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Tag: subscribe

  • Facebook: Out with “Subscribing,” in with “Following”

    Apparently, Facebook wasn’t happy with the adoption of their “subscribe” feature, which allows users to subscribe to the updates of public figures (and non-celebs, to a certain extent, if they have the option enabled). For those of you who subscribe to people on the site, don’t worry – Facebook isn’t axing it. They’re simply giving it a name makeover.

    Starting today, Facebook is doing away with the “subscribe” button and replacing it with the “follow” button. The new follow button will work exactly like the old subscribe button. Absolutely nothing is changing, according to Facebook:

    Starting today we are updating the term “Subscribe” to become “Follow” across the site as we found it is a term that resonates better with people on the service. Nothing is changing about how the feature works.

    Out with subscribing, in with following. This change-in-name-only will be rolling out across the site, and will also affect the subscribe buttons that some people have put on their websites.

    Facebook first launched subscriptions back in September of 2011 as a way for people to follow others without becoming “friends.” People want to see the Facebook updates of people they don’t personally know – Facebook is right about this. With subscriptions, they made Facebook a little more like Twitter or even Google+ in a way.

    Now, with this change in terminology, it’s going to be impossible to use the feature without being reminded of Twitter. And maybe that’s a good thing for Facebook when it comes to getting users to actually use the feature.

    [via The Verge]

  • Facebook: Thousands of Journalists Use Subscribe Feature

    Facebook: Thousands of Journalists Use Subscribe Feature

    Facebook wants to be all things to everyone.

    You like Google+ because of the ability to create circles and separate out the elements of your life? Facebook saw that and emulated it quickly with Lists.

    You like Twitter because people can follow you without there having to be a “relationship” there”? Fine. Facebook launched Subscriptions.

    And, it is Subscriptions that has become very attractive to journalists. Facebook has announced that thousands of journalists now use the subscription feature to promote their writing.

    Rather than create a Facebook “Page” (not the same as a Profile), journalists can now keep their regular profiles but allow people to subscribe to their feeds. All the pictures and other Timeline info remains between you and your Facebook friends (or those you specify in security settings). Items you wish your subscribers to see can go out to an unlimited number of people.

    Which is one of the big differences between accepting friends vs subscribers on Facebook. You are limited to 5,000 friends on Facebook But, there is no limit to subscribers.

    There are still advantages to creating a Page on Facebook. There are customizations and tabs that Profiles don’t get. Anyone can “Like” your Page and get the same info as a subscriber would. And, you can assign multiple admins to a Page.

    The differences in terminology about Pages vs Profiles, and who lis allowed to do what under Facebook’s Terms of Service, can get twisty. Facebook has several help pages to walk you through it all.

    One about Subscribing in general.

    One about Pages.

    Subscribing vs Pages.

    Subscribing for Journalists.

    While anyone can use the Subscription feature, Facebook is taking its Subscribing for Journalists seriously. They have dedicated a whole program to just that demographic. In the past, journalists have been very keen on Twitter for releasing things. Facebook hopes to chip away at that market with its Subscription feature.