Social Media and Facebook Guide

Facebook, Twitter and other social media services have made a big splash in the Web community recently and we have seen an increase in COCC-related groups creating online profiles and pages. Facebook is an excellent way to reach your community and promote interactive discussion, but please be sure your pages represent the college in a professional manner. The guideline below offers some useful tips.

Things to consider before you get started

Social media is not always the answer.

What are my goals? How will I measure?
Who will maintain? How often?
Who is my audience?
What will my content be?

Would these be served better using traditional communication vehicles?

Do your research.

What are other groups/brands like mine doing?
How much success are they having (numbers/interactions)?
How often are they updating?

Yes, I want to use Facebook.

How will I stay consistent with my brand?
Should I do a page, profile or a group? (They are all different!)
What privacy setting should I use?
How will I promote the page?

Setting up a Page

Step one is to set-up a personal Facebook account. This is called a profile, which is different from a page. Review Facebook's rules for Page development. (http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php#/terms_pages.php).
Create a Page. (http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php)
Category: Education
Choose a name for your page.
How will people search for you? Use "Central Oregon Community College" or "COCC" as part of your name. This will distinguish you from similar programs at other school.)

Adding administrators

Once you have created a page, it is possible to add other colleagues as "Admins". They must first have a Facebook profile and "Like" your page. From your page, choose "Edit Page." Click on the link on the "Admins" box that says "Add." You can choose from the list of your friends or enter e-mail addresses to add people as admins to your page. Note that all posts by "Admins" will look like they are coming from one source and not show the individual's personal profile information.

Customizing Your Page

Using "Edit Page" link.

Settings: You can choose to limit the age, country and public settings of your page. As a general rule, you will not want to set limits for country or age (special circumstances may apply). Make sure your settings read "Published (publicly visible).

Wall Settings: Make sure your default view is for posts by page and fans. The whole point of this is to get other people talking about you. You can change "Fan Permissions" here, but we recommend allowing all interactions.

Mobile: Not really for beginners, but if you want to update your page from your cell phone, this area is for you.

Applications: This section will change based on what you have added to your page. Some are developed by Facebook (Photos, Videos, Links, Notes, Discussion Boards, etc.), but there are many options for you to browse through. You can choose where the application will go on your page by clicking "Application Settings." You can add an application as a box, a tab, or both.

Editing from your Page. When you hover over the top-right corner of a section on your page, an "edit" link will appear.

Adding a picture. Do this by clicking the "Change Picture" link that appears when you hover your mouse above the upper right corner of the default picture in the upper left corner of your page. Make sure you use a photo or graphic that you have permission to use - many found online have copyright restrictions. Tip: Make sure you're photo is engaging. A logo or picture of a building is OK, pictures of people are better.

Info tab: Enter the basic information about who or what you are representing. Make sure your Web site URL starts with "www.cocc.edu" and not "web.cocc.edu".

Adding Content

Content should be updated at least once a day. Even if you just comment on a post or answer a question, updates show fans that the page is active and that they should continue to check back. Tip: Brainstorm a list of possible content updates that would be relevant to your followers.

Update your status. Engage followers by asking questions and soliciting input.

Add multimedia content. Photos and videos are a great way to showcase your program. And they don't have to be perfect; some of the most commented and tagged photos are of crowds or other large groups of people. You can upload one photo to your wall or create an album.

Publish events. You can create a calendar of upcoming events.

Promoting your Page

Review Facebook's regulations of Page promotion so that you don't violate the rules.

Start with who you know. Invite your Facebook friends to fan your page, or send e-mails to colleagues. Contact College Relations to add a link from the main COCC Facebook Page.

Reference your Facebook Page. Whenever you send out communications - electronic and printed - tell people about your page. Add it to your e-mail signature.

Interact on the main COCC Facebook Page. Probably a lot of your audience is already a fan of the main page. Build your audience there.

Privacy Settings

This applies more to your personal profile than a public page for your organization but it's still important information to understand. Facebook has made news more than once recently for changing its privacy policy without warning and allowing more personal information to be visible to the public. It's important to check and update your privacy settings from time to time to be sure that you are only allowing only your information to be visible to your intended friends and not the general public. Read more on Face Book's Guide to privacy settings.

Overwhelmed? Need more help? Have concerns?

College Relations is here to help. We pride ourselves in staying up-to-date with the latest social media techniques and technologies.

What if someone puts up something negative or inappropriate?

Remember that this conversation will take place, whether you are listening or not. Social media allows us to take part in the conversation - and sometimes shape it - but never control it. Never take down a comment just because you don't like what they are saying. This is your opportunity to find out what people are saying and respond to it. It's a very eye-opening experience.

COCC Posting Guidelines Example

"This Facebook page is a resource of Central Oregon Community College. However, any and all content posted by "fans" is the property and responsibility of the fans, not COCC, and may not reflect the view of the College.

We encourage you to share your opinions and comments freely. The freedom to post, though, comes with the responsibility to do so in a professional manner. Conversations will be moderated and any posts that are considered to be offensive, inappropriate, derogatory, discriminating or threatening in nature, will be deleted at the sole discretion of COCC.

Commercial offers or spam are not permitted and will be removed from the site.

If you are featured in a photo posted on this page and do not wish to be please e-mail COCC College Relations to have the photo removed."

Links & Resources

The COCC Facebook Page

www.facebook.com/CentralOregonCommunityCollege

Print Version of the Facebook usage guide - Facebook "How To" reference guidline (pdf).

References - Special thanks to Bristol Community College and the NCMPR group

For more information contact Scott Donnell sdonnell@cocc.edu