Information current as of October 2009

(words to be hyperlinked are in plum and the links are in parentheses next to those words – all yellow highlighted text to be deleted before going live online)

Facebook (link: http://www.facebook.com)

(Franji, when you lay this out online, put the following in a sidebar)

At a glance… Facebook is the most popular “all purpose” social networking glossary.doc site. Users can share news and media with friends, participate in group discussions, and

receive news updates from their favorite companies, products, and organizations. A profile can be created and edited in less than five minutes. A Facebook account only takes 15 to 30 minutes of maintenance work each day. User demographics (Source: http://www.quantcast.com/facebook.com):

o More than 90 million active users in the United Stateso 57% are female o 50% are between the ages of 18 and 34o 20% are between the ages of 14 and 17o 78% are Caucasiano 58% report a household income of $60,000 and moreo 42% have completed or partially completed their college educationo 47% live with children 17 years of age and younger

What is it?

Facebook.com (http://www.facebook.com) is a free social networking website. It’s a place where friends “hang out” online, sharing moments from their lives, promoting causes, or passing on funny videos or news items. People network here, just as they do in person after work, only now, they can network with anyone anywhere.

This leading social networking site has surpassed MySpace (http://www.myspace.com) with the most active monthly users, and the number continues to grow. Teenagers love the entertaining eye candy of MySpace glossary.doc, but as they mature and enter college, they tend to migrate to Facebook.

Facebook incorporates some of the fun features of MySpace and doesn’t quite reach the purely professional status of a LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com) account.

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Usefulness

Reaching younger adult audiences. Facebook’s first incarnation was that of a college-student-only social networking site. The earliest members were required to have a college email address to register and use the site’s services. Later, the site opened its doors to everyone, and younger children and adults started joining. The site still retains its association with college students, mostly due to strong usage by adults between the ages of 18 and 34.

Popularity. Facebook is the most popular all-purpose social networking site, attracting users from a variety of backgrounds and ages. The audience potential, coupled with the site’s tools available to businesses and nonprofits, make it the workhorse of organizational social networking initiatives.

Customization. Facebook’s privacy options and applications are far more customizable than their MySpace counterparts and, while flexible, do not allow for extravagant graphic designs that are commonly found on other social networking sites. The options are richer, but profiles and pages retain a professional, organized quality.

Community. Facebook provides an interconnected collection of personal profiles, private and public groups and causes, and business and nonprofit pages tied together by a shared website. Nearly every piece of information provides links for users to share it with their friends: an invitation to join a group, a request to play a game, or a link to a news article. There are thousands of social sites on the internet, but none match Facebook’s power to bring millions of worldwide users from all walks of life together.

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Account Types

There are two types of accounts on Facebook: a business account that allows for the creation of “pages,” and an individual account that lets you create a personal “profile.”

Business Account

A business account is suitable for any non-individual entity (unless you’re self-employed), including sports teams, community groups, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.

If you belong to a group or are passionate about an issue, you should open a business account and create a page where people can become “fans.” When someone becomes a fan of your page, it means they can see all activity on your page, including new messages, videos, and photos. Fans are able to post any content to the page unless you as the owner restrict some or all types of posts.

This connection with your page’s fans means that: If you update your status on your organization’s page, your fans will see that. If someone becomes a fan or your organization’s page, their friends will see that. If you post something like a photo or link on your page, your fans will see that. If fans post something to your page, other fans will see that.

You can authorize other users with individual or business accounts to become administrators of your pages. If the users you authorize as administrators have an individual account, they can perform features that a business account owner cannot, including:

“Suggesting” a page to their friends. Posting links and updates from your pages onto their individual accounts for their entire

network to see. Searching for other users and viewing personal profiles. Participating in groups. Using the private messaging system.

Owners of a business account are not automatically given a personal profile when they register, but it is possible to create one. However, there’s a catch: creating a personal profile on a business account will convert your membership to an individual account permanently and as long as this individual account is active, you cannot delete your personal profile––only hide it from view by changing your privacy options.

