#2Oceans on the Tweet

So, after much deliberation about whether or not running the 2 Oceans would do my shin splints badly, I decided to run the race with a few of the GetFaster ladies. Realising that I would have a little spare time during the race, and not one to be missing out on an opportunity, I decided to tweet the experience from beginning to end. Here is my twitter stream from yesterday's #2Oceans Half Marathon, including photos and video interviews:

5 hours sleep. Awake and now in prep mode. I'll be blogging/vlogging the whole morning :) #2Oceans Sat 3 Apr, 4:05 am

Right. it's go time. Will be tweeting photos and video live from the #2Oceans Half Marathon as soon as it is light. #2Oceans Sat 3 Apr, 4:37 am

@nicmarais --> @sampaddock Enjoy, good luck. Wish I was running too! Sat 3 Apr, 4:39 am

@nicmarais thanks! I'll be tweeting during the race, including pics and video if you want to feel *digitally* part of the vibe :) Sat 3 Apr, 4:41 am

@JennySeabrook --> @sampaddock @Seabrook007 Good luck all of you Sat 3 Apr, 4:48 am

@justinbeswick --> @adelebasson @sampaddock have a great run this morning- hope u enjoy every step- see u on the road! #2oceans Sat 3 Apr, 4:58 am

The runners get down. Getting ready http://twitpic.com/1crrmo Sat 3 Apr, 5:12 am

Stretch time http://twitpic.com/1crsni Sat 3 Apr, 5:15 am

@justinbeswick good luck champ #2Oceans Sat 3 Apr, 5:16 am

@RenderingScene --> @sampaddock http://twitpic.com/1crrmo - The definately CRAZY people Sat 3 Apr, 5:52 am

@LeaBoy12 --> @sampaddock good luck Sam! http://myloc.me/5yuBU Sat 3 Apr, 5:55 am

Start of #2Oceans. Like cattle in E pen http://twitpic.com/1cs4xk Sat 3 Apr, 3:57 am

Qik - vibe at the start # 2Oceans by Sam Paddock http://qik.ly/BF4xk Sat 3 Apr, 6:01 am

http://qik.com/video/5825132

2.5 km mark. At the back, on track for a sub 1 hour. For the first 5km :) http://twitpic.com/1cscxd Sat 3 Apr, 6:25 am

@jeffdinc --> @sampaddock hook it bru! Sat 3 Apr, 6:28 am

Ripping it ip #2Oceans http://twitpic.com/1csiib 5km mark Sat 3 Apr, 6:44 am

Qik - Interview with a nun on the run #2Oceans by Sam Paddock (cut short due to technical issues) Sat 3 Apr, 6:54 am

http://qik.com/video/5825895

@elanlohmann --> @sampaddock going to pick up my gf just now. What's the best place to park for the finish? #2oceans Sat 3 Apr, 7:00 am

@elanlohmann park in main rd and walk up #2Oceans Sat 3 Apr, 7:17 am

Now this is the way to support #2Oceans http://twitpic.com/1cst8h Sat 3 Apr, 7:21 am

@flipsideza --> RT @sampaddock: Now this is the way to support #2Oceans http://twitpic.com/1cst8h Sat 3 Apr, 7:22 am

@aidencholes --> @sampaddock are you actually competing or out for a casual Sat morning stroll? ;) Sat 3 Apr, 7:23 am

@rochelleharwin --> @sampaddock My sis is near constantia nek, lauren with blonde hair and blue eyes. Grab her for a massage- She's excellent! Sat 3 Apr, 7:23 am

@andi_friedman --> Styling! RT @sampaddock: Now this is the way to support #2Oceans http://twitpic.com/1cst8h Sat 3 Apr, 7:27 am

@grantmonareng --> RT @flipsideza: RT @sampaddock: Now this is the way to support #2Oceans http://twitpic.com/1cst8h »talk about front row seat. Lol Sat 3 Apr, 7:28 am

Qik - high speed interview with 81 year old runner #2Oceans by Sam Paddock http://qik.ly/BF5cp (cut short due to technical issues) Sat 3 Apr, 7:28 am

http://qik.com/video/5826245

@PeetKruger --> RT @flipsideza: RT @sampaddock: Now this is the way to support #2Oceans http://twitpic.com/1cst8h Sat 3 Apr, 7:31 am

@aidencholes I'm almost walking :) http://twitpic.com/1cswvq Sat 3 Apr, 7:35 am

@aidencholes --> @sampaddock and having a fat jol at that Sat 3 Apr, 7:37 am

@rochelleharwin damn, missed her already. #2Oceans Sat 3 Apr, 7:38 am

@rochelleharwin --> @andi_friedman @sampaddock u guys r hilarious! Get on & run the race will u? Sat 3 Apr, 7:41 am

Did someone say beautiful run http://twitpic.com/1ct0r2 Sat 3 Apr, 7:48 am

@rochelleharwin @andi_friedman bring on the road :) Sat 3 Apr, 7:52 am

@aidencholes you know it http://twitpic.com/1ct2id Sat 3 Apr, 7:54 am

@jeffdinc --> @sampaddock no pain no gain! Ice cold beer waiting for you... Keep it up! Sat 3 Apr, 8:08 am

4km to go #2Oceans Sat 3 Apr, 8:09 am

iPhone battery fail #2Oceans Sat 3 Apr, 8:09 am

@MarcForrest --> @sampaddock turn off 3g, push and location services to save iPhone battery. !! Sat 3 Apr, 8:16 am

@jeffdinc get that ice cold beer ready!v #2Oceans Sat 3 Apr, 8:35 am

@RenderingScene --> @sampaddock are Jen and Jen still alive? Lindy #2Oceans Sat 3 Apr, 8:37 am

