According to Mashable, this infographic, created by JESS3, examines engagement statistics with the world’s most popular social network: Facebook.

I was surprised at how few people ‘Like’ updates (26%). I’m a serial ‘Liker.’ And also how few people send private messages (10%). I would have expected these numbers to be higher because of my own use and I’m not even on Facebook that much.

Apparently only 15% of folks update their status everyday. Again, something I was surprised to read.

I’d be interested to know where these stats come from (I don’t doubt them). Mashable don’t say and I can’t find the infographic on JESS3′s website.

Anyway, enjoy this lovely infographic.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ll know that Facebook has recently introduced some sweeping changes (with more game-changing things on their way).

I’ve seen a number of my friends post this – a meme, I guess.

I’m struggling with the idea that people are that paranoid about their comments.

Facebook is a social network. Therefore it’s social and, well, a network. Both words indicate you might be meeting people and talking to them. Why would you want to hide your comments?

Honestly the first place my head goes is: what are you ashamed of? What are you hiding?

I can tell you that the friends of mine who’ve posted this to Facebook have nothing to be ashamed of. Which leads me to believe this is a comfort issue – I get asked a lot about privacy when I do speaking presentations so I’m not surprised.

Again, for me, it comes back to the idea that if you aren’t comfortable with people seeing your online activity you shouldn’t be online.

Or you need to get over it.

Nothing you do or say in a social network like Facebook can every truly be concealed.

If you really have a problem with friends of friends seeing your comments and likes ask yourself these things:

1) Am I being offensive?

2) Why do I have social network account(s)?

3) What could be the worse thing to happen to me?

If you’re posting anything which you really think might be offensive or controversial, take it to a Facebook message if you’re unsure. Don’t respond in the comment thread.

I understand that my friends don’t want to feel that Facebook has deceived them in some way by making their comments and likes more public than they thought they would be but there’s no reason for the paranoia.

This is the age of the internet where data is transferred in the blink of an eye.

I think it’s a bit late for for this kind of paranoia.

Nielsen recently issued a report called State of the Media: The Social Media Report detailing the current social media landscape and audiences in the U.S. and other major markets.

Get a copy of the report here.

The key findings from the report are:

- Social networks and blogs continue to dominate Americans’ time online, now accounting for nearly a quarter of total time spent on the internet.

- Social media has grown rapidly – today nearly 4 in 5 active internet users visit social networks and blogs.

- Americans spend more time on Facebook than they do on any other U.S. website.

- Close to 40% of social media users access social media content from their mobile phone.

- Social networking apps are the third most-used among U.S. smartphone owners.

- Internet users over the age of 55 are driving the growth of social networking through the mobile internet.

- Although a larger number of women view online video on social networks and blogs, men are the heaviest online video users overall streaming more videos and watching them longer.

- 70% of active online adult social networkers shop online, 12% more likely than the average adult internet user.

- 53% of active adult social networkers follow a brand, while 32% follow a celebrity.

- Across a snapshot of 10 major global markets, social networks and blogs reach over three-quarters of active internet users.

- Tumblr is an emerging player in social media, nearly tripling its audience.

Access the full PDF of State of the Media.

Looking through the stats on my blog I’ve noticed that a lot of folks are searching for inspiration to help them come up with good ideas to post on Twitter.

Previously I’d written about a post on Ari Herzog’s blog by Mark Havenner in which Mark describes his C.R.A.S.H formula when he’s stuck for tweet ideas.

Comment. Reply. Ask. Share. Help. This is an excellent formula.

I’d also like to share my tweeting philosophy with you in the hope it will help those of you looking for inspiration on Twitter.

Your number one goal when posting to Twitter should be to add value.

In fact I think Jason Falls put it best when he said, ‘Share good shit.’ Anytime you post to Twitter, ask yourself, ‘Is this something others will want to know? Is it of value to them? Am I sharing knowledge?’

One of the most popular types of tweet are those that contain links.

Dan Zarella recently posted an interesting infographic showing how to get more retweets on Twitter. I think you’ll find his information useful when considering what to post to Twitter. Dan describes himself as a social media scientist so you’re probably wise to heed his advice.

Dan recommends we tweet links, stop talking about ourselves, say new things and tweet about Twitter.

So head on over to your Twitter account and tweet away!

Brankica put together a free ebook featuring 99 ways to improve your blog.

Whether you’re a blogging superstar already or just starting out, I’m certain you’ll find her hints and tips useful.

Is your blog published on Kindle? Brankica will tell you why it should be. Think you have the perfect ABOUT page? Brankica’s advice will help make it even better.

She’s created a short version which you get from the first download button. But if you agree to subscribe to her mailing list you’ll get a fuller version of the ebook. I totally signed up and encourage you to do the same. This is one smart blogging chick (and she likes dogs).

Check out her free download of ’99 Tasks for Blog Improvement.’

Thanks to Kristi Hines for bringing my attention to Blog Like a Star. Kristi also writes a fabulous blog with zillions of blogging resources, hints and tips.

Maybe you’ve heard about Google+, maybe you haven’t.

It’s yet another new social network, this time run by, you guessed it, Google.

There’s been a fair bit of buzz around Google+. It’s being touted as the fastest growing social network with over 25 million users already.