If you convert your business account to an individual account and want to start over, you can permanently delete your individual account (http://www.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=delete_account) and set up a business account again.

Pros for a group using a business account: No individual can “own” the group’s page. Using a business account to maintain

your pages ensures that the account stays in the hands of your group in the event of personnel change.

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It’s a more professional representation to use a business account. Most businesses, nonprofits, and other groups use a business account without creating a personal profile. It’s standard practice for groups to use a business account’s pages to promote their causes.

Cons for a group using a business account:

Owners of business accounts cannot use the private messaging system. In addition to adding page administrators, be sure to display other contact information so fans can reach you if they must communicate information not appropriate over discussion boards or your page’s wall.

Owners of business accounts cannot use the search function or access personal profiles.

The following image is an illustration of how the various parts of a business account relate to each other:

(PLACEHOLDER FOR NEW RELATIONSHIP GRAPHIC)

Individual Account

An individual account is what most account holders on Facebook like to use. Signing up for an individual account grants a user ownership of a personal profile, which includes customizable information fields such as favorite books, relationship status, and education history.

In order for individuals to make the most out of each interaction on Facebook, they must become friends with other individuals. When you “friend” someone on Facebook, it means that you have

Information current as of October 2009

sent a friend request to another user. If the other user accepts the request, both of your Facebook accounts are connected and each of you can see the other’s latest activity and profile.

The main place to see this latest activity is through the “Home View”, which is what users see when they first log on to their accounts. By default, friends have access to other friends’ photos, any provided personal information (colleges, favorite books and movies, phone numbers), and their contacts list.

This type of account also includes the ability to create pages like a business account, although the pages are forever tied to the individual profile.

This “friends” connection means that: If you update your status on your personal profile, your friends will see that. If someone adds you as a friend, their friends will see that. If you post something like a photo or link on your page, your friends will see that.

Pros for a group using an individual account:

You can use the search feature to look for any individual, page, or group. You can use the private messaging system and view personal profiles.

Cons for a group using an individual account:

A group that creates an individual account and publishes its own pages and personal profile will confuse supporters.

Individual accounts are equipped with features clearly intended for casual users, not groups. Although individual accounts may provide additional social features that are useful, it isn’t intended for groups to use individual accounts in this way. Most groups keep business accounts.

Registration for a Business Account

The following is the process for creating a business account to create and administer your group’s pages.

Sign up for a business account on Facebooko Navigate to the Facebook (http://www.facebook.com) home page.o Click the “Create a Page” link located below the registration form.o Click the “Brand, Product, or Organization” circle.o Choose the “Non-Profit” or “Government” setting in the pull-down list.o Fill in the required information.o Click the “Create Page” button.o Check the email address you provided for a confirmation email.o Click on the link provided in the confirmation email.o Familiarize yourself with your newly created page!

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Develop your organization’s new page for maximum exposure:o Do not click the “Create Your Profile” link at the top.o Click the “Write something about…” link and fill in your group’s information.

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o Click on the question mark picture to upload a page photo.o Click the “Change Profile Picture” link.o Browse for your desired photo and check the “I certify…” box.o Click the “Upload Picture” button.o Click the “Back to editing…” link at the top of the page.o Click the “View Page” link.o Click the “Options” link by the picture of the magnifying glass.o Click the “Settings” link that follows.o Select “Posts by Page and Fans” in the “Default View” drop-down box.o Click the “Info” tab.o Fill in information in the “Basic Info” and “Detailed Info” tabs.o Click the “Photos” tab.o Upload and organize desired pictures and/or albums.o Click the “Edit Page” link on the left side of the page.o Toggle options and click the “Save Changes” button in each section.o Click the “Settings” link at the top of the page.o Toggle options and click the “Save Changes” button under each tab.

Publish your pageo Check the information you provided for errors, misspellings, etc.o Navigate to where you are viewing your own page.o Click the red “Publish this Page” link at the top of the page.

