Cracking the Facebook Code

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Everybody knows Facebook, right? After all, it's only the biggest social media platform in the world. We can add friends, post pictures of our pets, and maybe even grow a crop or two in our farm (oh wait, that's so 2011).

But precious few know how to use Facebook as a true business tool to engage prospects, generate leads, and drive real revenue; so many marketers are left fumbling in the dark, trying to unlock the door to Facebook success.

Our newest MarketingProfs University Course, Cracking the Facebook Code, will not only help light your way, but will provide you the tools to unleash some of Facebook's biggest secrets.

Cracking the Facebook Code will take you past the fundamentals of Facebook, providing you real practical techniques to help you optimize your page; attract, inspire, and engage fans; generate leads; and drive sales. Taught by expert instructors, you'll walk away with a newfound respect for the power of Facebook and a blueprint for success in the social world.

How does it work? Cracking the Facebook Code includes 6 classes (each 60 or 90 minutes long). The first class and final Q&A wrap-up session will be broadcast live. The 5 remaining classes are recorded and available online, anytime, on your computer or mobile device. Watch them at your convenience through March 2014 and remember to attend the live Q&A wrap-up on April 29 for your chance to ask specific questions.

For each class, you'll have access to the class lecture (streaming media), as well as several support materials: the slide deck (PDF), the audio track (MP3, so you can listen to the lectures on other devices), a transcript (PDF), and a "cheat sheet" (PDF). Once you view all of the classes, you can download a Certificate of Completion (PDF).

Cracking the Facebook Code includes these 6 classes (most are 60 minutes), plus the live Q&A closing session:

1. GROWTH: The Expanding Facebook Universe
2. ENGAGEMENT: Sharing Is Caring
3. RESEARCH: Making the Most of Facebook Insights
4. ADVERTISING: Grow Your Audience, Drive Leads, and Increase Revenues
5. COMMUNITY: Year-Round Community Building
6. MEASUREMENT: Measuring Success on Facebook
7. LIVE Q&A: Ask and Ye Shall Receive

Plus, you'll get these 3 bonus classes from previous courses. You can access the recordings as soon as you register.

1. EXTERNAL GROWTH: How to Grow Your Facebook Fan Base
2. HABITS: How Americans Really Use Social Media
3. SOCIAL: How to Make Your Content More Shareable

The Expanding Facebook Universe

Speaker:
Jeff Bullas—Consultant, Blogger, Strategist, and Speaker

LIVE: Thursday, April 11—12:00pm-1:30pm ET

In this class, we will look at what Facebook means for the modern marketer, given its central role in an increasingly social Websphere. We will examine how Facebook can be used strategically within the context of your overall marketing mix. Along the way, you will get practical advice on integrating Facebook with a range of digital and social media assets, including your blog, YouTube, Twitter, and Pinterest.

You will learn:

• How to use Facebook to create greater brand awareness and community reach
• Ways in which Facebook can improve customer engagement
• Tips for using Facebook to increase sales

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Sharing Is Caring

Speaker:
Stephanie Filer—Manager of Special Gifts and Partnerships, Animal Rescue League of Iowa

ON-DEMAND: View at your convenience, starting April 12, 2013

Facebook can be a powerful tool to help nonprofits interact with their supporters, clients, volunteers, and donors—and the best practices learned in the nonprofit sector easily translate to the for-profit sector. From raising money to recruiting new clients, attracting media attention, and more, in this class, you will learn how a regional organization uses the Facebook platform to foster affinity and drive sustained support among both individuals and corporations.

You will learn:

• How to get your message seen in the Facebook newsfeed
• How to avoid pitfalls and maximize engagement
• Dozens of Facebook best practices that you can begin using today

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Making the Most of Facebook Insights

Speaker:
Sara E. Smith—Director of Business Intelligence, Room 214

ON-DEMAND: View at your convenience, starting April 12, 2013

As we've officially reached the age of consumer-centrism, and with all this talk about Facebook's stranglehold on big social data, wouldn't it be nice to be able to use this information to more deeply understand your customers and make better business decisions? In this class, we'll show you how to take advantage of Facebook Insights to better understand and engage your audience.

