As social media grows, it has become a recognized platform to reach people and communities across the world.
Each day more individuals and organizations turn to Facebook to promote awareness, ideas, products and support. With over 2 billion users, Facebook has quickly become a pulpit to reach consumers, market ideas and products. So, it only makes sense to utilize Facebook to promote awareness and support amongst individuals contending with different medical conditions and chronic illnesses.
However, navigating the best ways to promote your Facebook Community Page or Group to share pertinent information can seem daunting and overwhelming at first.
So, here are some tools I have found beneficial in organizing and promoting information, support and awareness on my Facebook Community Pages and Groups.
Tool # 1: Scheduling
A great feature for Facebook Communities and Groups is the ability to “schedule” out future posts! This tool not only helps to stay organized, and promotes time management, it has become an integral part of my ability to run my Facebook Community Pages and Groups more smoothly.
When scheduling out posts, followers know when to check in each day to read my posts. This tool also takes the pressure off of creating posts daily and allows time to develop future posts ongoing and stay ahead of the game.
Finally, as a person with chronic illnesses, this tool is beneficial for those days when I’m not feeling well or in a “flare up.” Because I am able to schedule out my posts on Facebook, I do not have to stress if I’m having a “bad illness day” or simply busy.
Tool # 2: Live Video Chat
Another integral tool on Facebook is the ability to do Live Video Chats! This tool helps you reach Facebook followers on a personal level and allows you to interact in real time.
Facebook Live Video Chats also promotes cohesiveness and support within your community. The best part of Facebook Live Video Chats is your followers are able to see the “real you” along with interact with you one on one. Because of this, you and your followers become friends and this leads to added social support.
Finally, utilizing Facebook Live Video Chats will help you reach individuals who are not following your page. Through the Live Video Chats, these individuals will get an inside look of you on a personal level and this increases the likelihood of people wanting to join your page. In turn, this helps you provide information in future posts for those who have newly joined your Facebook Community.
Tool # 3: Moderation
A great Facebook Tool is the ability to moderate posts/comments on Facebook Community Pages and Groups. This tool allows admins to filter out profanity and spam driven comments and posts. The ability to “moderate” and “filter” profanity and spam on community pages helps promote positive, quality discussions amongst your followers, and reduces spam and derogatory commentary. In addition, the Facebook Moderation Filter tool promotes a safe and judgment-free environment for your Facebook Followers.
Tool # 4: Poll Creation
Another beneficial Facebook Tool is the function to create polls on your Facebook Page and/or groups! This tool is an easy way to engage your followers and grow your base. This tool also allows you to ask your followers what kind of content, information, and topics they’d like to discuss on future posts. This tool can also be utilized as a way to learn more about your page followers, which helps create a more personal connection with those who follow your page, and illicit friendships between your followers and yourself!
Tool # 5: Pinning Posts
Facebook has a simple but terrific tool Community Pages and Groups can utilize known as “Pinning Posts.” This Facebook Feature allows you to “pin” a post to the very top of your page, which is the first post your followers and visitors will see, when visiting your page. Although this Facebook Function is a simple tool, it assists you with highlighting posts you feel are important for people to read such as your mission statement, an Awareness Event, fundraiser or a petition you created. Albeit this tool may be a simple function, its purpose can have a high impact on your ability to highlight important information!
Tool # 6: Events
Another great Facebook Tool, which is often overlooked, is the ability to create events on your Facebook community page. This Facebook tool is a great function to use when you want to do an awareness event.
For example, the majority of medical conditions have a designated awareness day and/or awareness month. The Facebook tool for creating events supports you with promoting awareness on your community page for your designated cause.
In addition, once you create the event on your Facebook community page, you can invite your Facebook family and friends directly to your awareness event. Further, your followers can also invite their Facebook family and friends to the event, along with share the event to help you promote awareness.
Tool # 7: Link Accounts
Last but not least, one Facebook tool I like is the ability to link my other social media accounts, such as Instagram, to my Facebook Community Page. This Facebook tool is awesome because it allows you to create a post and share it simultaneously across a variety of social media channels. By utilizing this tool, you save time and the hassle of re-creating multiple posts and can reach all your followers with one post across all of your social media pages.
Moreover, linking all of your social media sites to your Facebook community page, helps you build your community across various social media. For example, if you link your Instagram account to your Facebook community page, you can create a post on Instagram which simultaneously posts to your Facebook community page and vice versa. This allows your followers to find you on all of your social media platforms.
I hope you find these 7 Facebook Tools are as beneficial to you as they have been for me!
Looking for more tips on community engagement?
Take Kristal’s FREE, online course on the WEGO Health platform.
Patient Leaders and Health Care Advocates who create online communities that are positive, engaging and dynamic, are more likely to be successful with expanding their online advocacy network and social media reach. In this course, Kristal Kent reviews simple, yet effective tools and techniques to help you build an engaging and positive online community, which will support you in reaching more people on social media, and increase your social network.
The course is open to anyone looking to bring more humor into their delivery. Complete the educational course online, on your own time.