Information current as of October 2009

To create additional pages, click the “Create Page” link on a business account’s “Pages” section. Also, see the Facebook video tutorial link to tutorial for detailed information on how to maximize your effectiveness with a Facebook business account.

Default Page Features

After creating your first page, you will see a few features that have already been activated and are ready for interaction:

Wall. The main view of every page is called the “wall,” where you and your fans can post content. Mixed in with the content is other recent activity. For example, if a page called “H1N1 Volunteers” had added a discussion board and created a new discussion called “Flu Shots,” all of the fans of that page would see a message announcing that activity.

Info. Each page is equipped with an information tab which lists an organization’s website address, an overview of the organization, and the organization’s mission.

Photos. Organizations can upload their collections of photographs and control their fans’ access to them. Pictures can be uploaded one at a time or in large batches. Users can comment on photos and even share them with other friends, depending on the privacy settings.

Boxes. Facebook’s way of keeping profiles clear of clutter is to provide a “Boxes” tab that lets users store applications (see “Applications section) in one place. Applications glossary.doc can also be hidden from view completely or added as a new tab.

Converting a Business Account to an Individual Account

If you want to convert your business account to an individual account, click the “Create Your Profile” link at the top of any Facebook page. Follow the prompts and submit desired information to customize your personal profile. Again, the creation of this personal profile will make the conversion to an individual account complete. It is permanent and cannot be undone. If you do this by mistake, you will need to delete your individual account and create your business account again.

Individual Account Privacy

Users must be 13 years of age and older to register on Facebook. You can restrict access to certain features of a personal profile in the “Privacy Settings” section, including: who can see your profile, which sections of your profile your friends can see, and which elements strangers can see. Other users’ settings control what portions of their profiles you can see.

If you want to use your new personal profile for outreach, you probably want to turn all the privacy setting off so that others can find your profile and view it freely.

If you created a profile but don’t want the public to see it, you will want to hide your profile from searches and make it invisible to everybody but the contacts you approve. Depending on

Information current as of October 2009

your needs, each section and application attached to a profile has privacy options that can be toggled on or off.

To allow maximum exposure for your personal profile, follow these steps: Hover the mouse cursor over the “Settings” link at the top of any Facebook web page. Click the “Privacy Settings” link. Click the “Profile” link. Select “Everyone” in every pull-down box. Click the “Save Changes” button. Click the “Edit Photo Albums Privacy Settings” link. Select “Everyone” in every pull-down box. Click the “Save Settings” button. Click the “Back to Privacy Overview” link. Click the “Profile” link. Check the “Friends may post to my Wall” box. Click the “Save Changes” button. Click the “Contact Information” tab. Select the desired contact level in every pull-down box. Hover your mouse cursor over the “Settings” link at the top of the Facebook page. Click the “Privacy Settings” link. Click the “Search” link. Select “Everyone” in the “Search Visibility” pull-down menu. Check every box. Click the “Save Changes” button.

To moderately protect your profile but still be viewed in searches, follow these steps: Hover the mouse cursor over the “Settings” link at the top of any Facebook web page. Click the “Privacy Settings” link. Click the “Profile” link. Select the desired contact level in every pull-down box. Click the “Save Changes” button. Click the “Edit Photo Albums Privacy Settings” link. Select the desired contact level in every pull-down box. Click the “Save Settings” button. Click the “Back to Privacy Overview” link. Click the “Profile” link. Check the “Friends may post to my Wall” box. Click the “Save Changes” button. Click the “Contact Information” tab. Select the desired contact level in every pull-down box. Hover your mouse cursor over the “Settings” link at the top of the Facebook page. Click the “Privacy Settings” link. Click the “Search” link. Select the desired contact level in the “Search Visibility” pull-down menu. Check desired boxes. Click the “Save Changes” button.

