Social Networks
Social networking sites often serve as central hubs – allowing users to create a profile, connect, and network with others. These websites facilitate sharing of photos, videos, links to external websites, and discussions. With 50 percent of the U.S. population regularly visiting a social networking website, they offer transit organizations an incredible opportunity to reach a large group of users within their coverage area.
Examples of social networks: Facebook®, Myspace™, Ning®, LinkedIn®, Second Life®
What is Facebook?
Top Transit Usage
Create a Fan Page to communicate news, milestones and route info.
With over 71 million users in the United States, Facebook is currently the largest social networking website. Users connect with one another through networks organized by city, workplace, and school. Facebook is proving to become more popular with a middle-to-older aged demographic. Currently, over 50 percent of users are between 24 and 54 years of age. Users age 18 to 24 comprise 25 percent of the Facebook population. While Facebook is free to use, it also offers unique opportunities for traditional advertising.
How to Set Up a Facebook Page
To start a Facebook Fan Page first define your organization: albeit government, public service, travel, etc. Following this, Facebook setup will take your organization through a series of profile questions. When the page is first created it is not immediately published for public viewing. This gives your organization the chance to upload images and add any applications necessary. Once finished customizing, your organization’s page can be launched. It’s a good idea to launch internally first, so your organization’s fan page has existing fans and can be populated with content.
For more information / full details on Fan Page setup visit: www.facebook.com/help.php?page=906
