Facebook 101

I know I don’t have to do a Facebook 101.

Perhaps I am wrong but I suspect most of my readers know how to use Facebook. My mother is even on Facebook! Although, since my mother also has a blog - that isn’t a great example.

I did however, want to share something that I learned today about Facebook:

I have a best friend, we have known each other since second grade, and we are both on Facebook. I never see any of her news feeds, and she never gets mine. We thought that perhaps it was because I post at night, and she checks in the morning and by the time that happens mine has rolled on by. But we tested that theory. She still didn’t get my feed if she went on an hour after I wrote a note, uploaded a picture or changed my profile.

Today I learned why! I was reading my usual string of blogs on Google Reader when I read Scobleizer and had an “Aha!” moment - which felt more like an “of course you dumb *ss” moment. Check this out:

There’s a set of algorithms that keep track of which friends of yours are closer friends to you than others. For instance, if you write on someone’s wall, you’ll get more of their items.

So since my best friend and I keep in contact via phone, mobile, and email - rather than wall, facebook mail and profile updates - to the Facebook algorithm we aren’t close friends so likely we don’t want to hear about each other on the News Feed.

Well I must run and send her a Facebook email, writer on her wall and maybe send a free gift.