Many of Facebook’s more than 1 billion monthly active users would agree — the site is great, but could use some improvement. As users complain about ads, a cluttered and confusing interface, and several other things, there are a few things that Facebook could implement to make the site much more palatable. Here are five innovations (some possible, some rather imaginative) that we think would improve Facebook.
We're kicking off our upcoming Social Media Marketing Boot Camp with a special keynote presentation by Ella Chick (left), the digital producer at Anderson Cooper 360°. She'll discuss how the network uses social media for breaking news and leverages social media to draw attention to organizations and causes. Learn more about our program and register here. 
Even though Facebook has more than 1 billion monthly active users, many businesses are still unconvinced that having a presence on the social network can help. So how can you convince companies to at least open and operate Facebook pages? ShortStack and DashBurst compiled seven ways to make your case to social media-shy clients.
Contests are all over Facebook — some are fun and play by the rules, others are boring or illegal. ShortStack put together an interesting infographic that offers tips for brands and pages that want to create a Facebook contest that draws people in. ShortStack broke these steps down scientifically.
If used correctly, your business’ Facebook page can pull the weight of three team members: customer-acquisition assistant, brand-building partner, and customer service representative. And even if your business’ page is managed by one staff member (or by you on your smartphone), with the right know-how, your Facebook page could still do three jobs for your business. Here’s how to turn your Facebook page into the ultimate multitasker:
Photos are the among the most engaging content on Facebook and the major motivator behind the site’s News Feed redesign. However, many people and pages don’t understand the rules on posting photos. Simply pulling pictures from Google searches and posting them on Facebook pages can get moderators in trouble, as Noelle Federico, chief financial officer of stock photo company Dreamstime, told AllFacebook.
Several experts have wondered what the new Facebook News Feed means for users and brands. ShortStack, true to its visual nature, has put together a guide detailing the changes that Facebook announced Thursday. The guide shows how brands can expect their content to look in the redesigned News Feed.
Companies find that one of the best ways to reach fans on Facebook is through contests. But as the rules are sometimes murky and not always enforced, and many brands are a little confused at what’s legal and what’s verboten when it comes to Facebook contests. ShortStack recently created a rubric for those looking to create successful Facebook contests.
Several nonprofits have found success marketing and getting recognition through Facebook. ShortStack recently blogged about how nonprofits can create and manage Facebook pages that not only build awareness of the organizations, but motivate donors to give.
Last week, sister site Inside Facebook posted an article about the number of businesses that are still running illegal contests on Facebook. The writer pointed out that a shocking number of page owners don’t know the most basic rule: You can’t post a message on your wall and call it a contest. Nor can you make liking your page an automatic entry to a contest. You can, however, require that people who want to enter your contest like your page or check in at your business in order to gain access to your contest application.
So you’ve got an awesome message, but you’re not sure how to get people to spread the news to their Facebook friends? Social media expert Mari Smith (along with ShortStack) came up with some ways that Facebook pages can start getting more of their users to share their posts, such as including calls to action and using entertaining (yet relevant) pitches.
