We have discussed the ways to set up a Facebook account as either an individual or a business, and how the differences can be important for how your organization wants to reach out to people. We have also encouraged the use of the ‘Events’ feature in Facebook to advertise upcoming functions. But with so much new stuff to learn in/about Facebook (including face recognition, which we shall discuss in the near future), one might forget the need to check up on the basics to make sure they are also working to your best advantage.
For example, how many people have access to edit your organization’s Facebook account? Probably at the start one person did most of the work. But what if that person is not available or has moved to another company? Can someone else take over the duties of keeping your organization’s page current?
Remember: a business page serves a whole different set of needs from a personal page. You want the world to find your page, find it often, and share it with anyone and everyone (something few of us over 20 want to have happen to our personal pages). So, as Facebook periodically adjusts its privacy settings, you should periodically review those settings.
David Carr has an eleven-point checkup strategy for one’s business page on Facebook that really helps simplify and clarify other issues to consider. Some seem fairly obvious: review privacy settings to keep privacy low (Remember: a business is for advertising and a charity is for outreach to unknown supporters – open up!), review which apps you want to use and which can be deleted to clear up your page, and make your claim on Facebook Place as well.
A couple, though, might not be so evident. One we think worth noting is his number six: “Review your Wall and profile image Do they attract attention? Are they memorable and recognizable? Are they easy to read? Does the wall image use all the available space – 540 pixels high and 180 pixels wide?” He also provides a link to Tina Cook’s blog, which provides some great examples of personalized profile images.
So take some time in the next day or two to review your organization’s Facebook page. Any and every tool in the box needs the occasional cleaning, sharpening, and adjusting. We found David’s compendium an excellent means to ensure your business page is doing all it can do for your charity or nonprofit.
Thanks for the link to Tina Cook's blog. Looks like a good resource.