That being said, it is relatively easy to get the information. Here are the steps I followed that now allow me to see my Facebook history offline.

• Head to your Account Settings section of your profile
• Towards the bottom is an option to ‘Download Your Information’ – click ‘learn more’
• On the next screen click ‘download’
• It tells you it may take a while; click ‘download’
• The process starts, and Facebook tells you an email will arrive when file is ready
• When you get the email, in it will be a link – click it
• They will ask to verify your password
• Then Facebook goes through a security check (mine was identifying people in pictures – not sure if they have other tests)
• After the test click ‘Download Now,’ and either ‘open’ or ‘save’ files – you now have the data

In the folder I have html files for friends list, photos, my posts and more. And the info seemed to cover my entire history on Facebook. Pretty neat.

Will you go and grab this info? Can you see a use for it? Let us know.

What is LinkedIn?
Similar to other social media sites, like Facebook, MySpace or Twitter, LinkedIn is an online community where you and other users can interact, post updates, add photos and display information about the most important product…YOU.

LinkedIn is different from most other popular social media sites because it is geared toward business professionals. Rather than making ‘friends’ with other users you make valuable ‘connections’ on LinkedIn. Think of it as a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week, online networking mixer. With the economy and job openings seemingly going by the wayside, it’s time to start getting creative and being proactive about your most marketable asset: yourself. LinkedIn allows you to put your best foot forward and begin building your new image.

How Do I Build My LinkedIn Network?
You can build your online network by making connections with other business professionals you know or have worked with in the past. These can include college friends, professors, current coworkers, past coworkers, club/group/chamber associations, and the list goes on.

First, begin by connecting with your colleagues at your current place of employment. Next, input your email contacts and connect with your entire list within seconds! If you do attend local business mixers, whether through local Chambers of Commerce, or attend niche trade shows, make sure to collect those business cards and check to see if your peers have accounts. Again, if they don’t – send invites to these new friends asking them to create an account and link to you.

With over 35 million business professionals currently using LinkedIn, you can connect and network with like minded business people on both a local and national front or promote your business services shamelessly to your connections! Build your sphere of influence and open up your network tenfold through this ‘virtual handshake’.

What If I’m Currently Unemployed?
If you are one of the many who may be on the look out for a new opportunity, don’t fret – consider your former employers. LinkedIn allows you to find connections you may have from companies where you have worked in the past. Where did you go to school? Where did you learn your craft? Where did you study? You can find people from your past educational institutions or organizations and connect. Simply put in the name of your past businesses/education organizations, and LinkedIn will do the work for you. You might be surprised at who you find and connect with!

Once you have a connection bank, the next step would be to browse your connections’ connections…do you know these people? If so, send them an invite to connect with you. You will be on your merry networking way in no time!

How Can I Personally Benefit From LinkedIn?
Get seen, be heard and connect! There are many benefits of using LinkedIn, whether you want to promote a positive image of yourself online, network with others, stay in touch with business connections, monitor group updates and/or stay up to date on industry news through RSS feeds. In short, LinkedIn provides an open platform for self promotion and business networking, which often go hand in hand.

Looking for a job? In today’s world, submitting a resume may not be enough to land you that dream career that you’ve been striving for. Competition has ramped up, and employers are looking for those who enjoy interacting and engaging within their respective niche. Most interviewers will ‘Google’ your name to see what information comes up, trying to learn more about you. Try ‘Googling’ your name, and you will see that your LinkedIn profile may pop up above other listings for you. If you don’t have an account yet, ‘Google’ one of our names, either Sarah Lamansky or Destiny Malone (go ahead, try it), and scroll down. Google now offers direct links into social networking platforms (MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn). Traditionally, Google only allowed 10 links on the results page…now the 11th is given to these privileged social networking platforms…showcasing YOU.

Your LinkedIn profile is almost like an online resume that people can view at any given time – an open showcase of everything you have to offer. So make the most of it! Beef up your profile with your professional skills, job experience, credentials, you name it. References are even available upon request; meaning, you can request recommendations from your connections. Anyone viewing your profile can then see and read all the recommendations you’ve received, and it adds to your credibility and positive image as a business professional.

