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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Welcome To Our Blog!


The purpose of this blog is to explain the benefits of Facebook step by step to our intended audience which is adults over the age of forty. Our goal is to familiarize adults with Facebook and teach them that this is one of the most beneficial social networking tools on the planet. There is a lot of skepticism that Facebook is only a site for the younger generations but that is NOT true! Everyone can and should use Facebook to their advantage, and if you do not know how then look no further than this blog! As college students we believe that everyone can and should use Facebook should be up to date on the latest technologies in today’s world and everyone should be able to understand their functions. Facebook has a little something for each individual and we would like to show you how to get the most out of your experience with Facebook. From the first-timer to the advanced user we hope to share our knowledge with everyone.

If you have questions, comments, or concerns after reading our posts you can contact us through our email address, our Facebook group which is linked to this blog, or you can comment on our blogs posts here on the blog. The links can be found on the right side of the blog under “useful links.” Feel free to ask us about anything as we want to educate as many people as possible. All content on this blog has come from first-hand knowledge of its creators along with links to websites and videos which can be seen in the blog posts. 

The First Step: Setting Up Your Facebook Account

Want to catch up with friends, family, and old classmates? Join Facebook! Maybe you are thinking “Facebook is not for me” or “I am not technologically fit.” Well this blog will provide step by step directions regarding everything you need to know about Facebook.

First we will provide you with simple steps to create your Facebook account. Once you create this Facebook account you will see that the amount of people that you can connect with is limitless. The first step is going to www.facebook.com and signing up right on the home page. Sign up is easy, simple and FREE!



It is important that you fill out the necessary fields like your full name, email address, password, sex, and birthday. You will also have to type in a series of letters and numbers for security clearance. Then check the box saying that you understand the terms and agreements after you have read and understand them. Finally click “sign up” when you have completed the form.

Next you will be sent an email to the email address you have provided when signing up. This email is the confirmation email that Facebook sends to confirm your registration. You must click on the link provided by that email address to confirm that you did register for a Facebook account. Then you will be logged on to your Facebook account.

Now that you are a member of Facebook your final step is to search for coworkers, friends, and colleagues. You will see that once you decide to add one person you will increase your network rapidly. On the right side of your screen you will see that Facebook suggests people you might know so that you can also add them to your network. You can also search for friends by using the search bar at the top of the page. In this space you can enter any name, hometown, company, or school and you will see those that relate to your search.

Adding Facebook To Your Mobile Device

Adding Facebook to your phone is made simple.  First click on the following link: http://www.facebook.com/mobile/




Once you have reached this page please click on the mobile device that you are planning to use on your phone, like Blackberry for example. Click “download app” once you have made your selection.  With this app you can access everything Facebook without having to sitting in front of your computer! 

Connecting To Those Closest To You

One of the main objectives of Facebook is building connections with friends that you have now, those that you have lost contact with in the past, and to keep you connected with new friends that you may meet in the future. Facebook is a “social network” after all. Adults who are just starting to use Facebook can find old high school and college classmates, or they can keep in touch with their grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Facebook is a great tool for long-distance relationships so even though you may live across the country from one of your loved ones you can easily keep in touch with a few clicks of your mouse and bring you that much closer.

Building a network of friends is the first thing you should try to do when becoming a member of Facebook. Use the search bar at the top of the page to look for friends, family, co-workers, classmates, and anyone else you may want to connect with. You can also import contacts that you have in your various email addresses.  Once you have a solid network of friends then you can start sending messages to each other, sharing pictures and videos, joining and creating groups, playing games, and SO much more!

Chatting and Messaging On Facebook

In the previous post we discussed how to get in contact with previous classmates, co-workers, etc. After you friend request them and they have accepted your request the next step is to communicate with them. This is where Facebook messaging comes in.

Users have two options of how to message a friend; you can either send them a private message or if they are logged on to Facebook at the same time as you are you can instant message them. Both have their advantages and differences, we will explain both. 


A first option is to send a private message to a friend. You and your friend will be the only ones who can view these messages. Using this format is advantageous when sending a lengthy message to a friend as it is almost like sending an email. Your friend will receive a notification saying that they have a message in their inbox. This is also a great way to send the same message to multiple friends. To private message you can either; go to your friend(s) profile and click message on the top right corner or you can click on the chat bubbles located at the top of the page as shown in the image above. Once you click the bubbles type in the name of the recipients of your message, enter your message, and finally press send.

This option also allows you to see all messages, where you can view all of the messages that you have sent or received in the past. Messages here can even be from your mobile device, where you can send and receive messages from as well. Attaching files, pictures, or videos is also available when sending a private message.

Other messages that are saved here are from conversations you’ve had during instant messaging, the second way to chat it up on Facebook. This way of this instant messaging is almost identical to AIM, the instant messaging service through AOL, only it uses just your Facebook contacts. This is more convenient than private messaging because it allows you to have more real time conversation rather than having to wait for a response when private messaging someone. You can start this process by looking at the bottom right of your Facebook screen where it says “chat.” Here you will see how many of your friends are on Facebook indicated by the number in parentheses. To message a friend click chat then find the friend you wish to message. Once you have done this start typing, press enter when you are finished, and wait for your friend to respond. Instant messaging is beneficial for being able to catch up with family members when they are away for school or for business, for asking quick questions, or just wanting to say hello.

