How to Engage Community on Facebook

Facebook is a game-changer. Say what you want about sites like MySpace, Twitter, or a number of others, but Facebook is the killer app that brought social networking into the mainstream.

Social networking is ultimately about community, and not just surfing a website. So if you want to get the most out of Facebook, and even use it to benefit your blog, there are some things you should know about engaging community. The good news is the rules aren't very different than 'real' life, even though the tools may be.

Engage People Directly

Whether it's online or offline, few things are as effective as just talking to people. When you want to talk to someone offline you walk over and talk, or you pick up the phone and call. Regardless of how you do it, the idea is that you take the initiative to connect. Generally speaking, it makes people feel good when others reach out.

The same is true of our online relationships. Too often we go to places like Twitter or Facebook and simply look. That is the offline equivalent of standing in a room and staring at your friends. Umm... and that has the potential of being kinda creepy... just sayin'.

One rule I like to follow is what I refer to as the 3-by-3 rule. Well, it's not an actual rule, but it's something I try to do regularly. The idea is to reach out to three people at least three times each week. Share a quick note on their Walls. Let them know that you were thinking about them, praying for them, or that you just wanted them to know how much you appreciate them. Even if it doesn't end up in a full-blown conversation, people will probably like the fact that you thought of them.

Talk About Other People

Can you remember the last time someone said to you, "I was just talking about you to so-and-so?" Unless you've done some terrible stuff, hearing that probably made you feel pretty good.

This kind of thing has been very popular on Twitter. I think every tweep (including myself) loves to see that someone re-tweeted something they posted, or even just mentioned them in a tweet. There's something that makes us feel valued when someone else uses the online version of, "I was just talking about you!"

However, the Facebook version of this tool hasn't taken off as much yet. In case you didn't know, their @mention does the same thing! By typing the "@" symbol followed by a portion of your friend's name in your status update, you can tag them in your status in a way that shows up on their Wall. This is a cool way to talk about others and make sure they know you did. (Note: this also works for Facebook pages you follow!)

Develop Your Presence

Lastly, we all know we won't develop many friendships by staying home and not getting out there in front of other people. Offline you must open up a bit to others so they can get to know you.

On Facebook (and other social media tools) people may forget about you if you're not sharing what's happening in your life. People sign into Facebook and instantly look at their News (or Live) Feed to see what's going on with everyone. If you're not feeding stuff about yourself into the feeds they'll see, then you'll be virtually lost... out of sight, out of mind. This is the online version of being a hermit.

And if you have a blog, you'll definitely want to consider developing a 'fan page' for it (see ours). Yeah, I know... the word 'fan' can be misleading and tough to reconcile for a humble Christian. But the page can be an invaluable tool for developing a separate 'identity' for your blog (or other efforts). Having a fan page for your blog not only allows it to have its own presence (separate from your personal presence) in people's feeds, but it also can be used with other tools like the @mention feature.

I've found that truly engaging others on Facebook has the potential of enhancing even offline relationships. When these tools for engaging others come together in effective ways, community happens.

Photo by Claire Burge. Used with permission. Post by Dan King.

• Tags:  
• community
• facebook
• social media tips
• social networking
• teamwork

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