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To completely hide your personal profile, follow these steps:

Hover the mouse cursor over the “Settings” link at the top of any Facebook web page. Click the “Privacy Settings” link. Click the “Search” link. Select “Customize…” in the “Search Visibility” pull-down menu. Uncheck the “Everyone on Facebook” box. Click the “Only Friends” circle. Select “None of My Networks” in the “Networks” pull-down menu. Uncheck every box. Click the “Save Changes” button.

Applications

Facebook features more than 20,000 applications—add-ons that can add functionality to a page. For example, some applications make small windows in your profile that display your latest blog posts. Others let you display a picture slideshow or provide files for users to access and download. Applications are expected to be on a nonprofit Facebook site because they provide unique features and content that make a page an exciting draw––something with which supporters want to interact.

Add applications to your business account or pages to improve their drawing power and functionality.

o Click the “Edit Page” link on the left side of the page.o Click the pen icon in the “More Applications” section of the page.o Perform a keyword search or browse for a desired application.o Click on that application’s link.o Click on the “Go to Application” button.o Click the “Allow” button.o Repeat steps to add more applications as desired.

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The following are some applications of particular interest to health departments and nonprofits:

Causes (http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2318966938) lets fans support your cause and donate funds. Organizations can add this application and share information with new and current supporters. These supporters can share causes with their friends and ask for support. Causes can even support other causes.

Causes may not result in an overwhelming amount of donations for your organization, but one of its values lies in its ability to connect you with users who would not have otherwise found your organization.

Information current as of October 2009

To ensure maximum exposure for your Cause, follow these steps: If you have not added the “Causes” application, add it by navigating to the “Causes”

section. Hover your mouse over the “Your Causes” link at the top of the page. Click on the Cause you wish to edit. Click on the “Admin Center” link. Edit the Cause’s information and click the “Save Changes” button. Navigate between the different tabs and toggle settings as desired.

Please see the Facebook Causes video for detailed information on how to use this application.

YouTube Box (http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2513891999) lets you display your favorite YouTube link to glossary videos for all your contacts to watch. This is important for an organization which has placed its videos and announcements on YouTube and wants to increase exposure.

Twitter (http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2231777543) allows you to link your Twitter link to glossary.doc and Facebook account and update your Facebook status through Twitter.

My Flickr (http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2352557895) allows you to link your Flickr link to glossary and Facebook account. Users can view and comment on your photos and photosets without leaving Facebook.

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Social RSS (http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=23798139265) allows you to display blog updates, Twitter updates (also called “tweets”), and RSS feeds link to glossary to contacts.

NetworkedBlogs (http://www.networkedblogs.com) allows you to link directly to your Facebook account and show your blog updates as posts to your wall. These posts will show up in your friends’ news feeds. Readers can follow your blog by using the NetworkedBlogs Facebook application.

Events (http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2344061033) The “Events” section allows organizations to create entries for upcoming…events! Those events may be online, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, or at your office. Organizations can invite guests, provide information about the event, and select various privacy options––including whether guests can invite their friends along or not.

Discussion Boards (http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2373072738) Owners of business accounts cannot create groups, but they can employ the same functionality by activating discussion boards on their pages. Users can create topics of conversation and others can respond to them. It’s like a group inside of a Facebook page.

Videos (http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2392950137) Facebook features a video section where users can upload and share their own videos. Nonprofits can use this video feature to upload their productions and display them on their pages. Other third party applications can also be added and used to share video.

Most of your pages’ settings, including that of the various applications you have added, can be controlled from the business account’s “Pages” section, shown in the following image.

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Be sure to activate the setting that enables updates from your pages to go to your fans’ news feeds on their accounts’ homeview screens. If your updates are sent directly to where Facebook users first look for new information, it will encourage more participation with your pages.

To activate this option: Navigate to the “Pages” section in your business account. Click the “Small Pencil” icon in the right corner of the “Links” box. Click the “Application Settings” link. Click the “Additional Permissions” tab. Check the “Publish to streams” box. Click the “Okay” button.

