2. Paste the URL into the Status field on your Facebook Page

3. After Facebook automatically generates the image^† and title from the URL, click the +Upload Image icon

4. Select the desired image from your computer, idealy in a 470:246 ratio

5. Once the new image has generated from the upload, add your copy including #HashTags and links, and click the Publish button at the bottom right of the post

6. The final Facebook post

† You may need to use the Facebook Developer Debugger tool if the image doesn’t appear after pasting in the URL

Google URL Shortener

The Google URL Shortener can help you create a smaller URL to pages for use in posting about them in Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and more. It also allows you to track how many visitors have clicked on the link. For example:

http://www.theflowerlady.com/the-flower-lady-blog/diy-project-a-garbage-can-becomes-an-urban-planter/

becomes

http://goo.gl/4bzrua

After 5 years serving the ProStores eCommerce Community it's with a sad heart that I say goodbye to a platform that has served us all well. It had its bugs, it was admittedly dated, but—as many of us who are moving into new platforms have discovered—it had its virtues and strengths as well that have been hard to replace.

My test ProStores, Fauxlaroids.com (raised from the ashes, but not quite yet its old self), as well as blog.fauxlaroids.com, had become a resource to many merchants and Tech Support Agents alike for web design, SSML code solutions, and tutorials on how to configure various aspects of the platform. It was pleasure putting these resources together, and a joy to know that so many benefited from the long evening hours spent creating them.

But time stands still for no man (or technology), so let us raise a symbolic glass to an old friend as it sails off into the night.

Like many ProStores merchants, I have moved on to Bigcommerce, both as a Partner/Reseller and as a merchant. I chose to migrated my "real" ProStores account, SurplusCameraGear.com, to the platform in empathetic solidarity with the mass of ProStores refugees in need of a new home. Since I've been busy helping other merchants with their migration from ProStores to Bigcommerce, my own site is being neglected (isn't that the way it goes?). I'll be working on it as time allows, and hope, before long, to have it up & running again better than before.

I'm excited about this new venture, helping merchants with their migration process, and getting my own store back in shape. Nostalgia aside, Bigcommerce has many features that ProStores' merchants had been requesting for years, such as the abandoned cart saver, product reviews, a wide variety of payment gateways, and—of course—an integrated blog. There are also some powerful SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tools that I am looking forward to working with.

I look forward as well to developing this site, SurplusCameraGear.com, and this blog into a resource like Fauxlaroids.com as well, sharing my insights and experience as I move through the merchant experience.

Whether you need customizations to your eCommerce or informational web site, a new logo, promotional banner or action button, the PlatinumWebGroup is ready to lend a hand.

Need to change a product image? Update a description? Add a new category or page to your site, but you're too busy fulfilling orders or managing your brick-and-mortar location? No problem! Subscribe to our Concierge Service and our team will take care of these mundane details for you, so you can focus on your core business.

We'll also bring our expertise to bear in helping you with your Search Engine Optimization (SEO), polishing and optimizing your page content, images, titles and tags to help increase your page ranking and conversions.