10 must-read Facebook resources for non-profits 2012
Creative Commons image courtesy of ‘dkalo’ via Flickr
I’ve curated two Top Ten Facebook Resources for Non-profits – one back in 2010 and one last year. Both have been incredibly popular posts and most of the articles, tips and tools in those top tens are as valid today as they were back then. There’s been lots of changes with Facebook in the last year so I thought it was time I updated my Top Ten.
Here’s my fresh list of ten Facebook resouces which charities, social entrepreneurs and community groups cannot live without…
Facebook’s official two-page guide to all the features and functionality of Facebook pages really is the best place to start. It is also a great way of reminding yourself of all those often underused features pages contain.
2. Ten ways to grow your Facebook following
You don’t simply build a page and people flock to it. This isn’t Wayne’s World 2 or Field of Dreams. Social Media Examiner has a great list of tactics for building your page’s fan base.
3. How (and why) to delete negative comments and how to ban specific users
John Haydon’s video gives a quick overview of how to deal with unwanted comments on your Facebook page. Whether it is racist language or someone attacking another fan you may need to remove comments from time to time. Make sure you get it right.
4. Social media fundraising, Obama and the 2012 Presidential election
Not strictly speaking a Facebook resource but Frank Barry’s recent blog post shows us what we can learn from Obama’s 2012 campaign.
5. Facebook Pages Insights Guide
Another official Facebook guide, this time covering Insights. If you’re not using your page’s Insights to tailor content to the needs of your users then now is the time to start.
6. Facebook: I want my friends back
Is Facebook the biggest bait n switch in history? If you want an overview of the recent changes Facebook have made, in particular the often costly ‘promoted posts’, this article from Dangerous Minds is a must-read.
7. How non-profits can use measurement to adapt to the Facebook algorithm change
Once you’ve read the Dangerous Minds post it’s time to do something about the Facebook changes. Beth Kanter shows you how your charity can use measurement to truly get the most out of your page.
8. Marketing on Facebook: Best Practice Guide
This official guide gives a great overview of the Facebook ecosystem. It is particularly useful if your non-profit has the budget to experiment with ads and promoted posts.
9. The future of Facebook fundraising
These useful slides from Jonathan Waddingham and Rosa Birch of JustGiving cover the importance of sharing, case studies, hints & tips plus what’s in store for Facebook fundraising in the near future.
10. Digital: What every charity leader should know
Lasa recently asked a bunch of opinion leaders, including Beth Kanter, Martha Lane Fox and me, what advice they have for charity leaders hoping to use social media to build a sustainable third sector. There’s 31 slides packed with hints and tips on everything from organisational strategy to open data.
So have I missed any key Facebook resources? Tell me your favourites in the comments below and I’ll share them via our Twitter and Facebook accounts.
