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Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Facebook Fanpages: Getting Started

This is part two of the Online Media Rookie Series.

So you've decided to create a fan page on Facebook to connect with your audience.  The following is a tutorial for getting started.

Look for the link to creating a page (pictured above), then click it.

From there, you'll be presented with a myriad of categories, pictured below.


  • Local Business or Place: If you're running a business such as an eatery or a small retail store, this would be the best option for you.
  • Company, Organization, or Institution: If you're a media venue, this would be a better choice.
  • Brand or Product: Did you create a project?  An independent video game?  Or just a website?  This may be the choice for you.
  • Artist, Band, or Public Figure: Running for political office?  Want to show off your cat and make them famous?  This is the one for you.
  • Entertainment: A good category for those with a specific type of publication, such as a magazine or video channel.
  • Cause or Community: You'll be able to simply choose the name.  Good for charitable organizations or community groups.
Before creating a fan page, it's advisable to take a look at the terms of service.


In this example, we'll be creating a page called Chrometacular.  Since it involves publishing and news covering of a specific variety, Media/News/Publishing is selected under Company, Organization, or Institution.


A brief description can be entered.  From there, the user can set up a profile picture, add the page to their favorites, and choose to reach more people through advertising.


Instead, you may encourage your friends to like your newly created page.  For now, you don't even have to worry about a profile picture (though it will help if you already have one) since you're just getting started.  In the next article, we'll cover profile photos and cover pages.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Choosing the Right Platform

This is part one of the Online Media Rookie Series.  Each article will describe how to use various tools for building an online presence.

So you've decided to go online with your message to the world.  Where do you start?  What equipment do you need?

The good news is that you've achieved a major goal by decided that you do need to be online.

The advice in this article may seem counter-intuitive at first, but it will make sense in the long term.  As long as you have a computer or device that can access the Internet and load pages at a decent speed, you'll be all set.

Other equipment concerns can come later.  Also note that the assumption is being made that you already know how to use a computer, how to use the Internet, and how to use e-mail.

If you don't have that basic knowledge yet, you may wish to check out the following resources before reading further:
With that out of the way, know that we may also cover topics that appear to be for beginners but are actually tips that can help save money and improve the overall experience.  That's why the first recommended site has plenty of exciting features, and is free to use.

Though there are other websites like it, Facebook still holds popularity to this day.  The unique way in which it allows you to connect to friends and family will be of great use to you starting out.

The site itself started as a way for college students to connect to one another, but branched out into the public sphere.  It's a perfect combination for those who want to share:
  • Information
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Links to other sites
As long as your computer can run Facebook, you'll be fine on equipment for the time being.  Most phones have cameras that take pictures at high enough quality for sharing on social media as well.

While there are other social media sites out there, it's best to focus on the very site that still has a significant mind share.  Later on, branching out will help, especially if you decide to create a YouTube Channel.

If you don't have a private Facebook account, then signing up will be the first step.


You'll need a valid e-mail address to use.  Some of the best free accounts out there include Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo!  All three account types offer plenty of inbox space.

Concerned with privacy?  Creating an e-mail account for the strict purpose of your online presence would be a good idea anyway.  After all, you'll be creating a venue that's accessible to the public.

If you choose to use your existing e-mail for your private Facebook account, but want a secondary e-mail for your online presence (website, fan page, etc...), then using Yahoo! would be a good way to go since they let you use your Facebook account for signing up.

Once you sign up, you'll want to confirm your account by checking your e-mail and clicking the confirmation link.  Once your account is created, you'll want to customize your profile.  Since private profiles are not within the scope of this venue, you'll want to check out this resource and get the hang of using Facebook before continuing further.

Keep using Facebook for a few weeks, and start connecting to friends and family.  Once you have at least 15 to 30 people on your friends list, you'll be ready to create a fan page, the subject of our next article.