Using Social Media to promote your organization. Facebook Using Social Media to promote your organization.

Why would I want to be on facebook? Social media use by Universities is now ubiquitous, but why? Reason Number 1: Your target audience is there. Executive Director of Public Affairs at Syracuse University – “Prospective students, parents, current students, alumni — one common area in which they are all present in one way or another is on Facebook” Reason Number 2: You can share your content with them, for “free”. Nothing is free in the sense that someone will have to spend some time managing your page and content. Reason Number 3: You can create an online discussion about your product or service among your customers and future customers. If you are doing everything else right, this will only help spread your message.

What are other universities doing on facebook? In 2007 61% of Universities surveyed (according to the University of Massachustess at Dartmouth said they had a presence on Facebook. In 2011 100% of Universities surveyed said they had a Facebook presence. 7 Ways Universities are Using Facebook as a Marketing Tool (Mashable.com) 1. Virtual Tours – at its most complex a virtual tour is a way for students that have not been to campus, or cannot get to campus, to see what the university grounds look like. On the other hand this could mean just taking and posting photos of the campus and classrooms. 2. School pride – making a Facebook profile for the school mascot, or the various athletic teams lets people connect to the school and feel like being a fan is appreciated. 3. School swag – make a page or link to a place where students can download school branded materials, or order official gear. 4. Alumni Groups – can range from a place for the former Bearkats to get together and reminisce, or a fully fledged alumni informational portal. 5. Sharing department content – work with Steven Keating to assure SHSU cohesion on Facebook. 6. Reaching out to prospective students – Inigral’s Schools App, give access to high school students that have been admitted to SHSU. 7. Facebook Places as Advertisements – setup places at SHSU for students to “check in” that way all of their friends will be made aware of the school through these updates.

Create Your Page

Create your page Go to Facebook.com and look at the bottom right of the screen for the Create a Page link. Now Facebook needs to know what kind of Page your are creating

Create your Account

Business Account Difference between a Page and Profile on Facebook - http://www.socialreflections.com/difference- between-a-page-and-profile-on-facebook/ Businesses are only allowed to open pages NOT profile. A business which opens a profile page is in direct violation of TOS. Business pages allow other users to become fans, but access to the individual profile pages are limited. Business pages do not allow the ability to invite friends – in fact business pages cannot maintain a friends list – they can only maintain a fan list. In fact this feature is disabled on business pages. Business pages do allow updating your status (which gets shared with your fans) Business pages allow: pictures, videos, discussion board, application, wall posts, groups and other interactive elements. If you don’t have (or don’t want to use) a personal account, you can setup a business account to manage your Facebook Page. If that is not going to work then you will need to use a personal account to create and maintain your Facebook Page.

Page Content

Page Content Write to your audience Not too formal Focus on what you are doing for them, or can do for them. Pictures from events, staff photos, anything that can put a face to your name. Address these three areas: Basic Information, Social Networking, and updates, updates, updates Basic Information: make your Facebook page a home for all the static information an interested party might require. Physical location, mission statement, goals, etc. Social Networking: Use your page to advertise for other related pages, and they will (hopefully) do the same for your page. Updates – keep current. Nothing looks as bad as a social media site that has not been touched for months. Old content that is obviously outdated is worse than not having a page at all.

Page promotion

Page Promotion How do I get people onto the Page I created? Word of mouth Add it to all correspondence (e-mails signatures, flyers, hand-outs, etc.) Add it to business cards Make your Page stand out in an extremely crowded world Use more than static information – pictures, videos, links, etc. Start a discussion, host a poll, make the visitors interact with each other. Get a Facebook Fan Page Badge posted on your website to automate the process of joining your fanpage. Read articles and blogs about social media such as this one: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/21-creative-ways-to-increase-your-facebook-fanbase/

events

Events Events on Facebook are a great way for you to improve attendance at real-world events. You can also setup events on your page for deadlines, and online events. Moderators can be chosen for each event so that more than one person can communicate the details of the event to your fan base. Facebook will handle the RSVPs for you inside of Facebook, so you don’t have to keep track of e-mails. Each fan of the page will get an invite and can choose: Not attending, Attending, or Maybe Attending. Event pictures can be posted on the page and let people see how things went.

Final thoughts Aliza Sherman - 10 Golden Rules of Social Media Key Points Communicate and connect, don’t market and sell, your audience is smart enough to feel the difference. Listen and read carefully, when your customers or constituents go to the trouble of typing something they will not be pleased if they have to repeat themselves or correct one of your employee’s understanding of their issue. Respond – think of Facebook as more than just an online business card and information center, your audience will assume that questions asked on the Facebook page will be read and answered by a staff member within a short amount of time. For the rest please read the full article: http://gigaom.com/collaboration/10-golden-rules-of-social-media/

Final thoughts Brian Solis and Mashable.com – 21 Rules for Social Media Engagement http://mashable.com/2010/05/18/rules-social-media-engagment/ Paraphrased from his list: 1. See what others are doing that have a similar organization or goal. 2. Don’t stay on your page, go forth and explore, share your organization’s opinion on issues that are appropriate. 3. Your organization’s “personality” should be mirrored in your social media employees. 10. Don’t speak at audiences with canned messages. 12. Don’t just listen and placate – act. If possible share with the community what you were able to do. 14. Learn from each engagement. Make sure your organization is made aware of the customer concerns voiced on social media. 19. Un-campaign – create ongoing programs that have inherent value and don’t exist solely to advertise your organization. 20. Un-market – become a resource to your community For the complete list please read Brian Solis’ Mashable.com article.