Colorado State University\'s Social Media Communications Committee presented on how departments/colleges/units across campus can more effectively use Facebook.

1. In-depth Look at Facebook
• Cover Images
• Art of the Post
• Managing Your Page
• Cross-posting
• Facilitating the Conversation
• Facebook Ads
• Contests

2. Five Facebook Cover Image Tips
• Your cover image is front and center on your Facebook
page, so make it count! It’s the first thing when people
come to your page so leverage its position accordingly

3. TIP #1
Do: Size Your Image Correctly
• Your cover image must be at least 720 pixels wide and can be
sized exactly at 851 pixels wide by 315 pixels tall for a precise fit.
The image file should be less than 100kb.

4. TIP #2
Don’t: Use your image as an ad
• Do not include: calls to action (i.e., “Buy here”, “Like our page”),
pricing or discount information or department contact
information like your website URL. It’s against Facebook policy.

5. TIP #3
Do: Showcase Your Brand
• Choose a photo that illustrates what your department is all about
or contextualizes your services. Also, consider having a graphic
designed to incorporate your logo or tagline.

6. TIP #4
Don’t: Forget about Your Profile Image
• Profile images will be cropped to 160 pixels wide by 160 pixels
tall but must be uploaded at a minimum of 180 pixels wide by
180 pixels tall.

7. TIP #5
Try: Adding Social Network Icons
• Though you cannot explicitly include URLs in your cover image, add Twitter,
YouTube, Google+ or other social platform icons to give more context to your
online presence. Then, in the description or caption of your cover image,
include links to your profiles on other platforms.

8. The Art of the Post

9. What makes a post effective?
• Capture attention through an image or
video
• Use links, but cut the clutter
• Keep it short and sweet
• Use tools such as tagging
• Pin important posts
• Consider promoted posts

10. Capture Attention
• Post with an image is 82% more
likely to be clicked than text-
only post
• Use a variety of strategies to
keep content interesting
(photos, videos, questions,
solicits for likes)
• Morning posts have the ability
to go viral on the Newsfeed
throughout the day

11. Use Links; Cut the Clutter
• Facebook will generate a blurb and thumbnail once
you post a link; delete the URL to cut the clutter in
your status update

12. Keep it Short and Sweet
• Updates between 100 and 250 characters — one or
two lines of text — get 60% more Likes, comments,
and shares than ones that are more than 250
characters

13. Use Tools Such as Tagging
• Use the @ in your status update to tag
fans or other pages

14. Pin or Feature Important Posts
• Pinned posts remain in the upper portion of your
timeline for up to 7 days
• Featured posts span across the entire width of your
timeline

15. Consider Promoted Posts
• Pay to have your posts appear directly in
Newsfeed for three days

16. Managing Your Page
• Who Manages Our Pages?
• New Roles & Levels for Page Administrators

17. Cross-posting on Facebook
• What is cross-posting?
• How do I cross-post?
• What pages should I utilize in my cross-posts?
• Examples
• Results

18. Managing the Conversation
• Social media is a two-way street:
– You want to reach your people and (hopefully)
your people want to be reached by you
– People want to interact, ask questions
– Other people see you are responsive
– Not answering or not responding is ignoring (even
if you didn’t mean it)
– People use SM to find out more about you, so
help them find that information

19. Dealing with the Negative
• Tough questions are bound to be asked
• Bad experiences leads to venting
• See if you can make it right, if possible
• Let them know you are sorry they felt they
had a bad experience, if you are indeed
sorry
• Answer the questions
• Allow your followers to defend you

20. What Helps?
• Try to defuse a negative conversation:
• Providing accurate information
• Addressing issues in a timely manner
• Kill ‘em with kindness/Take the high road
• Provide additional resources (links to other web
pages, videos, etc. that verify your message)
• Don’t get into an argument for the world to see

21. When to Punt
(Delete, Ignore, Untag)
• Blatantly abusive posts, bad language
• Slanderous posts (don’t let slander trespass)
• Overwhelming response to uncontrollable
event, such as:
 Snow Days:
 We can get 100s of posts on days it snows and CSU doesn’t
close
 We can’t control the weather (Sorry it snowed, but you
knew that it snows in Colorado!)
 We DO respond to emails/calls about weather
(non)closures.

22. Facebook Ads
Ad Options
• Facebook Ad
• Sponsored Stories
• Promote Page Posts
Targeting
• Options galore! Know your audience
• Design matters
Pricing
• Cost Per Click vs. Cost Per Impression vs. Promoted Posts

23. Facebook Ads
Reporting
• Four report types:
• Advertising Performance ● Responder Demographics
• Actions by Impressions Time ● Inline Interactions
Guidelines and Best Practices
• Beware of the “like”
• Help Center > Ads and Business Solutions > Learn the Rules
• 7 day rule
• Change it up, experiment

24. Contests
Things to consider…
What are your marketing objectives?
Generate leads, Likes, engage existing audience, reach new?
Budget?
Costs include third-party vendors and prizes
Type of contest
Like sweepstakes, text submissions, photo and video contests

25. Tip: Running a Promotion
Requires an App
•Promotions: Anything where a fan enters a chance to
win a prize
•Considering using vendors such as Wildfire, North Social
or Strutta

27. Tip: Collect Entries via Email
•Promote your contest as a status update on Facebook
but in order to enter/win, fans email entry
•Follow-up by announcing winner(s) on Facebook and/or
post all of the entries

29. Thank you!