Working Differently:Building Community With

Facebook Fan Pages

Bob Bertsch

Facebook Profiles, Groups and Pages

ProfilesA Facebook Profile is meant for individuals only, according to Facebook’s Terms of Service.If you are a person and want to join Facebook, set up a Profile.

Facebook Profiles, Groups and Pages

GroupsFacebook Groups are spaces on Facebook where people can connect around a topic or issue and have deeper discussions.If building a community and engaging in more in-depth discussions are your goals, then Groups are more effective than Pages.

Facebook Profiles, Groups and Pages

PagesFacebook Pages provide a place for users to connect with authors, celebrities, products, companies, organizations and campaigns.

Pages are the only part of Facebook that is fully viewable to the general public who are not logged into the site.

Creating a Page

Go to www.facebook.com to log in to or create your account. Go to www.facebook.com/pages to create a page.

Creating a Page

Choose the type of page your are creating.Choose a category (Education for NDSU Extension pages).Choose a name for your page.Include "NDSU" or "NDSU Extension" in your page title when appropriate, for example "NDSU Extension - Cass County"

Page Settings

Choose to be yourself or your page when commenting and posting to your page.New pages allow you to interact as your page throughout Facebook.

Page Permissions

Allowing users to post to your page is critical for engaging them and building community.

Basic Information

Be sure to include contact info and, especially, your web page address.

Profile Picture

• Start with a quality photo.• Be consistent. Don't change it every day or even

every month. It is your logo.

Profile Picture

•  Get the size right (200 pixels wide)

Profile Picture

• Edit your thumbnail. This is how your users will identify you most of the time.

Featured

Feature pages you like to build relationships between other pages and their users.Add featured page owners (admins) to add faces behind the brand.

Marketing

Use a badge or like box to connect your web page with your Facebook page.Create an alias or username  to get a concise URL (http://www.facebook.com/NDSUExtension)

Facebook Apps

Apps can be a good way to build community on your Facebook page. Facebook apps like Events, Photos and Videos area must.

Third-party apps can be useful, but should be used with caution.They can make your page look too much like a page for a for-profit brand.They can also contain viruses and make your profile info vulnerable.

Building Community By Posting

• Post to your page frequently and in different day parts

• Be personable, but also be relevant and add value

• Do not automate posts

• Post more than text: pictures, videos and links

Building Community By Engaging

• Allow users to post to your wall

• Ask questions and invite feedback in your posts

• Respond to comments and user posts as soon as possible

• Consider polls and other apps to encourage user feedback

Building Community By Sharing

• Use Facebook "as your page" to like other pages (NDSU Extension Service, North Dakota 4H, etc.) and to comment on posts

• Re-share posts from other pages and users being sure to use "@" before the user or page name in the post

• Use other social media (Twitter) and your web site to highlight your Facebook page and vice-versa

Learn More

Get more information on "Working Differently", share your thoughts and access the "Working Differently in Extension" podcast at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/workingdifferently

Check out all of the "Working Differently" training opportunities at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/agcomm/events  Follow @ndbob and @JulieKuehlNDSU on Twitter Like the NDSU Ag Comm Web Service Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NDSUAgCommWebServices