Facebook How To

If chapters are interested in creating a Facebook page, here are some helpful tips on how to set one up.

  1. Sign in to Facebook and go to facebook.com/pages.
  2. In the top right corner, click “Create Page.”
  3. Click “Company, Organization or Institution.”
  4. Choose the category from the drop down menu that best suits your organization.
    • This can be changed later.
    • If unsure, choose “Community Organization.”
  5. In the “Company name” box, write the name of your organization.
    • RECOMMENDED: the name should include “Alabama Alumni” or “University of Alabama” (we do not recommend using “UA”).
    • RECOMMENDED: the name should include your chapter name.
      • Use the official name of your chapter.
      • If you are an out-of-state chapter, include the state for clarification (ex: Nashville TN, Atlanta, GA).
    • PREFERRED: the word “Alumni” though it is not as necessary because “University of Alabama” paired with your chapter name should be clear enough.
    • EXCEPTIONS: Use an accepted nickname if that is the most commonly name used for the group (ex: Jax Bama Club, Pensacola Bama Club, Sumter Tide).
    • The name can be changed until your page has 100 fans. After that, it is locked in.
  6. Select “I agree to the terms and conditions,” then click “Get Started.”
  7. If you are prompted to upgrade your page, select “Upgrade This Page.”
  8. Read the steps on screen and follow those that apply.
  9. On the newly created page, click “Edit Info” and click “Your Settings” on the top of the left menu.
  10. Click through the list on the left, familiarizing yourself with all the settings. A few of the most important are listed below.
    • Under “Basic Information,” you can change the category and the page name.
    • Under “Manage Admins,” you can choose who is in charge of the page. To select someone as an admin, they must be a fan of the page. Multiple admins can be added, but each person added has equal ability to change the page. If you choose to have multiple admins, it is best to keep this selection small.

Twitter How To

  1. Go to twitter.com and click “Sign Up” on the right.
  2. Under “Full name,” write the name of your organization.
    • You are limited to 20 characters total, including spaces.
    • RECOMMENDED: the name should include a reference to University of Alabama.
      • “Alabama” is the most preferable, but you can use “UA” if you need the extra characters.
    • RECOMMENDED: the name should include your chapter name in some form.
      • If the full name does not fit, try abbreviations and nicknames. County should be abbreviated “Co.” Longer names can choose a preferred nickname or abbreviation (ex: Chattanooga to Chatt, Atlanta to ATL).
      • The name does not need to include the word “Chapter.”
    • PREFERRED: the word Alumni, if it will fit. The word Alumni is not as necessary because “Alabama” paired with your chapter name should be clear enough.
    • Examples: Chattanooga UA Alums, UA Jackson Co. Alums
    • The name can be changed at any time in the future.
  3. Under “Username,” enter the username your chapter’s account will go by.
    • This is an important decision. The username is the most frequently used identifier of your page.
    • You are limited to 15 characters. Usernames do NOT contain spaces.
    • RECOMMENDED: the name should include some form of University of Alabama: UA if you need the extra characters.
    • NECESSARY: the name must include your chapter. This could be an abbreviation or nickname shortened to fit.
    • PREFERRED: the word “Alumni,” if it will fit (it likely will not).
    • There is no need to include the word “Chapter.”
    • In Twitter lingo, usernames begin with the at-symbol, @, and are written as @UAAlumniAssoc and said aloud as “At UA Alumni Association.” Twitter will add this for you. DO NOT begin your Username in this section with @.
    • Examples: tideintexas, PcolaBamaClub
      • The username can be changed at any time in the future.
  4. Enter a password and the e-mail address of the moderator. If multiple people want to manage an account, the moderator can provide the password to them.
    • Notice the two check boxes are checked by default. Read those options and uncheck if you so please.
  5. Click “Create My Account”
  6. Disregard this step and click “Next Step: Friends” at the bottom of the screen.”
  7. Disregard this step and click “Skip Import” at the bottom of the screen.
  8. You are now looking at your homepage. The box under the words “What’s happening?” is the post box where you write a tweet. Each tweet can be a maximum of 140 characters including spaces. At the very top of the screen is a search box where you can find other accounts.
    • Twitter will prompt you to confirm your account. Go to your e-mail inbox and click the link in the e-mail to confirm.
  9. In the top right of the screen, you should see your username with a small triangle next to it. Click your username and select “Settings.”
  10. This is the settings dashboard. Familiarize yourself with all settings. The most important ones are listed below.
    • On the Account tab, you can change your username, contact e-mail address, and more. Uncheck “Tweet Privacy.”
    • Under the Mobile tab, you can set up a phone to send and receive tweets as text messages. Twitter has a pretty clear step-by-step process if you want to set this up.
    • Under the Profile tab, you can change your profile picture. A profile picture is an essential part of your image on Twitter.
    • The bio section is very important. You have 160 characters to describe your organization. Check our account (twitter.com/UAAlumniAssoc) for inspiration on a bio. Be sure to list your website and other important info in this section. Be sure to click “Save.”
    • Under the Design tab, you can choose the look of your Twitter profile. Twitter provides a few simple, clean designs. However, under “Change Background Image,” you can upload something University of Alabama related. Under “Change Design Colors,” you can choose Alabama colors as you see fit. Sites such as Themeleon (linked on the right of the Design tab) can help you craft an overall Twitter theme.
  11. You are ready to tweet! Go to the homepage and post your first update. Be sure to visit twitter.com/UAAlumniAssoc and click “Follow” on our profile.

In addition to text message posting, most smart phones have an official Twitter app. Go to
twitter.com/download to find the one that is right for you.

Helpful videos can be found on Twitter’s YouTube page, http://www.youtube.com/Twitter.