You will learn:

• Where your Facebook fans are coming from and how they found your page
• The true meaning behind metrics such as fan growth and reach
• How to optimize communications with your Facebook audience for maximum impact

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Grow Your Audience, Drive Leads, and Increase Revenues

Speaker:
Jon Loomer—Founder, Jon Loomer Digital

ON-DEMAND: View at your convenience, starting April 12, 2013

Facebook ads are highly effective, but only a minority of savvy marketers knows the secret to their success. Although the self-serve ad tool is fine for the beginner marketer, Facebook's Power Editor unlocks access to several important features that most marketers are not yet aware of.

You will learn:

• A basic understanding of Power Editor using the Google Chrome plug-in
• How to create custom audiences, sponsored results, and mobile ads
• How to quickly and easily set up split tests to see which ads are working

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Year-Round Community Building

Speaker:
Heather Whaling—President, Geben Communication

ON-DEMAND: View at your convenience, starting April 12, 2013

When developing Facebook communities, brands tend to see spikes in followers that can be directly attributed to certain timely hooks (holidays, special events, product launches, crises, etc). But, as often as not, marketers aren't sure how to build and maintain that community once that time-based event has passed. This class will focus on sustaining and continuing to build Facebook communities year-round, not just when something big is happening.

You will learn:

• The best ways to prevent a drop-off in interest after the event
• How to continue to drive awareness and maximize brand exposure year-round
• To harness underutilized time-based events

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Measuring Success on Facebook

Speaker:
John Haydon—Founder, Inbound Zombie

ON-DEMAND: View at your convenience, starting April 12, 2013

If you're like most business owners using Facebook, you spend a lot of time trying to engage Facebook fans with various strategies, but you're not sure whether all these efforts are translating into actual customers and prospects. You're not sure which strategies create the most reach, drive the most website traffic, and result in the most conversions. Let's remedy that right away!

You will learn:

• How to effectively apply ROI methodologies to Facebook Insights and Google Analytics
• The most important things to measure on Facebook and how to measure them
• How data points and insight can help refine strategies and tactics

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Ask and Ye Shall Receive

Panelists:
A panel of instructors from this course. Check back for updates!

LIVE: Monday, April 29, 2013—12:00pm-1:00pm ET

Have a question that wasn't answered in class? Something that you found confusing? Just want to chat with our instructors? Now's your chance to pick the brains of some of the smartest marketers out there. They'll spend an hour answering your questions, clarifying anything that might be causing you stress, and giving you even more of the great information you've come to expect from MarketingProfs University. No agenda—it's all up to you!

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How to Grow Your Facebook Fan Base

Speaker:
John Haydon—Social Media Strategist, Inbound Zombie

You've launched a Facebook page, you have a semi-organized content marketing plan, and maybe you've even used Facebook ads to promote your presence. Nevertheless, you're still having trouble getting the results you hoped for. This class will show you how to use external channels to grow your fan base and increase engagement.

You will learn:

• To effectively integrate email marketing with Facebook
• That other social media channels can directly contribute to your Facebook popularity
• How to "game" EdgeRank on Facebook with your other channels
• To use events and webinars to acquire high-quality fans

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The Social Habit 2012: How Americans Really Use Social Media

Speaker:
Tom Webster—Vice President, Strategy, Edison Research

The marketing world is enamored (and inundated) with social media sites: Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, Ning ... the list is seemingly never-ending. But what are people really doing on social media sites? How are they using these technologies? In this class we'll provide genuine insight and guide you through an interactive and perceptive exploration of what America's "Social Habit" really means for content creators, marketers, and brands.

You will learn:

• Insight into how people are collectively using social media today
• How to apply the understanding of today's social media use in your marketing efforts
• To look ahead at how our social habits can and will change in the future

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How to Make Your Content More Shareable

Speaker:
Brian Solis—Principal, Founder, FutureWorks

Brian Solis is an expert in articulating why brands are increasingly media companies and how to earn influence through content in the social sphere. Here, he'll share the concepts why, as well as talk about how you can make your content more "social" and shareable. You'll take away:

• The results of a recent study by Brian and Vocus, which demonstrated that creating compelling content is the number one reason people and brands earn influence and community in social media
• How content can be both useful and social
• How to create and distribute social objects as the catalysts for meaningful conversations

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