Facebook as a Marketing Tool

Facebook continues to be one of the social media tools that is growing at a rapid rate. K-State Research and Extension is taking advantage of this new opportunity with its own Facebook presence.

We’re still looking for folks who would like to be part of discussion boards on our Facebook site. If you’d like to help us by posting one topic each month, please contact Pat Melgares at melgares@ksu.edu.

This week, we learned of some great ways to drive traffic to your Facebook page. Here’re some great ideas:

• Post a weekly quiz or question on your Facebook site. Then, wait a few days before giving the answers.
• Sponsor a photo contest, such as “Scenes of the County Fair.” You choose a winner, and might even be able to give a simple prize.

Other marketing ideas include setting up connections in your “Favorite Pages” tab; acknowledging those that comment on your posts; and creating a landing page for those that are not yet your Facebook fans.

--Pat Melgares melgares@ksu.edu

Facebook as a Marketing Tool

Using Google To Find What You Need

One of the most widely used tools on the web is Google. Here are a few simple tips to make your searches more powerful:

• Less is More: Instead of using a full sentence, such as "Which vegetable is the most popular in the United States" simply search for "popular vegetable united states" and quickly look through your results to find what you need.
• Use unique and descriptive terms: Try to use words that are unique to what you are searching for. For example, use "carnivore" instead of "meat eating animal."
• Use quotation marks to search for exact text: If you are looking for a quote, put it in quotation marks. This is especially useful for looking up computer error messages!
• Start broad, then narrow your scope: If there are a few good results in your first set that all contain the same word, add that to your search and look again.
• Use - to remove a word: If there is a word you don't want to include in results, add a minus sign in front. "Frankfort -Kentucky" would search for results that include Frankfort but not Kentucky.
• Use ~ to look for synonyms: Instead of using a thesaurus, you can have Google search for synonyms by simply putting a tilde (it's on the key above Tab) in front of a word. "Cow ~facts" will search for pages containing "facts," "information," "trivia" and many other words along with "Cow."

You can find more information on using Google on their help pages, http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=134479 and http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?answer=136861.

--Russ Feldhausen russfeld@ksu.edu

Using Google To Find What You Need

Check Your Web Links Regularly

A Web page full of links, particularly to other organizations, should be checked at least every few months. Authors of the linked sites may have rearranged their webs, which will turn your links into "not found," or other error messages.

Even worse, links to .org or .com sites can be bought by someone else, including advertisers, if the original organization drops the address. In that case, your link could go to a page that has information different than the original topic. It may be information that doesn't belong on a university Web page.

--Amy Hartman ahartman@ksu.edu

Check Your Web Links Regularly

When a Reporter Calls

Here’re a few tips for a successful interview when a reporter calls.• Ask the reporter’s name and publication or broadcast station.
• Ask the story angle.
• Determine whether you are the appropriate source. If not, refer the reporter to the right person.
• Call the reporter back in 10 to 15 minutes so you can prepare.
• Simplify your message. Write down your key point(s) before the interview.
• Anticipate the tough questions and practice positive responses.
• Think of an interview as a way to talk directly to your audience.
• Do not use overly scientific or technical terms. Speak in short sentences.
• Get to the point. Keep your answers brief, and keep them focused on your message.
• Avoid light humor or negative remarks.
• If asked to comment on something that’s controversial or makes you uncomfortable, tell the reporter that you don’t think you are the appropriate person to respond.
• Be honest. If you don’t know the answer to a question, simply say so.
More information is on the web at Event in the Box.

--Elaine Edwards elainee@ksu.edu

When a Reporter Calls