Facebook has over 300 million active users who log on daily, and allows brands to create public profile pages to interact with users. Pages are for brands and organizations only, while groups can be made by any user about any topic. Pages have no limits on fans and push content to their newsfeeds, while groups are limited to 5,000 members and only display content on their wall. Twitter is used by over 14 million US users for microblogging of 140 characters or less, and brands can use it to point to more substantial content through shortened URLs and by following information leaders.

1. Social Media Best Practices Facebook & Twitter: Management tactics

2. About Facebook 300 million users worldwide. 50% of active users log on daily. Surpassed MySpace in the U.S. in May/June 2009. Diverse demographics. Average number of friends: 130. More than 10 million users become fans of pages each day.

3. Facebook page/public profile A page is a Facebook profile for a brand (business, institution or public figure). Pages allow an organization to converse and interact with users as a single entity.

4. Pages vs. groups Pages: Only represent a real public figure, artist, brand or organization, and may only be created by an official representative of that entity. Groups: Can be created by any user and about any topic, as a space for users to share their opinions and interest in that subject.

5. Pages vs. groups Pages: Will never display their admins' names. Any action taken will carry the identity of the brand/page. Groups: Will display the admins’ names. Any action taken will appear to come from the individual admin.

6. Pages vs. groups Pages: Have no limits on fans/subscribers. Pushes content posted by admins out to the fans’ news feeds. Notifications of fan activity appear on the fan’s profile wall. Groups: Have a 5,000 member limit. Displays posted content on its wall only. Notifications of the poster’s activity appear on the poster’s profile wall.

7. Pages vs. profiles A page is a Facebook profile for a brand (business, institution or public figure). BUT there are differences that address the needs of brands.

8. Content and posting patterns The goal is to arouse an action from subscribers. The action shows on the walls and news feeds of the page and the subscribers, which fosters viral marketing.

9. Content and posting patterns Establish a regular posting schedule. Identity the optimal amount of content. Variety works. Conversational tone. Use Web writing style, especially on the page wall. Become a participant.

10. Facebook username Personalize the page: http://www.facebook.com/username/ Public entities can promote a Facebook presence with a shorter URL. Requirements: > 25 fans, must be at least 5 characters long Periods are not counted: johndoe , john.doe are considered the same.

11. Updates Pages can send messages to either their entire fan base or a specific demographic. The messages will appear in the "Updates" tab of a user’s Inbox. Targetable demographics: Location, sex, age.

12. Sharing content Outside Facebook: All content has unique URLs that can be linked to. Inside Facebook: The share link facilitates posting on profile walls and within messages. Use the like link.

13. About Twitter Micro-blogging: 140 characters or less. Fresh content galore: Real-time searching. 14 million U.S. users (April 2009) More push than social: 10% of users account for 90% of the tweets (Harvard Business School).

14. Twitter tactics Use it as a pointing device. Link to more substantial content that lives behind a URL. Shorten URL with services like tinyurl, bit.ly, or ow.ly. Follow the information leaders. Utilize the #. Re-tweet: It’s efficient and adds value.

15. Twitter tactics Utilize the @. Follow the feed’s mentions. Check out the available Twitter tools.