The Facebook Blog

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por Annie Ta Qua às 17:42

The following is part of our series on different ways you can use Facebook to connect with public figures and organizations around the world. Read the previous blog post in this series here.

I spend so much time surfing the Web everyday that it feels only natural that I shop online, too, especially with the holiday season approaching. With the increasing number of retail websites, email digests and discount codes, it's hard to keep track of my favorite designers and stores without feeling overwhelmed. Now that all of my favorite fashion brands and retailers are using Facebook to update their fans, I am able to find my trusted sources on everything from couture to casual-wear in one place.

To organize all this information, I created a Friend List of my favorite clothing-related Pages on Facebook. By selecting "Create New List" from the left-hand side of my home page, I was able to easily create a list of my favorite Pages. Whenever I'm in the mood for some retail therapy, I can select the "Shopping" list on my home page and see what's new in the world of fashion. Some of my favorite retailers, like local clothing boutique Pink & Harmony in Menlo Park, Calif., internet retailer Shopbop or internationally renowned designer Diane von Furstenberg frequently update their Pages with photos of their latest inventory and offer deals and exclusives to their Facebook fans.

Deals, deals, deals

Many designers and stores use Facebook to distribute information to their fans about upcoming discounts, sales and promotions. For instance, Tory Burch, who is best known for her classic ballet flats, took a bold step by changing the traditional model for her private sale. Typically, this sale is reserved for those close to the fashion house, but in October, Tory Burch offered the private sale to all 18,000 fans of her Facebook Page.

Piperlime, an online retailer, also offers specials to their Facebook fans. When Piperlime celebrated the company's anniversary last month, they offered fans $25 gift certificates towards their next purchase if they placed an order on the eve of their birthday. Doing so allowed fans to celebrate Piperlime's birthday in style.

Several other retailers offer Facebook fans free shipping on online orders for limited periods of time. With a busy work schedule, I don't always get the chance to walk into a store and browse. Free shipping allows me to feel less guilty about my online shopping habits, especially when I can buy the J.Crew sweater I have been eyeing for less money than I expected. Earlier this month, J. Crew gave Facebook fans a special code for free shipping because they love their customers as much as we love them.

Exclusive Offers

Sometimes shopping isn't always about me. With the holidays just around the corner, I was excited to discover that Toys"R"Us is previewing offers for Black Friday — the day after Thanksgiving in the U.S. that traditionally marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season — on their Facebook Page. With the help of Facebook, I now can get an early start on planning gifts for the little ones in my family.

Similarly, Macy's is previewing special sales on their Facebook Page. The U.S. department store is showcasing over 250 deals exclusively to fans on Facebook. Enter the Macy's "Believe" sweepstakes from their Facebook application and explain why you believe in the holiday season. If selected, you can win a trip to the Macy's 2010 Thanksgiving Day parade in N.Y. For instance, I believe that the holidays bring out the best in people.

How can you become eligible for all of these deals and giveaways? Become a Facebook fan of your favorite designer or retailer.

If you're a Facebook Page administrator and interested in sharing offers and give-aways with your fans, be sure to check out our recently updated promotion guidelines.

Annie, an associate on Facebook's communications team, is shopping for the next great holiday deal.

Stay Tuned: TV on Facebook

por Annie Ta Sexta-feira, 6 de Novembro de 2009 às 12:32

The following is part of our series on different ways you can use Facebook to connect with public figures and organizations around the world. Read the previous blog post in this series here.

From reality television to prime-time dramas, I admit it, I can be a bit television-obsessed. I often find myself spending an evening after a long day's work catching up on my favorite television shows. Unfortunately, a busy schedule can prevent even the most devoted fan from catching key plot lines and dramatic twists. Luckily, I can keep up to date on my favorite shows with my friends on Facebook, so I never miss a beat.

Watching Online

Every September, there are a dozen new television shows that I want to check out, but I only have so much time to tune in each night. One of my favorite websites, Hulu, streams TV shows directly on its Facebook Page using the application Watch Now. This way, I can watch full episodes of the hottest fall shows whenever I want, including "House," one of my favorite medical dramas on Fox. My friends can see how far along I am in the current season of diagnostic mysteries when I share the episode to my Facebook profile.

I also am discovering funny clips that I've missed thanks to my friends. I first heard of the popular joke from NBC's workplace comedy "The Office" about a social networking site called "Book Face" because a colleague shared the Hulu clip on his profile.

Teasers

Sometimes the best part of my day is when one of my favorite shows posts a new teaser for an upcoming episode on their Facebook Page. "Gossip Girl," the CW drama about young Manhattan elites, airs on Monday nights and then posts video and photo previews for upcoming episodes on Tuesdays. The week of waiting to watch the next episode of gossip among Serena, Nate, Chuck and Blair is more bearable when I can see fashions from "Gossip Girl" shared directly on my home page in the meantime.

Wednesdays are equally interesting when the Fox musical comedy "Glee" posts clips from the night's upcoming episode paired with introductions from all of my favorite cast members. Sometimes the show even includes clips of its ever-popular musical numbers like this rendition of "Keep Holding On."

Then there are times when my friends share their favorite TV shows with me on Facebook. For instance, one friend posted that she had seen the future in the "FlashForward Experience." It piqued my curiosity, and when I visited the show's Facebook Page, I was directed to a Facebook Connect-enabled website where I was suddenly immersed in the ABC show's trailer. The site uses the viewer's Facebook photos to create an individualized video after that viewer grants permission . The trailer asks, "Where were you on September 24?" I am definitely looking forward to the answer when I tune into the new science-fiction series.

New Favorites

Although my television schedule is busy with old favorites, I always have room for a new show. Those can be the most surprising. Several of my friends became a fan of the Travel Channel's competitive eating show, "Man v. Food," through an ad they saw on Facebook with the challenge, "5 lb burger, 4 peppers, 25 min." This, I had to see for myself.

I've also seen friends become fans of the new ABC sitcom "Modern Family." The show highlights its "Favorite Modern Moments" in a photo album on its Facebook Page. I laughed out loud at this photo and immediately tuned in through the ABC.com link I found on Facebook.