How to get FREEISMYLIFE updates back into your Facebook News Feed

Photo credit: Flickr Creative Commons via Photopin

Where did FREEISMYLIFE Facebook Updates go?

For all the FREEISMYLIFE followers who use Facebook to keep up with our posts, you may be scratching your head wondering what happened to updates from FREEISMYLIFE.  No, we did not stop posting on Facebook. Facebook just stopped allowing our updates into your news feed.

Facebook is trying to make money with their new Promoted Posts, which means they now want people with Facebook Fan Pages to pay to make contact with our own followers. While I applaud anyone who wants to make money, I have spent two years working on building up a Facebook following and now if I include a link or photo promoting my blog, Facebook probably won't allow those posts be seen by my followers without me handing over some cash.

To give an example, I have included two photos of recent Facebook posts from our Facebook page. The first one shown above contains a link to a giveaway that was about to end. I often remind followers that giveaways are ending by posting about it. As you can see, the post was only seen in the news feeds of less than 40 followers. FREEISMYLIFE has over 3200 Facebook followers.

The photo above shows what happens when basically the same information is presented but the link is removed from the post and included instead as a comment on the post.  Now the post is seen by hundreds of followers. Doing it this way is a lot more work because the posts cannot be automated. Since there is no way to do all this work for every post, followers are missing out on lots of great information - and most people on Facebook don't even know it.

EdgeRank is not helping either...
I bet you are wondering why still only 353 people saw the post and not most of the 3200 FREEISMYLIFE Facebook followers? Well in addition to Facebook's Promoted Posts option messing with followers seeing updates, Facebook has also implemented an EdgeRank algorithm that determines who will see what based on some formula only they know. Given all this, it's a wonder anyone sees posts in Facebook that are not paid for.

How YOU can get your FREE back!
But there is a way to ensure that you see all the FREEISMYLIFE updates.  All you have to do is use the following instructions:

1. Go to the FREEISMYLIFE Facebook Page
2. Click on the 'Liked" button and you will see a pull down menu.
3. Using the menu, make sure the "Show in News Feed" option is checked. Choosing this option will ensure that you see all the updates from FREEISMYLIFE no matter what Facebook does with EdgeRank and Promoted Posts.

Unfortunately, you will need to to follow these instructions for EVERY Facebook page you have subscribed to if you want to make sure you see the updates - Painful, but unfortunately necessary if you don't want to miss out on information.

I want to take this time to thank everyone that was subscribed to the FREEISMYLIFE Facebook Page. I work hard to make sure you are in-the-know about freebies, deals, and giveaways and I appreciate each and every follow.

And thanks to Cool Mom Tech for the information used in this post on Facebook EdgeRank and Promoted Posts.


Enjoy!


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Get Rewarded while Watching TV and being Social - with Viggle

Earn Gift Cards & Prizes for being a Couch Potato... Seriously!!!

June means more than just the end of school and the beginning of Summer.  It also marks the hiatus of my favorite TV programs. No more Dancing with the Stars and American Idol.  And now I am a little lost as to what to watch on TV for the Summer.

So I was glad when I found out about a Social Media app for iPhone, iPad, iPod that allows me to find out about weekly TV programs - and also get paid to watch them.  The app is called Viggle and it allows users to watch TV programs, view TV ads, take surveys, share comments about programs you are watching with your Twitter and Facebook followers - and earn gift cards and prizes while doing it.

I have been using Viggle for the past three weeks and I have already earned two $5 Nook Gift Cards - just for watching TV as I would normally.

How does it work?
The Viggle app listens to your TV to verify that you are watching a program. Each one hour TV program that you watch will earn you approximately 60 points. Each $5 Nook gift card that I earned cost me 9000 points. So I know you are wondering how I earned 18,000 points in just three weeks.  Well, Viggle allows you to earn "Bonus Points" in addition to normal points for each show.

Featured Shows earn big points...
The "What's on" section has "Featured Shows" that you can watch for extra points. For example, the NBA Finals earned me an extra 300 points per broadcast. Also, during the NBA Finals broadcasts, I had the option of playing a game called "Play Along with MyGuy" where I picked a player and earned points for each shot and assist that the player made. I also earned 5 bonus points each for a "Social Share" which is sharing a check-in on Twitter and Facebook.

For another example, I watched the new Bravo show "Around the World in 80 Plates" with Celebrity Chef Curtis Stone.  I earned an extra 300 bonus points for it being a "Featured Show" and then played a game that followed the progress of the show that earned me extra points for each correct answer that I gave to the questions.

The Viggle app also allows me to follow the Twitter hashtags for shows and post comments on the shows to Twitter and Facebook as the shows are being broadcast.