How Can My Business Benefit?
You can use LinkedIn to monitor your competitors and keep an eye on other big players in your niche industry. You may find new business ventures, leads or skill sets, and your LinkedIn profile may be priceless for sealing the deal with a potential client or finding that new business opportunity. You can even use LinkedIn to find or pre-screen potential employees.

Google likes LinkedIn! Many search engines consider LinkedIn.com a reputable site and give more weight to those links. Try ‘Googling’ our company’s name, Mannix Marketing, and you’ll likely find our LinkedIn company profile among the first page results. Also, any links you post on LinkedIn to your website will aide in boosting your site’s search engine rankings as well.

Take note that a LinkedIn company profile differs from an individual LinkedIn account. Employees of your company who have individual accounts can actually help build out this company profile, where you can add a company description, links, photo, etc. This provides a sort of mini-website showcasing all your company has to offer and can be accessed from all of your employees’ individual accounts. In this Internet Age, the more information available online that is controlled by YOU, the better.

How Do I Get Noticed On LinkedIn?
Be active! Change your status daily. Make regular profile updates. Comment on your connections’ statuses. Become an expert in the ‘Answers’/’Questions’ section. Create a poll. Add applications to your profile. Start discussions with peers within your selected groups (you can search groups related to your profession, or browse through a list of groups that LinkedIn suggests for you based upon past/present professional expertise). Staying active on LinkedIn is the key to standing out among the other millions of professionals who utilize this networking super giant.

*This article will be featured in the Glens Falls Business Journal in the July issue

Don’t forget to contact your webmaster when you have any information that needs to be modified. You’d be surprised how many places need to be updated! Let’s say you’re moving … well there is the easy place to start which is by emailing all your contacts in your address book or sending a “We’ve Moved” card snail mail style. But don’t stop there!

Your website needs to be updated first and foremost.  Contact pages, contact forms, footers and wherever else your address may be hiding – the webmaster will find it!

Do you have a FaceBook account? Log in and go to the Info tab, you can edit and update your address there.

Don’t forget to update your Google Local Account. This is very important! An old address will result in an incorrect listing. Follow the guidelines below to correct that with Google.

To add or edit a Google Local Listing, click here:  http://www.google.com/local/add.

To edit Google Maps, click here:  http://maps.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=68474#modify

To edit the location of a place, you can switch your view to Satellite and Show Labels. This allows you to move the marker accurately, as you can see both roads and satellite imagery.  After you search for a place, click the appropriate marker.  The info window appears. If the marker is in the wrong location, click Edit. Click Move marker. Click and drag the marker to the correct location. Use the X to help you place the marker. Consider placing it at the entrance of the location, as this helps improve the accuracy of our driving directions. Click Save. Google Maps saves your changes.

If you move the marker more than 200 meters away from its original location, your change appears after further review.

If Google Maps does not allow you to edit a business location, this is because the business owner has already verified information for that business in the Local Business Center. You cannot edit verified listings. If a listed business is yours, claim your business.

Remove a place:

After you search for a place, click the appropriate marker. The info window appears. Click Edit > Remove Place. Choose the reason that Google should remove this place and any comment you have. Click Remove Place. Google will investigate the place you have flagged for removal.

Some of these sites will take time to approve your requests. So, put this as a priority! Make sure you check all your social media sites: MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, FaceBook, Digg … you get the idea. After all, if someone wants to get ahold of you, they want to get ahold of you NOW!

What’s the Buzz over  Social Media Optimization all about?

Aside from traditional search engine optimization, website traffic and analytics prove to be the leading metrics in determining if a search engine positioning program is effective. Build brand recognition through these social media networks and become a rising voice within the array of niche communities on the web.

Post videos on YouTube, create a Facebook Page, open up a Twitter account, or join a network on LinkedIn. Promote yourself, your business and even acquire new sale leads through the use of these social media networks.

Why is Social Media Optimization Important?

Invite, Engage, Connect, Communicate. By establishing yourself/company in an online niche, not only will you promote your business (or product), but also create immediate connections between you and people like you. Go ahead, try it out! Contact us if you need help.

Weigh in on the conversation here! What social networks do you like?

Google already has a social network (orkut), but it’s only popular in Brazil and India

…while Yahoo’s second attempt (the 1st being 360) is in the Mosh pit.

It’s likely this would replace Yahoo’s 360 social network service, which has never really gotten traction.