Web and Digital Tools to Better Market Your School
How to Access Potential Students through Online Social
Networking Websites like Facebook
Facebook is the dominant social networking website
for college students across America.
According to TechCrunch, "about
85% of students in supported colleges have a profile up on Facebook. [Of those who
are signed up,] 60% log in daily. About 85% log in at least once a week,
and 93% log in at least once a month."
NASPAA created a nationwide
Facebook group called “Professional Public Service:
The MPA and MPP Degrees” at
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2234487021. The member
population of the group has already
exceeded 3,500 students and MPA/MPP alumni.
To coordinate with this effort, several NASPAA member schools have created their
own Facebook groups, providing current and prospective students a convenient way
to connect and develop as a community.
Creating a Facebook group for your program benefits your school because it
shows students your commitment to finding out more about their world as you explore
new methods with which to communicate.
Additionally, a Facebook group gives your students/program an online social network
where people can easily communicate, ask questions, post items for discussion, and
fully engage as a community.
Action Items
-
Create a Facebook group for your school by following these instructions (if you
have not already joined Facebook, you will need to do that first):
How to join Facebook
|
1. Visit www.facebook.com. |
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2. On
the home page, fill in the gray box titled “Sign up for Facebook.” |
|
3. Once registered, reply to the confirmation email that Facebook
will send to your email account. |
Note: It is not necessary to fill in
any of the information on your personal page to create an ad or group.
How to Create
a Facebook Group
|
1. Once registered as a Facebook member,
you should be logged into Facebook and its homepage.
From here, click on the “Groups” tab on the left side |
|
2. To create your own group click
on the “create a new group” tab in the upper right hand corner. |
|
3. You are now in the “create a group” page.
In this section you will be asked to include information
about your group including: your group name, the networks in which you want your
group to appear (select “global”), the type of group (“Students” and “Academic”)
and the description of your group.
The other section on this page is optional. Click
on “Create Group” when you’re finished. |
.
| 4. Next, you may add visual elements and improve the overall look of the group page. You should include photos, your school’s logo, as well as links to your program and other informational sites like www.naspaa.org. Under the “Options” category, Facebook will automatically select all the options. This will enable users to add photos. You may not want to allow all members of your group to upload pictures so you can better control what is posted on your school’s Facebook page. To undo this option, make sure that you de-select “enable photos”. Lastly, make sure your group is “Open”, enabling any user to join. |
|
1.
After you press the “Save
Changes” button, your Facebook page will appear and you can begin inviting members. Send an email to your students with
the link to the Facebook group to get student members and group involvement.
|
|
2.
Note:
To further spread the word about your school’s Facebook
group, create a hyperlink from your school’s website to the Facebook group. Copy the URL of the group page and paste
it into your school’s website. When
people click the link, they will go directly to Facebook.
You can copy the Facebook logo and link from it or just type ‘[Insert School’s
Name Here] MPA/MPP Facebook Page’ to direct students and others to the group site. |
|
3.
If
you're stumped on what your Facebook group should look like, visit these other schools'
sites to get an idea. |
George Washington University
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5055554394
West Virginia University
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18021660703
Rutgers University
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2260772770
|
4. Note: You should check the group weekly to
make sure all is okay, and answer any questions that may have been asked.
You may designate a staff person or even a student to do this monitoring
work. It may be beneficial for you
to share new items, update events, and post thoughts or ideas on your school’s Facebook
group page. It is simple, just click the ‘share’ or ‘post’ buttons.
Remember, if you would like to make changes, you may edit your group at any
time. |
Another social network with which your school may encourage
student participation is called “Linked In.” This network is targeted at working
professionals and is free to join and use; many MPA/MPP students and alumni are
currently using it. We suggest you send www.linkedin.com to your students, enabling
them to enhance their career networking skills by creating a “Linked In” profile.
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