No doubt that Facebook is a very powerful social networking site where millions of people worldwide “meet” every day, exchange viewpoints, links, videos, photos, opinions, activities, invite each other to events, share tastes, and much more. It is easy and fun, and saves time to communicate: we can learn at a glance what all our virtual “friends” are doing without calling them individually. Facebook groups - communities of friends with similar interests, are also becoming extremely popular. Many cultural and artistic organisations create a facebook group to further promote their activities, to share news and events with their community, supporters, and members. This is also a powerful way to stimulate discussions and listen diverse opinions.
Here are few tips to set up and expand successfully a facebook group:
- Configure it well: Make sure that your title, category and description are relevant as this is the first thing people are attracted to.
- Decide if you need to open a Group or a Page for your organisation or project. Learn what the differences are.
- Decide will your group be open for everyone to post comments, or people can join only after invitation/approval by an administrator.
- Use your email contacts and invite people: There might be good contacts outside of facebook, so, send them invitations: to Yahoo, Gmail and Hotmail subscribers.
- Use blog posts to also invite new members to your new facebook group.
- Update your group regularly and keep the content fresh and appealing.
- Post visual materials together with texts: photos, videos, etc.
- Apply the “human factor” – talk about people, not only about projects and events. Personalise your space and give a flavour which brings “people to people”.
Here are several groups already existing on facebook: in cultural policy, arts management training, European and international networking, as well as few with a special focus. Add more to this list, so that we enlarge our joined experience on what is available on facebook and how to use this powerful social network in a productive way to promote and advance our research and artistic work.
Cultural policy
Cultural policy group: General group in Cultural Policy, providing information on definitions, interpretations, resources, links, related to this term:
Culture Unbound Journal of Current Cultural research: a journal for border-crossing cultural research, including cultural studies as well as other interdisciplinary and transnational currents. It is published electronically as open-access
European networks and platforms
European Association of Archaeologists
European Network of Cultural Administration Training Centers ENCATC
University Network of European Capitals of Culture
European organisations
CEU Center for Arts and Culture
Other networks and platforms
Association of Arts Administration Educators, USA
American Association of Museums
Alliance for Arts and Culture, Canada
Association of Fundraising Professionals
African American Arts & Culture Complex
Art and music groups and pages
Add to this list by using the Comments space below.
Well you can also be frustrated, tired or against facebook. In this case you can make a "don't like button" on your facebook profile, or join the group Millions against facebook's privacy policies and layout redesign.
Post here your opinions and reactions. Do you use facebook at all? Do you use it to promote your research work? If yes, what is your experience? if not, why?
http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2361831622&b
Keywords
Tagged as:
facebook grops, promoting research, social networking
LabforCulture is a partner initiative of the European Cultural Foundation. LabforCulture is grateful for the support provided by its funders.