Paid to watch ads? Sign me up...
Another way to earn big points is to watch TV ads in the Viggle app.  I earned 75 bonus points for watching a 20 second Burger King commercial, 75 points for a Bing ad about a Hawaii vacation, 75 points for watching a very cute Verizon ad about Grads and Dads, 30 points for a Fandango ad, 30 points for an ad for the show Kendra on Top and 30 points each for scary Bridezillas ad and an ad for The Real Housewives of New Jersey.

I was even rewarded to watch ads for products that I have featured on my blog including 50 bonus points for Lipton Tea & Honey and 75 bonus points for the new Burger King Menu.

Given all the bonus points available, you can earn about 500 points a night if you watch one Featured Show and view 3-4 ads. If you normally watch TV shows all day, you could earn about 2000 points per day which could earn you a gift card every 5 days.

The Rewards are Pretty Sweet...
Viggle says they update their prizes all the time. But currently, they have gift cards to Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, Lowe's, Burger King, CVS Pharmacy, Apple, Foot Locker, Gap, Old Navy. Banana Republic, and Papa Johns. If you want to save your points for the really, really big prizes, you can earn a Kindle Fire, a Macbook Air, or a Royal Caribbean Cruise!!!

Give it a Try...
So if you love watching TV and want to be rewarded for it, give Viggle a try and signup today. You have nothing to lose and gift cards to gain :)

CLICK HERE TO SIGNUP FOR VIGGLE



Enjoy!


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REVIEW: Facebook Game "A Better World" now has "Heart Cart" just in time for Valentine's Day

The Virtual Me at the new Heart Cart in "A Better World"

Give Out Lots of FREE HEARTS and POSITIVITY in A Better World!

My journey using Facebook as been a slow one over the past year. I have gone from refusing to use it, to  using it to connect with my friends, to implementing a Fan Page for FREEISMYLIFE. Now I cannot imagine life without Facebook.

So this week, I took my Facebook journey one step further when I started playing the Facebook game A Better World which is game from @ToonUps. A Better World reminds me of the game "Animal Crossing" where you setup a home in your own virtual world and then shop, earn money, and interact with the people in the town where you live.

When I entered the game, I was able to make my virtual self look like my real self by choosing skin color, hair color, nose, eyes, clothing - the works. Then I was given some money and let loose to build my life. But the really great thing about A Better World is that you earn money from doing good! Yep, you earn Do Good Gold and Better Bucks by performing acts of kindness.

There are many ways to earn by doing good in A Better World.  You can go to Gratitude Grotto and write notes about all the things for which you are thankful.  You can go to the post office and write Positive Posts to your friends containing words of kindness. And you can play Three Cycle, a recycling game. My favorite is Thumping Thoughts where you get to take a mallet and hit all your negative thoughts over the head. The faster you thump those negative thoughts, the more Do Good Gold you earn. You can then use your earnings to buy things for your home or clothing and accessories.

Romantic Hearts

Good Hearts

I brand new feature of A Better World is the Heart Cart which is located between Town and Gratitude Grotto. At the Heart Cart, you can spread FREE LOVE by sending HEARTS to your friends and family, view HEARTS that you been sent to you. and read the BOOK OF LOVE. The "Heart Cart" is perfect for sending some love for Valentine's Day.

Fun Hearts

Friendly Hearts

There are four category types of HEARTS to you can send - Romantic, Fun, Good and Friendly. My favorite hearts on the Fun Hearts which include the Chocolate Heart. After all, who does not love chocolate? You can also look in the Book of Love which contains all the hearts that players have sent to their loved ones.

I made sure to send out lots of fun and friendly hearts to my friends today since everyone needs a kind thought or a little love to make their day.

So if you have not already played A Better World, take a look at the game today. And make sure you send out some Valentine Day love from the Heart Cart. You just might help make someone's day.

Enjoy!

Disclosure: I received a gift card from ToonUps as a thank you for participating in the "A Better World" Heart Cart campaign.


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FREE Social Media Event 4/14 3-6pm Oakland University in Rochester

Join us at Social Media 2.OU at Oakland University with FREE food and awesome Speakers!

Participants will gain a better understanding of how to use and maximize social media for career planning and succeeding as a nonprofit organization. You’ll learn best practices of using social media from experts and competent speakers and have networking opportunities.

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Keynote Speakers:

. Derek Mehraban: Social Media and yOU: What Every Student Should Know

. Matt Friedman: Social Media: Engaging Your Nonprofit Opinion Leaders

. Susan Evans: Legal Issues Of Social Media

. Career Services: Make LinkedIn Work For You

This event is FREE and open to the public.

Click here for more info