Right now, I’m struggling to understand why I should use it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lovely site. Lots of people I know are using it. It has some cool features such as ‘circles’ which let you group people together and view their updates as a stand-alone stream.

The problem for me is that I’ve yet to find a real use for it.

I probably felt the same way about Twitter and Facebook once upon a time.

I’m stuck between wanting to be present in a new online space, such as Google+, and making sure that I don’t just repeat the same updates, share the same links and follow the same people as I do on Facebook and Twitter.

I certainly feel pressure to be there. I don’t want to appear closed to new technologies and ideas. I don’t want to get left behind. I don’t want to seem ‘old school’ because I’m not keeping up with the times.

I guess that’s what happens when you work in digital media: this invisible force makes you feel as though you have to be everwhere at once or you’re not cool.

Reflecting on my own use of social networks I certainly see a pattern.

I go through phases of heavy and light use. Sometimes I can’t bear to log in to Twitter or Facebook. Other times I can’t get enough of them.

Oddly I never tire of blogging or reading blogs.

And so perhaps, one day soon, I’ll feel compelled to spend time on Google+. Right now, I don’t. I pop in every now and then to see what people are up to but rarely have a desire to post my own updates. I’ve no idea what I want to say and I’ve no idea what people want to hear.

Maybe I shouldn’t be so hard on myself and I should just trust that everything will fall into place when the time is right.

Maybe it’s too early to tell how Google+ will play out.

Are you on Google+? If so, how are you using the space? What role do you think this new social network will have in our digital world?

I would have posted this yesterday had I not been so pissed off about my key snapping off in my bike lock and having to walk home in +30°C … and melting.

You may well have read about the Social Media ProBook (a free ebook) by now – I’ve read at least five posts today from high profile bloggers endorsing this resource.

Thanks – as always – to the ever-insightful Adam Singer of The Future Buzz for bringing this to my attention.

Adam is also one of the people featured in the book.

In fact, Adam took the words right out of my mouth when he wrote: ‘Eloqua [creators of this free ebook] … solicited insightful content on social media with something useful for all digital professionals. Reading through the contributions (including Jeremiah Owyang, Steve Rubel, Sarah Evans, among others) it’s clear this is a must-read.’

Oh yes.

I download a lot of free ebooks and most of them are – to use the technical term – crap.

The Social Media ProBook actually has substance. And contributions from very cool people. And stuff worth reading.

For my Canadian readers: you have the day off work tomorrow. This would make perfect reading in your air-conditioned home/office.

Please read Adam Singer’s blog post which has an excellent digital marketing Q&A and links to the ebook.

I keep seeing Facebook and Twitter icons on TV – usually on ads – and it’s driving me mad.

Why bother? If I care that much about your show/product then I’ll find your social accounts using this little tool I know called Google.

Putting those tiny icons on the screen doesn’t help me one bit.

It’s like putting a globe symbol in place of a website address.

Either put the whole URL to your Twitter and Facebook accounts or don’t bother at all.

It doesn’t make you social media cool just because you’ve got little pictures on the TV screen. It just makes me think you’re stupid.

* I wish Twitter told me why someone is following me and how they found me.

* I wish real-estate agents, builders and other ad hoc businesses would realise that having a Twitter/Facebook account isn’t enough of a reason to make me follow them or pay attention to anything they say or do.

* I wish more people/businesses realised that relationship building, conversations and actual engagement with individuals is what helps create an effective social media strategy.

* I wish there was a better word for ‘strategy.’

* I wish I could detect, in-person, anyone connected to me on Facebook or Twitter. There are too many people I have never met in person. And sometimes I’m shy.

* I wish Facebook made it mandatory to include a personal message anytime you friend someone forcing you to say how you know them.

* I wish Twitter limited Follow Friday to one recommendation only and a proper reason had to be included for why we should follow another Twitter user.

* I wish I could choose exactly who shows up in my news feed on Facebook. I don’t want to build friend lists, I don’t want ‘recent news.’ I want to choose who appears there.

* I wish Facebook had never introduced ‘poking.’

* I wish everyone knew how to take great photos, use Photoshop and name their files correctly.

* I wish I could help the zillions of bloggers who have really bad blogs, can’t spell and have no idea how to make their YouTube video embeds the correct size. Which leads to …

* I wish there were many more hours in the day giving me enough time to do this and sleep.

‘This looks cool. I should check it out,’ I thought to myself.

Somehow I never did because I reminded myself that social media tools aren’t about automation and scheduling – sure plenty of people do it but it feels kind of inauthentic to me.

Just like slot machines, people are always trying to outwit the game – tweet between these times; always make it look like you’re on Twitter; tweet at least three times a day; don’t tweet at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

Yawn!

Tweet when you damn well want and if you don’t have anything to say for a week, then don’t use Twitter.

I get super irritated by all this scheduling, planning and strategizing. Things really aren’t that difficult. If you have something to say then go online and say it. If you don’t then, read a book.

Absolutely: monitor your social media accounts and respond to folks who are talking to you but I honestly don’t believe in ‘faking’ your online presence. Oh, I’m sure there are folks I follow who do it and I have no idea but it’s not something I would recommend.

The same thing applies to having someone else do your tweeting. It happens but I don’t agree with it.

Use social media tools when you do have the time. Don’t get caught up in the idea that you have to have a 24/7 perfect presence online. Just be normal. Just be human. Please.