This document provides guidance on using Facebook for journalism purposes. It outlines best practices for setting up a Facebook profile and page, including filling out profiles, using authentic photos, turning on follower settings, and posting a variety of content like news links, commentary, and photos. Tips are given for using Facebook to find story leads and sources through conversations, groups, and friends of friends. Engaging content like commentary, reader shoutouts, in-depth analysis, humor and behind-the-scenes photos are highlighted as generating more feedback. Cautions are also provided around excessive games/quizzes, anger, disclosing confidential information, and maintaining impartiality as a reporter.

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Module 5: Facebook
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Set up Facebook account
(if you haven’t already)

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Must-know Facebook Basics
Edit Profile
Update Status
Add Photo/Video
Create Album
Add File
Send message
Chat
Friend Request
Notifications
Like
Comment
Share
Tag
List
Notes
Privacy Settings
Acct Settings
Create A Page
Create Events
Vanity URL
Search
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Facebook Page Basics
•How To Start A Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php
•12 Best Practices for media companies
http://bit.ly/12bestpractices
•12 Best Practices for journalists
http://bit.ly/12forjournos

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Facebook: Best practices
•Fill up About section
•Use authentic photos, fill up profile on things you like
•Turn on Follow
–Go to your settings
–Click Followersin the left column
–Choose Everybodynext to Who Can Follow Me?
•Post news links but try to include a quote from the source, or your own comments, analysis, view
•Use Interests lists
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Tips on Facebook
1.Share: Be useful, offer tips, guides, timely information. Link to interesting stories.
2.Be generous.Answer questions of those in need, don’t just take.
3.Do promoteyour own stories, but provide some other value-add, this is not just a broadcast medium. Avoid shameless plugs on how wonderful you are.
4.Be human: Show you care, be witty, disclose your personal interests, it helps to get to know you better.

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5.Don’t overdo the silly thingsor clog up your feed with YouTube videos
6.Start a page for your beat: Keep it public, you have option to kick out members
7.Have two or three admins as backupsfor brand/community pages.
8.Use appsto automate stuff, but don’t overdo it: Blogposts, Twitter updates (http://apps.facebook.com/selectivetwitter/)
Tips on Facebook
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Facebook and Journalism
1.Find leads: conversations and topics that intrigue you that you can turn into stories.
2.Follow friends, companies, events, groups, fan pages.
3.Solicit for ideas, sources,interview subjects, questions for upcoming interview subjects.
4.Reach outto friends of friends -you never know when someone can connect you to what you are looking for.

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What works
•Commentary and analysisoncurrent events and breaking news receives 3x as many likes and 2x as many shares as the average post.Also, highlighting controversial stories on debatable subject matter can double the number of likes and shares the post receives.
•Reader shout-outscan increase in feedback by as much as 4x. Also, asking for recommendations can lead to a 3x increase in comments above an average post.
•In-depth analyses on global issuescan yield a 1.5x increase in likes and2.5x increase in shares.
•Powerful photoscan yield an increase of a 2x in engagement (likes, comments and shares). Also, behind-the-scenes photos resulted in up to a 4x increase inengagement (likes, comments, shares).
•Humourin posts or a humorous picture can yield a 1.5x increase in likes and almost 5x increase in shares. Humor often shows the lighter and more personal side of the journalist, which is likely why it results in higher engagement.
Source: Facebook + Journalists
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A word of caution…
•Don’t sign up for every game/quiz and bug people constantly.
•Don’t post updates in anger and in spite. Nothing is private on Facebook.
•Your personal views are your own, preface that if you think it may offend your boss/management.
•Do not disclose confidential information obtained through work that may bring the company into disrepute.
•Don’t undermine your effectiveness at work.
•“Friending” should not be taken literally –but others may misconstrue this as being partisan or biased.
•Avoid racial, religious slurs and personal attacks.
•You are still a reporter 24/7: Verify facts, identify sources before passing along news. Make it clear if you are skeptical of veracity of information, if you are.

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Exercise: Facebook
•Upload photos, videos
•Create a list of newsmakers
•Create a page and an event on Facebook
•Tip:Pages vs Groups:Pages are better for a long-term relationshipswith your fans, readers or customers; Groups are better for hosting an active discussionand attracting quick attention. Community
pages are for generic causes or topics.
http://bit.ly/pagesvsgroups