Brett Bittner  
I’ve heard from other people, well, for sure it’s a mindset shift, you know, you’re moving from home you to work you. So it’s not just an environment thing. You have those routines that you’ve set for yourself, you maybe don’t have the commute that you did, maybe it’s a lot shorter as you go from the living room to the office or the bedroom to the office or just to a desk that separated from a lot of the things that are going on in the house. And you mentioned earlier we talked about your overconsumption or I think you call them obsessive consumption of the news specifically with regard to the coronavirus. And I’ve for the most part, kind of stayed away from that focusing on not really consuming because I know that you’re going to tell me anyway what’s happening. Although I have been very focused on what’s happening with the small business community, and little Here in St. Pete and Pinellas County, you know that overconsumption of the news when we have a 24-hour news cycle that’s constant, you know, there’s always something new coming out. And that can add a lot of stress.

Morgan Dean  
And yeah, I think it’s also that even if you’re not like looking up news specifically, you’re just on Twitter because you want to see some funny memes or whatever. You’re still inundated with it constantly because it’s really the majority of the content out there right now. So I think it’s, I think it’s difficult to avoid I I’ve been trying to take a break from social media in general because it’s just everywhere, even on Instagram, which is just amazing that you can make a site that’s all pictures about the coronavirus.

Brett Bittner  
Well, and I’m seeing it too generally my feed is a lot about what’s happening locally and you know, what’s happening for small businesses and what’s happening in tech and, and marketing and so I’m seeing that that has been overtaken by news about coronavirus and you know, all the closings and infections and testing.

Morgan Dean  
It would seem that there is, in a way like trying to look on the bright side cuz I’m trying to do that more. Yeah, it would seem that there’d be an opportunity for small business owners with utilizing like social media and virtual events, I guess right now because I’m seeing a lot of that which is interesting. I actually saw a virtual happy hour the other day, yes reply, which I thought was kind of interesting. Yeah, it’s kind of nice because everybody is missing that like social connection, even us introverts, I have to say.

Brett Bittner  
Well, one of the other things that I think we have been working on together to help reduce stress is being more mindful and meditating a bit more. We’re also spending more time with our two dogs and a cat. They’re very comforting. They are very comforting and it gives that time spent there I’m sure that they are thinking that we don’t do it enough as it is. So they’re appreciative of as well. And then just just taking a break when we need to take a break because it feels like you don’t get to when you blend the home and work or home and school, you don’t really have that opportunity to take that break. So we’re, we’re doing a little more when it comes to recreation with regard to just kind of watching things or checking out a little bit and painting painting for some of us, not for me, because I know that that would be terrible, but…

Morgan Dean  
It’s terrible for me to… painting

Brett Bittner  
So, is there anything as we wrap up that you want to share some of the tips or tricks that you want to share that you found useful for you in this kind of, I guess I’ll call it new normal.

Morgan Dean  
Yeah, um, I think it’s just the little things the day to day things meditating and getting outside like I went outside in the yard the other day and filled up our kiddie pool. That’s actually what we pay their dogs and I cleaned it first I filled it up with water and I put a chair right next to it and dipped my feet in and read a book and I felt like I was kind of out of pool Not really. But it helped a little bit it helped to like get the sun and feel nice. So doing things like that that maybe seem a little crazy to our neighbors perhaps. And yeah, just reading for fun. I’ve that’s been helping me a lot. You know, taking walks, getting that exercise, doing virtual yoga classes that’s been helpful. hula hooping, that’s fun, virtual hula hooping classes are also fun, by the way. So yeah, I think though, it’s the day to day things. And I think those things help shift the mindset because I think that’s the most important thing. But I know it’s hard. And I think everybody’s feeling it differently. And we’re just gonna get through this together, I think well.

Brett Bittner  
Together. I like that. Well, I want to thank you. For taking a little bit of time to chat with me today and I hope that those of you listening have enjoyed hearing that you’re not alone and that everybody is kind of struggling with their own things with the adaptation to what we’re having to kind of do right now. And hopefully, we were able to share a little bit about how you can make the situation that we find ourselves in just a little bit better.

Hustleburg Episode 12 – Answering Listener Questions About Facebook 3-19-20

In this Q&A episode of the Hustleburg podcast, Brett answers listener questions about Facebook in the first of two parts. This is the beginning of a platform-specific series on the Q&A episodes about the varying social media platforms. Episode 14 will be the second part of the Facebook Q&A.

How Should I Maximize My Downtime During the COVID-19 Crisis to Brand My Business on Facebook?

During the self-isolation, restricted business operations, and a lack of sporting events, we likely find ourselves with newfound downtime. That downtime can be the catalyst necessary to lay the groundwork for your brand or business online. You can use this opportunity to create your Facebook page, engage with your existing community, and create content for it as well. Don’t let the temptation to just binge Netflix stop your dream and use this time to your advantage.

My Feed Is Filled With Draining News. How Can I Fix It?

First, take a break. Unplug and regroup. Take a walk. Read for fun. When you’re ready to fix things, follow and engage with people, pages, groups, and topics that aren’t bringing you down. The algorithms show you what they think you want to see, so you have to re-engineer what it’s showing you by changing how you use the platform. The good news is that you can change what you see by changing your behavior. The better news is that recent activity and changes have more influence than past activity, so get started now by focusing on what you want to see. You find what you seek, both online and in the world.

What Are the Benefits of Creating a Group in Support of my Facebook Page?

Your page is a communication tool for those outside your community. It’s your virtual storefront. It contains basic information about your business, like your hours, your location, or your special deals. It’s a great tool for people already looking for you. It’s social media’s version of your website with a touch of your personality.

Facebook Groups present you with a unique way to build deeper relationships with your community. It’s where you have in-depth discussions, interactions, and engagement. While your page is your opportunity to build many, shallow connections, your group gives you the chance to build ocean-deep connections with fewer people. Those are the people who are committed to your business. They are or become your raving fans.

How Can I Get More 5-Star Reviews on my Facebook Page?

Giving 5-star service is the best way to receive 5-star reviews. You can also offer on a receipt, signage in store, or a follow-up communication a small token of appreciation for all reviews. With these reviews, you should directly engage with your customers, while you have their attention, asking them for their feedback. Address any issues on the spot, and no matter what they share with you, ask them to share it online, and if your Facebook page is where you want to drive them, send them there. This also applies to Yelp or Google Reviews. 

Start Marketing Your Business Online With These Three Easy Steps

If you’re just getting started marketing your business online, Beyond Your Side Hustle offers a FREE Getting Started Guide.

Find out more about Beyond Your Side Hustle here:

Website
Hustleburg Listener Community
Facebook
Instagram
Brett’s LinkedIn

If you enjoyed what you heard in this episode, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast on your favorite player. Each episode is available on its own post, with the entire catalog here. It’s available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast catcher. We listen to this show and our favorites on Castbox. It’s hosted by Podbean. We appreciate your attention, and we can’t wait to have you back for the next episode. 

Be a Guest on Hustleburg

If you have any questions you’d like to have answered on an upcoming Q&A episode, please take a moment to visit beyondyoursidehustle.com/podcastquestion and ask there. If you’re a St. Pete businessperson who’d like to sit down for an interview, please reach out to us here.