Johanna Blakely of the Ready To Share Project:

So, what’s a good anchor? A video that solves a problem for a group of people on a topic that is somewhat related to your niche but doesn’t try to sell anything. A video that shows your personality and your willingness to share your expertise. An offering that helps others without any hope of financial recompense and the very best anchor video is one that discusses a topic that you are excited about.

Consider this tutorial by Trish Stuart on adjusting the tension on a horizontal bobbin style sewing machine (as opposed to a vertical bobbin sewing machine). Trish is a thread artist and she teaches classes year round all over the USA at quilt shows, retreats and cruises. She is always teaching her students about bobbin tension when she teaches her quilting classes and she’s become an expert on dealing with the subject, although that’s not what she gets bookings for. As a thread artist, it is in Trish’s best interest to have her students understand bobbin tension and by helping everyone understand the subject she opens up the world of bobbin-work to all viewers and she introduces herself, her personality, her teaching methods, and her expertise to potential students.

Trish’s video is three years old and yet every day it helps people out and connects new people to Trish. With forty thousand views and great reviews Trish has created a great anchor video that will continue to keep helping others and working for her for years.

I see this over and over by companies desperate to catch up on social media and yet totally not understanding how it works. It’s like a business trying to adopt a child. That’s just not how it works and it’s not good for either party.

Facebook identities are for people. Real People – with real names and photos. Those people can have fans who want to friend them, that’s okay, but if that PERSON has a business, they need to create a Fan Page for their business or they are going to muck up their whole Facebook presence and tick off a lot of people.

Here’s why doing it wrong will lose you people who like your product/service: If you set up an identity as a business, then I have to ask to be your friend when all I want to do is wave at you and say “Hey, love ya! I’m already your fan!!” But no, now I need to wait for you to approve our friendship and (more work for you!) you get to see all my personal posts. I don’t want that!!! Neither do you, believe me.

As an owner of both a personal identity and several Fan Pages, I know what I am talking about.

If’ you have done it wrong – quick like a bunny – sign onto Facebook and fix it before you end up ticking off a lot of people. Hurry!

If you are scared of this “new social media” stuff – hire someone who’s doing it right. Believe it or not, that’s really okay to do. Wrong thing to do: assign it as a task to an employee who doesn’t want to do it. Or keep saying to yourself “tomorrow I’m gonna tackle that social stuff….” Chances are you’ll be doin’ it wrong.

Oh, and if you are already a celebrity, with thousands of fans in real life, create both an identity (for you and your family to stay in touch if you want to use FB for that), but definitely have a Fan Page for your peeps to be able to chat with you and each other and for you to get your messages out.