How to Make Eye Catching Status Updates on Social Networks

There are many ways to update your social networks. Some applications and web services such as Ping.fm, HootSuite, and Twiterfeed (to name a few) allow posting of text only, Twitter-like status updates to other social networks such as Facebook, FriendFeed, Google Buzz, and LinkedIn. Some social networks, including the ones just listed, even allow you to connect your Twitter to those accounts and have your tweets automatically upate your status.

Better Status Updates

While those are great ways to update your social networks quickly and easily, they are not necessarily the best. Why? Many social networks allow you to update your profile in more enhanced ways than just a simple status update.

Let’s look on the above mentioned networks at the more prominent ways to share a link, as well as help draw attention to and remind others of your personal or business brand.

Attach a Link on Facebook

When you are on Facebook’s site, using the Share on Facebook bookmarklet, or using a Share button on a webpage, you can go beyond a simple status update on your personal profile or fan page and actually attach a link with your update.

As opposed to the regular status update where you just have text, when you attach a link, it will automatically pull in the page title and meta description for the page, as well as let you select a photo.

You can also enter your own description in the update box. If possible, and relevant, be sure to tag anyone that is involved in the post by using the @ symbol followed by their name. Matching profiles / pages that you are a friend or fan of will come up in the drop down.

Tagging people in your update will allow you to attach your link to not only your profile, but also the profiles / pages that you have tagged.

As you can see, this is a much more prounced listing and more likely to get attention when people visit your profile / page and when the update shows up in your friends / fans news feeds.

Share a Link on FriendFeed

Friendfeed also allows a more descriptive post for your profile when you are on their site or using their Share on FriendFeed bookmarklet.

When logged into your FriendFeed account, you can use this bookmarklet on any page that you are on. The popup will automatically fill in the title of the post. You can click on any images in the post to have them attached to your update.

You can also add additional details about the link you are sharing in the update box or as a comment. I usually choose the comment as it makes the post on your wall take up more real estate.

One extra tip: if you aren’t already, try joining a few of the FriendFeed groups – you can post your update and link on their feeds too.

Insert a Link on Google Buzz

While you can use the Buzz This buttons on webpages or the roudabout way to get a Google Buzz bookmarklet, the best way to attach a link in Google Buzz through your Gmail if you want to include images with your update.

This will give it a prominent listing on your Google profile and in the buzz feed of your followers.

I have found that, especially with Google Buzz, updates that have images and additional details receive more comments and likes compared to short auto feeds from other networks.

Attach a Link on LinkedIn

If you update your status on LinkedIn, just like the above networks, you will be able to add images and addtional comments to the link you want to share.

This detailed information will be displayed on your connections’ Network Activity and also on your profile.

I have heard that there is a LinkedIn Share button out there, but was not able to find it when researching this post. All of the links to it on LinkedIn are going to a 404 page. I don’t believe the LinkedIn Share button will allow you to add images to your story though.

Your Thoughts on Detailed Updates

Do you find that you notice more prominent status updates on your social networks? Do you find that the interaction you receive when you post them on your profiles is worth the additional time spent updating each network vs. using a broadcasting service? Please share your thoughts in the comments.