Using Facebook to promote your organisation
With 1 billion users it's hard to ignore Facebook. For your organisation, it's a quick, free and controllable way of letting local people know what's going on.
Choosing which type of page you want
Users who 'like' you become 'fans'
Option 1 - Create a ‘Fan Page’
This allows other users to say that they ‘like’ your organisation and they’ll then see your ‘updates’. You can’t currently send emails to your ‘fans’ but they should see your comments when they log in to their account.
Be realistic though - a local wildlife charity or cupcake shop is more likely to get 'fans' than a logistics consultancy.
One advantage of Fan Pages is that you are able to hide the ‘wall’ (the area where users leave comments) and so stop other people leaving un-moderated comments.
Fan pages also show up on Google searches, whereas ‘groups’ don’t. You can also get a more user-friendly fanpage address by visiting facebook.com/username
This allows other users to say that they ‘like’ your organisation and they’ll then see your ‘updates’. You can’t currently send emails to your ‘fans’ but they should see your comments when they log in to their account.
Be realistic though - a local wildlife charity or cupcake shop is more likely to get 'fans' than a logistics consultancy.
One advantage of Fan Pages is that you are able to hide the ‘wall’ (the area where users leave comments) and so stop other people leaving un-moderated comments.
Fan pages also show up on Google searches, whereas ‘groups’ don’t. You can also get a more user-friendly fanpage address by visiting facebook.com/username
Option 2 - Create a 'Group'
'Groups' are difficult to moderate
Groups are now best for groups of
friends who want to chat and contact each other regularly.
This option might work for a youth group, but it doesn’t allow you much control over who says what and to whom.
Conclusion: For most organisations, a ‘fan page’ is the best option.
This option might work for a youth group, but it doesn’t allow you much control over who says what and to whom.
Conclusion: For most organisations, a ‘fan page’ is the best option.
Increasing your fan number
Without a budget, the best technique is to ‘suggest’ that
friends might want to become fans and then ask fans to send similar
‘suggestions’ to their own friends.
You can also add a ‘like’ button on your own website (if you have one), like mine at the bottom of the page.
For more on social media, see the Twitter Guide.
You can also add a ‘like’ button on your own website (if you have one), like mine at the bottom of the page.
For more on social media, see the Twitter Guide.
How to make the most of your 'fans'
Not that type of fan
Unfortunately, Facebook has removed the option to send an
email to all of your ‘fans’ but you can invite them to an 'event' or send an update, which will then appear on their ‘news feed’. It’s not a guaranteed way of reaching
them but it’s still pretty effective.
As a general rule, make your updates:
- Regular, but not too regular - so that you appear on the news feed regularly but not so much that people get bored of seeing you and delete you.
- Short - so that readers aren’t put off by a huge bulk of text. You can always link to a more detailed article on your own website.
For example, a nice update might be: "New cupcake flavour released in 24 hours time at Cath's Cupcake Kingdom on Sometown High Street. Free cupcake for the first 10 people to turn up at 10am on Saturday!"
As a general rule, make your updates:
- Regular, but not too regular - so that you appear on the news feed regularly but not so much that people get bored of seeing you and delete you.
- Short - so that readers aren’t put off by a huge bulk of text. You can always link to a more detailed article on your own website.
For example, a nice update might be: "New cupcake flavour released in 24 hours time at Cath's Cupcake Kingdom on Sometown High Street. Free cupcake for the first 10 people to turn up at 10am on Saturday!"