Social Media 101Facebook and TwitterPaul TreadwellTeri Solow

What is Social Media?

•It’s participatory.•It’s about connections.•It’s mobile, too.

Why use social media?

•Build a community (membership).•Keep people updated on latest news

(broadcast).•Learn what the community thinks of you

(rep).•Respond to community concerns before

they become issues (action).

What is Facebook?

•A Social Networking site.▫Users connect and share information.▫400 million active users.

•Friends, groups, pages and causes.▫Allows both user and organizationally

created content.Tools for events, etc.

Facebook groups

•Directly connected (“owned”) by a user.•More personal than fan pages.•Shared interests drive membership.

Facebook fan pages

•For brands, businesses, etc.•Updates appear on fans homepages.•Content is searchable through Google.•If your friend becomes a fan, you’ll see it

on your wall.

Facebook causes

•Causes is an Facebook app for non-profits▫Action based- you want people to do

something.▫Raises awareness of an issue or topic.▫Can be used to raise funds.▫Leverages your Facebook community.

What is twitter?

•Microblogging▫Paul’s simile- If Facebook is like a town

square, Twitter is like the town crier.▫Teri’s simile – Facebook is like a block

party, twitter is like a parade.▫Messages (or tweets) limited to 140

characters.

Why use twitter?

•Post news and quick updates.•Direct traffic to your site when new

content is added.•Ask questions, get answers.•Publicize events.•Provides another path to your content.

Twitter terminology• Follow

▫ Automatically receive someone's tweets

• Reply▫ From one person to another, publically viewable

• Direct Message▫ From one person to another, private.

• Retweet▫ Repost a tweet – from someone you’re following to

your followers• # (Hashtag)

▫ for identifying topics. Help identify content for searches

More twitter

•Searching, hashtags and real-time trends.▫Not as confusing as they sound.

•Twitter tools:▫Tweetdeck▫Twhirl▫Twtpoll▫twitvite

Resources

•Facebook▫ Beginners guide to facebook – TechSoup▫ 7 Things you should know about facebook (pdf) –

Educause▫ Facebook Best Practices for Nonprofit Organizations

• Twitter▫ 7 Things you should know about twitter (pdf) –Educause▫ Twitter for beginners - 5 steps for better tweeting –

Mashable▫ Twhirl▫ Twtpoll▫ twitvite

Questions, Discussion and Contact

Paul Treadwellpt36@cornell.eduptreadwell – twitter

Teri Solowtms45@cornell.edutekniklr - twitter