Resources: Guide to Creating Facebook Pages with Impact
This post was originally published on our sister website Rising Voices.
It's no small task for small organizations and activists to put together a strategic Facebook page, and navigating around Facebook's setup pages can be confusing. Originally published in Arabic, Social Media Exchange (SMEX) just released the English version of their booklet Creating Facebook Pages with Impact. Breaking down how to use Facebook pages for activists, it addresses both technical aspects and management strategies.
Originally the booklet was developed to to support advocacy and activism in Arabic societies, and includes several examples from the Arab world – but its use is potentially global.
SMEX Facebook guide in English
The booklet was developed for people with intermediate-level Internet skills… so you don't need to be a hacker to use it.
Beginning with clear guidelines on page setup, the booklet directs the page creator to exactly which buttons to click or the meanings of various setup options. After a clear explanation of laying the “pages” versus “groups,” producing content, and publishing, the booklet goes on to address management techniques with strategic questions: is the page about raising awareness, generating donations, educating supporters, or improving internal communications?
Creating Facebook Pages with Impact also discusses:
– How to promote and manage the page
– Updating the page and developing a posting schedule
– How to best link to the rest of your social media outlets
– Security
It is be useful not only for setting up a page, but also for organisations that already have one: it neatly breaks down Facebook's “insights” (statistics) and how to use these to your advantage.
This version is the newest update with recent Facebook changes taken into account. It can be downloaded from SMEX's website in English, as can the original version in Arabic.
And you can always look up the SMEX Facebook page to see how they do it.
1 comment
My name is James. I have Asperger’s Syndrome, on the high functioning autism spectrum. While this makes my social awareness very strained in certain situations, it also blesses me with certain gifts. Mine happen to be writing, strategic/ process analysis, and (sometimes unfortunately) politics. My political interest is somewhere between obsessed and addicted. As I’m sure that most people are aware, that is not exactly the most healthy of pursuits right now, but after being discriminated out of a large equality group in my region (yes, I am grossly aware of the irony), I decided that enough was enough. I decided that I was tired of being pushed out of every movement I have ever joined because of my autism, so due to my aptitude of politics and strong moral fiber, I am starting my own movement called The Enlightenment Project. I am going to say upfront, it is NOT going to become an ANTI-TRUMP page, it is going to be a page where I educate my fellowship on my unique and thorough perspective analysis of the new Trump administration’s policies and agendas. I am more than happy to give credit where credit is due when they do something admirably, but I am also going to be the first one to hold them accountable and responsible of their wrong doings, and I will share my infamous messages to them. The purpose of my movement is to educate ignorant people, on either side of what is really happening during these trying times and promote a genuine anti-discrimination campaign. I want to lead a revolution of enlightenment, not of bigotry and hatred and violence. I need resources though. I am the main writer and I use my wife’s notoriety to help further promote my page. She has never lead a movement like this before but has loads of advocacy experience, I need someone to show me the ropes and teach me the way to build the strongest foundation. It is always easier to take time in the beginning to build an expansive foundation so that you have room to grow into later once you have been established, as opposed to short sighting yourself after you’ve already gained your momentum. So please, any and all help would be gratefully appreciated, and perhaps volunteers and pro bono advisors/ consultants would truly make a world of difference. I hope and pray that you will lend a listening ear and a loving heart. Thank you in advance, James.