Facebook “Efficiency”; Tips and Tricks

I know what you’re thinking. “Facebook” and “efficiency” should never go in the same sentence. Or should they? Social networking is the wave of the future, as seen by the masses flooding sites like Twitter and Facebook. Who remembers when they were starting out on Facebook and all you had were those 3 friends? The ones that you actually talked to all the time and not the ones that you saw once at parties? Those days have come and passed. If you don’t remember, well that’s too bad, you’ve missed it already. In this day and age, information overload is the proper term to define our web interactions. Once you hit a certain number of followers on Facebook or a certain number of friends in Facebook, it gets hard to filter out the things you simply aren’t interested in. Maybe that’s why everyone is sucked into Facebook, which limits their productivity. Remember hearing about people getting fired because of what they posted on Facebook? That’s more of the Facebook and Internet etiquette side of things, but the “efficiency” factor hasn’t been discussed yet. There are ways for those of us who lack self-control to overcome the effects of “Facebook syndrome”.

Everyone goes through that Facebook phase, believe it or not. Well, that is if you use it. Studies have been conducted, which revealed that networking and instant messaging in the network may not be as big of a productivity black hole as you thought. Simple instant messaging proves more effective than interdepartmental emails and phone calls. After all, the primitive instant messaging system was designed for workplace communications. Social networking actually raises efficiency, but don’t expect your employer to let you use Facebook at work. About 65% of people surveyed said that they were allowed to use Facebook as “networking”. Maybe you’ll find one of those jobs. So how can you manage all of your friend’s newsfeeds and tweets that you’re bombarded by when you go to check on your Twitter and Facebook? Here are a few tips and tricks that’ll make your life a little easier. Maybe then you won’t have to fail your Econ Final. Remember, they are called “social” networks for a reason. It’s a place to be social, but it’s not necessarily interaction in the sense of friendly interaction in the real world. After we discuss Facebook efficiency tips, we’ll go into tips to get the most out of your Facebook experience. Shall we?

Efficiency Tips

The friend list options. I’m surprised that not more people know about them. If you’re suffering from information overload, this is the way to go. In a nutshell, it allows you to customize filters. You know how when you log into Facebook you default to the “newsfeed”? Using lists means you can filter to only those you want to see. When you click a list, you’ll only get the updates and actions on the people in the list. Definitely nifty. I customized my list by adding people whom I carry conversations with outside of Facebook in the “‘Close’ Friends” category. This is what my friend list filter looks like:
Facebook has added new features and actually automatically makes friend list filters for you. If you find your menu on the left and click the “more” option, you’ll be presented with a whole list. Facebook populates the list using the “friends details” information that you edit when you become mutual friends with someone. If you need to, start off with those and add friends as you remember them.
Keep in mind that Facebook defaults to the “newsfeed” category, which is basically the “all”. You can change the default by dragging it to the top of the list. whatever is on top will be your new default. For example, in this list, my zoo friends will only be shown. This is probably one of the most important options of all for information overload. It definitely limits it. If you need to go back to seeing the default newsfeed, just click it in the menu or drag it back to the top to make it the default again.
Another awesome use for lists. Want to send a message to people from work only? Or maybe only a message to personal friends. If you already have those friends in a category, just select them as recipients. Simple! However, due to spam issues, you can only send to 20 people at a time. Take that into consideration when you’re making send lists.
Another new option that was just released recently is the Friends list in Facebook Chat. I don’t know how many of you actually use Facebook chat, but I have some experience with it and it’s a nice tool, provided you can find the person you’re looking for in your list of a couple hundred of friends. I’m making the assumption here that you aren’t very selective about who you friend. The new chat adds those friend list filters to your chat. They will be listed under their own category. Good stuff. This way you can find the people you talk to all the time in a jiffy. It’s like a buddy list category. That’s exactly what it is.
With regards to the chat, you can DRAG AND DROP contacts into a desired category. Bet you didn’t know that. Maybe you did. If you did, my bad.
Use Facebook just for the chat and get sidetracked easily? Then just pop out the Facebook bar in the settings menu so you don’t get distracted. Better yet, get an IM client that supports FB Chat!
Profile Filters: Filters are the way to go when you want to simplify your browsing experience. If you’re like me and other media, link, and internet nuts, then you import way too much for your own good. That turns your profile into a lifestream (a person’s internet activities across the web). If you’re surfing someone’s profile and you’re only interested in what their friends are saying (hrrmm stalker), then just use the filters.
Applications and your bookmark bar. Have a favorite application that you use every time you’re on Facebook? Take advantage of the bookmark bar. Just drag the ones you dig to the “Bookmarks” section of the Applications menu. Yup!
While we’re on apps, make sure you streamline them. Only choose the ones that you are really going to be engaging in or using at least once or twice a month. Uninstall the other ones. You don’t have to, but they usually give you tons of notifications.
One that you guys are probably familiar with. The “Hide” button in your newsfeed. Don’t want to see someone’s updates? Just “hide” them. They’ll never know, you don’t have to tell them, and you won’t know that they’re bleeding from their a$$. The button is invisible until mouseover, but it’s there. We’ll leave you in terms of efficiency with that one.

Trust me, these 11 tips will make your Facebook browsing effective. You’ll still be having fun and enjoying the core features of Facebook and avoiding falling down the path of one things leading to another to another. Breaking the cycle starts here. I recommend this when you have things due the next day or only have a couple of minutes to catch up on Facebook. If you really have nothing to do, just hit the “Newsfeed” button and get a taste of FACEBOOK GLORY.

Facebook Experience

Get a decent profile picture. No “ghosts” please because I’m pretty sure you’re not a unisex white figure on a light blue background…right?
You get out as much as you put in with Social Networks. If you don’t make the effort to start conversation or post links, etc., don’t expect others to interact with you. Anti-social folks don’t belong on a social network.
Showing interest is a good way to make friends, but don’t go poking everyone. Why is this turning into a “how to make friends” post?
Aim to be a member of 30 or so groups, but don’t go overboard with them. It helps people figure out who you are and what you’re interested in.
Use Facebook as part of your social media toolkit, because that’s exactly what it is. Integrate your blogs, your material, and a little bit of yourself into it, as much as you can. If you feed Facebook, it’ll give you results.
Import material too and show your lifestream. It can help other get to know your interests and what you’ve been up to. Who knows, maybe they’re interested in the exact same stuff you are.
Learn to use the mini-feed and import feeds from Digg, Google Reader, Twitter, and other sites. Be a newsmaker on your own Facebook. Use it to your advantage. You can always check your Facebook and go back to your posted links in case you need it and have lost it.
Write on your friend’s walls periodically. It’s the right thing to do. Trust me. You’ll be a better person for it.
Take advantage of your privacy settings. If you have them all on default, you might want to recheck them. Periodically go look at them just to be on the safe side. Privacy is your friend on Facebook.
Do update your statuses, but occasionally. Facebook is not Twitter, and even Twitter has it’s limits.
Beware of Facebook phishing scams. Only trust HTTP://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM
Get on Facebook from other places. Learn how to use the Facebook Connect functions and sharing functions instead of using straight links all the time. It’s a pain in the behind having a video in link form and not a playable form. Be kind to others.
Tag your friends in photos. They may need more photos, especially more embarrassing ones. Facebook wouldn’t be fun without awesome pics like those.