Best Practices

Do:If you have an individual account, you should:

o Log in regularly to keep current with messages, friend requests, events, and other items of business.

o Regularly check the email address you provided when signing up for Facebook in case of special announcements. If you’ve signed up for email alerts from

Information current as of October 2009

Facebook (located in the “Account Settings” section) you can control the types of alerts Facebook sends to your email inbox.

o Browse other organizations’ pages and discussion boards to be aware of attitudes and trends.

If you have a business account, you should:o Check your account frequently to keep on top of wall posts, discussion board

conversations, and any communications sent through other applications––especially the “Causes” application.

o Provide contact information and links to other webpages and social media sites in case a supporter would like to contact you another way, since you will not be able to send or receive private messages like an individual user.

o Read official Facebook news releases and independent articles to be aware of attitudes and trends.

Owners of business accounts and individual accounts should:o Strike a balance between applications and content. Remember, most users care

about the value of the content you provide and the results your work achieves. A good use of media strengthens your message and doesn’t distract your supporters.

o Post updates/messages that are appropriate and relevant to your intended audience. A good goal is to post several times a day if you have good information to share. This lets you set a comfortable routine without feeling pressured to send out a lot of content. Try to space your updates out over the course of a working day. Users with a significant number of friends and “fanned” pages may receive a lot of updates, so you will get lost in the shuffle if you send out all of your updates at the same time.

o Be personable. Don’t rely on copying and pasting for every communication.

Don’t: Disappear for too long. Fans will stop checking profiles and/or pages if they think

they’ve been abandoned. Update too frequently. A handful of useful posts a day is average, but your fans will get

annoyed if you fill up their screens with announcements. Neglect your homework. Make sure everything you connect with and support is a

legitimate, professional organization.

Growing a Network

Since owners of business accounts will not be actively seeking and finding contacts via search, the friend suggestions feature, and activity feeds, you will need to grow your organization’s support base a little differently through the addition of fans and supporters. In addition to letting those who administer your pages suggest pages to their friends, and linking to you via their accounts, you can also spread the word about your Facebook pages through other venues:

Participation. The easiest way to raise awareness of your organization or program is to communicate with related and/or neighboring organizations and groups. Supporting other causes,

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giving feedback to supporters, and participating in various forums outside of Facebook will raise your visibility and compel other users to explore your organization and your goals. If they like what you have to say, it is likely they will follow the trail to your social media projects, including Facebook.

Publicize. Place a Facebook button on your website or blog to drive visitors to your profile. These free tools can be found on many websites, including AddThis (http://www.addthis.com/) and AddToAny (http://www.addtoany.com). Facebook also provides “badges” to its members for use in print or on the web. These small graphics (see example) can be used and embedded in print literature or embedded on another website and linked directly to your Facebook page.

Time Requirements

Maintaining a successful Facebook account requires attention to daily activity and sending out quality information to supporters and other audiences. In 30 minutes or less, it is possible to:

post some updates and links check the statuses of applications on your pages read the newest Facebook news releases participate in discussions on partners’ pages support new causes

Measuring Success

There are several simple exercises you can do to periodically to review your organization’s outreach: Analyze the response to content. Look for evidence based upon response to the content

you provide. Are fans commenting positively on status updates and links? Are fans writing posts on your profile asking how they can get involved? What are you hoping to accomplish by using social media? What do you think your fans want to see? Enjoy your successes and strive to improve in other areas.

Ask for help. Other nonprofits that have used social media for a longer period can help prevent many newbie mistakes that might hamper your programs. Ask for advice and recognize what strategies can work for your organization.

Check your statistics. Each Facebook page has a utility called “Insights” built into it. For each page that you create, you can track various statistics about the page, including tallies of comments, wall posts, and “likes.” Other sections let you view various counts such as your total page views, new fans, and removed fans. “Insights” is useful for determining what content and actions benefit your message the most.

Please see the Facebook video tutorial link to video tutorial for detailed information on how to use this social media tool.