@justinbeswick --> @sampaddock hope u enjoyed the run- seemed like you did with all ur updates! Squeezed in a 1h40 - awesome vibes! #2oceans Sat 3 Apr, 9:03 am

@justinbeswick well done buddy! Awesome race. Such a great vibe #2Oceans Sat 3 Apr, 9:22 am

@neilhopwood --> Well done all the 2 Oceans runners esp. @joshmo2010 @robsyallen @seabrook007 @sampaddock http://twitpic.com/1ctsnj Sat 3 Apr, 9:25 am

GetFaster's running captain breaks 2 hours. Because he can http://twitpic.com/1ctsta well done @Seabrook007 Sat 3 Apr, 9:27 am

Proud moment for this woman. She has finished. #2Oceans http://twitpic.com/1ctvl2 Sat 3 Apr, 9:34 am

Winner of the Ultra Marathon. Incredible!!! http://twitpic.com/1ctx63 Sat 3 Apr, 9:40 am

@adelebasson --> He made it look so easy!! - RT @sampaddock: Winner of the Ultra Marathon. Incredible!!! http://twitpic.com/1ctx63 Sat 3 Apr, 9:54 am

@carla_fourie too true. Just ran the world's most beautiful race :) rip up the west coast Sat 3 Apr, 10:00 am

There isn't enough money in running. R150,000 for the winner of the ultra marathon. Lack of TV interest = no money. Not a suitable reward. Sat 3 Apr, 10:03 am

@deonheunis --> @sampaddock yes but you must admit watching people run slowly for 3 hours is hardly exciting ... #2Oceans ... Sat 3 Apr, 10:06 am

@rochelleharwin --> @sampaddock congrats on finishing #2oceans. And helping us all run the race with u. felt like i ran with all your updates :) Sat 3 Apr, 10:07 am

@tonyseifart --> Agreed Via @sampaddock: There isn't enough money in running. R150,000 for the winner Lack of TV interest = no money. Not a suitable reward. Sat 3 Apr, 10:08 am

@rochelleharwin thanks Rochelle. I had a lot of fun. Now... wish I was running with an iPad :) Sat 3 Apr, 11:00 am

@deonheunis agreed, and that's why their is no money. Wish there was a better business model for the sport. Sat 3 Apr, 11:01 am

@rory21 --> @sampaddock the winner's prize for the Argus was R16000. A R150 000 is awesome compared to it Sat 3 Apr, 11:05 am

I am going to stream video with Ustream next time. Qik iPhone app failed me during #2Oceans run. #GettingSmarter Sat 3 Apr, 11:09 am

True. Not enough cash for either. RT @rory21: @sampaddock the winner's prize for the Argus was R16000. A R150 000 is awesome compared to it Sat 3 Apr, 11:09 am

#2Oceans marathon, or waiting outside #5thAve for the #iPad. I'm not sure which one would result in greater pleasure. Sat 3 Apr, 11:46 am

@carla_fourie Ran with my Mom, who's just started running again :) We did 2hr 39min. Very stoked for her. Sat 3 Apr, 11:47 am

@carla_fourie --> @sampaddock That's great, well done to her! Maybe I'll give the half a shot next year :P Sat 3 Apr, 2:18 pm

@carla_fourie you must do the half next year! Turn the 6am gym sessions into 10km runs :) Sat 3 Apr, 3:00 pm

@SeanDLloyd --> @sampaddock http://twitpic.com/1cst8h - Ha ha ha caught me! I really need to stop being lazy and do some work Sat 3 Apr, 6:35 pm

Facebook releases conversion tracking tool

Facebook is now offering a BETA version of a new tracking tool that will help Facebook Advertisers easily understand and evaluate their ads' conversion rates. Click here to download the official guide to this BETA product. For the last year my Marketing Team have been using Google Analytics tracking to understand out Facebook ads conversion rates. As a result our PPC specialist spends a lot of her time setting up Google tracking links, adding these links to our Facebook ads and then crunching both Google Analytics data and Facebook ads data to determine which Facebook ads are converting at a reasonable cost. The introduction of an integrated conversion tracking tool for all our Facebook ads will streamline the process of evaluating Facebook ad conversions and save my team a lot of time.

But there is a challenge. Facebook's conversion tracking tool only provides javascript code that can be embedded at the bottom of a web page, meaning that we can only track a user action that results in the load of a web page. Here is an example of the code that Facebook provides:

<!-- Paste this code just above the closing </body> to record every pageload as a conversion. --> <script src="//ah8.facebook.com/js/conversions/tracking.js"></script><script type="text/javascript"> try { FB.Insights.impression({ 'id' : xxx, 'h' : 'xx' }); } catch (e) {} </script>

My challenge is that the user event that we want to track is the download of a PDF document. My business, GetSmarter, offers online training courses, and once a potential students has landed on our website, we want them to download an Information Pack about one of our courses by clicking on a "Download an Information Pack" link. Now, I know that we could change the way our website initiates the download of the PDF document... but I don't want to. I want to find a way that I can format the tracking code included above to be part of a Javascript "onclick" event.

I have made this request for new functionality with Facebook via their suggestion form. If you have any suggestions for them, log into your Facebook account and do the same.

My first blog post... and it's about time!

Well... my blog is set up and ready to go. Having been engaged with the Internet since 1996, and having built 3 businesses on the back of it, I am a little embarrassed at how long it has taken me to get a personal blog up and running. My intention is to use it as "My Home on the Web". I will use it to aggregate content I post on social networks, publish articles on a variety of subjects that interest me and generally have a bit of fun. Boom!