Add a page on Facebook for your Rotary club
Rotary International News -- 7 October 2011
Mel Powell, treasurer of the Rotarians on Social Networks Fellowship.
Facebook seems always to be in the news these days, for reasons both positive and negative. So you might be wondering: Should Rotary clubs be on Facebook?
Definitely, says Mel Powell, treasurer of the Rotarians on Social Networks Fellowship, who is working to organize an e-club based in the Greater San Fernando Valley, California, USA. Here, he explains how Facebook can help clubs connect to the community, and offers advice on getting your club started.
Q: What’s the difference on Facebook between pages and profiles? And which one should be used for Rotary, Rotaract, or Interact clubs?
A: I recommend a page. It can reach a wider audience, which enhances a club's public image and helps clubs find new members -- without some of the drawbacks of profiles. For example, Facebook limits the number of "friends" a profile can have, but an unlimited number of users can "like" your Facebook page. Also, with Facebook profiles, a certain amount of information is shared among friends, which may make some people hesitant to friend a Rotary club. The same level of information is not shared when someone merely "likes" a page.
Q: Is it a problem for a Rotary club to have a Facebook profile and friends, as an individual can?
A: A "person" on Facebook must be a real person. To establish a Rotary club as a person on Facebook with a profile is a violation of Facebook’s terms of service. Facebook could therefore close down the accounts of Rotary clubs that have established a presence on Facebook as a person, and the clubs would lose everything they’d posted and have to start all over again.
Q: What about creating a Facebook group instead?
A: If you want to have a private discussion, you can create a Facebook group, which allows you to limit participants to those you invite. So you can have both a group for your club members, and a page for all to see.
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