Is Facebook still in?

Several years ago I had the idea of posting study abroad information on the then-still-little-known site of facebook. While not an original idea, at the time facebook was seldom used by universities or by any organizations. It was primarily for college kids interested in connecting with friends. I had to explain to several people my age what facebook was. Now, it seems like every business has a facebook page. So, the question becomes: is it still cool?

My answer is, yes. Although many organizations have adopted facebook as a medium to communicate with their clients, facebook is still primarily a means of social media, a way for people to informally connect and share their lives with each other. It is still the best way to find out what everyone is up to and what events are coming up. And, unless you subscribe to organizations of your choosing, you are not bombarded with messages you do not want to see. Unlike email, you don't get tons of junk mail. You can IM your friends and post instant photos and updates. Yes, facebook has a coolness factor that won't dissipate for a while.

Therefore, how do we, as a study abroad community, reach out to students using Facebook? I recommend first having your own personal facebook page. This is the best way to find out how it works and develop your "facebook-saavyness." You might even find that old college roommate! Next, after plenty of experimentation, set up a Facebook page for your office. You can do this by establishing a group from your personal facebook page or by establishing a fan page. Both of these options work well.

After you have set up your page, try to link it to your University's main facebook page. That way, people who see the main page might be more likely to click and join your page as members of your group or as fans. There is a way to get priority on your University's main page - try to find out the Facebook guru on campus and ask him or her to move you up to pages that the University "likes."

Next, what will you put on your page? Well, it can act like a website of sorts. You can create events (think study abroad fair and information sessions) and post photos, link to blogs, create status updates (Gilman applications due Friday!), link to student slide shows.

The list can be exhausted. Now, where I stop short is using Facebook for advising. That's only because I check email more often. But certainly your students are using Facebook more than email, so feel free to try out advising on the site. There is even an IM feature so you can have live chat sessions.

Let me know how your Facebooking goes!