If private or instant messaging a friend is not your cup of tea there is always the option of writing on a friend’s wall. To do this, go to the profile of the friend you wish to message and where it says “write something”, write something! You can also post pictures and/or videos on a friend’s wall. Messaging with friends on Facebook is an important and great way to communicate and allows you to stay in touch with anyone from around the globe! 













Uploading Photos and Videos

One of Facebook’s most popular features is sharing pictures with friends and family. These photos can be of anything; friends, parties, family, events, pets, vacations, or even something funny that you come across of during your day. You may even have old pictures on a camera that you would like to share. But the question is: how do I do it?











Facebook has given us various simple ways to add pictures. You can upload your pictures and create an album on either the main page or when you are on your profile page.  When you on the home page you will see on the left side Photos.  Once you click this, it shows all of the photos your Facebook friends have uploaded.  On the top of this page, you will see a button reading: +Upload Photos.  After you click this, it opens up a window where you can browse your folders and files to pick out the photos you want to share. To upload more than one picture at a time, you hold down the CTRL key while you select your pictures. While the photos you chose are uploading, you can create name of your photo album, say something about your photos and even add the location of where your photos took place. It also gives you the option to edit your privacy of the album, allowing you to chose if you want the photos to be seen by everyone, just friends, or specific people. When they are done uploading, you can organize the order of your photos, as well as tag those who are in the pictures. To tag, you click your mouse on the person’s face and type in their name. Once they are tagged your picture will show up on that person’s photos and the people they are friends with can view it.  


If you want to upload photos into an existing album, the easiest way to do this is through your profile. Under your profile picture, you would click where it reads Photos.  It then shows your photo albums and the photos you are tagged in.  To add, click the album of your choice and there will be a button on the top right reading “Add Photos”.  It opens the browsing folders and you follow the same directions listed above. 


One of the new crazes with Facebook is mobile uploading. This allows you to upload pictures from your mobile device straight onto Facebook while you are on the go.  When you download the Facebook application on your mobile phone which is explained in the first blog post, it gives you the immediate option of uploading.  Once you click Photos, it opens up your cell phone’s files, where you can choose the pictures to upload. You can also upload them right when you take the picture. When you snap a photo it gives you the option to send the photo through text or email, and if you have the Facebook application it lists Facebook as well.  When you upload a photo you can create a caption and even tag from your phone. You can review these photos when you hop on the computer later.  

Video Calling On Facebook

Facebook is constantly thinking of new ways of keeping in touch with your friends and family. They did not feel that Facebook Chat was enough to just communicate over instant message; they went a step further and incorporated video calling. This allows you to bring your conversations to life in the simplest way. Facebook has worked together with Skype, a video calling tool to allow you to video chat with any of your Facebook friends with a click of a button.  


There are two ways to get to the video chatting option. On the top of each instant message, there shows a small video camera. If that person is logged on to Facebook and has a camera connected to their computer, it connects you two and allows you to communicate while seeing each other. The other way to video chat is if you go to their Facebook profile, and again if that person is on-line it then gives you the option to Call that person. This is extremely convenient being able to see the person you’re talking to. For example, if your child is away at college and you won’t be able to see them for a while this allows you to be able to see them face to face as if you are close together. This is also a great way to catch up best pal when they live far away.

"Liking" Pages On Facebook

By now you have learned that Facebook is a great tool for keeping in touch with friends and family, a home for pictures and video, and an overall great way to express yourself to others online. Throughout your adventures on Facebook you have probably noticed the option to “like” a friend’s status, picture, or post. By clicking this button you are acknowledging the action of your friend(s), basically saying “hey, I like what you just posted” without having to physically tell them. “Liking” things is fun and all, however however this button is more beneficial than you think. 


Do you have a favorite band, actor, or store? Maybe there are certain sports teams that you follow, TV shows that you watch, or products that you like to purchase? You can find all of these things on Facebook and “like” their page to find out more information about them. Using the search bar at the top of the page you can type in almost anything that you like and a result will be sure to come up; an example can be the store Target. Once you type in “Target” and click on it you will be sent to the Target Facebook page. Immediately you notice one of the benefits of liking their page which is being entered for a chance to win in a daily sale. Sales and discounts are just one advantage of liking a page on Facebook. 


Liking a TV show can keep you updated with show times and special information about the show and its actors, or liking a certain magazine or book on Facebook will allow you to see article postings and other insider features. If you are a sports fan like your favorite teams and receive team news, injury updates, and more; all right on Facebook! After liking a page you will start to receive regular updates in your newsfeed about the items that you liked. If you no longer wish to receive their news just go back to the item’s page to “unlike” it which will permanently remove it from your newsfeed. A fairly new addition to Facebook is the option to “subscribe” to someone. This allows you to see status updates and recent posts from that person without adding them as friends, very useful for actors, athletes, or other celebrities you would like to follow. If you are not sure who to subscribe to click on the down arrow at the top right of Facebook and click help. Under Facebook tips you will see a link to help you find interesting people to subscribe to.


The convenience of finding all of this information on one site can hardly be rivaled.  “Liking” and “subscribing” are fast and simple ways to receive news from all of your favorite activities and hobbies, and best of all it’s FREE! Facebook is more than just a social network connecting friends; it is your tool for gaining access to the world around you.





"Checking-In" and Location Services On Facebook

The ability to let others where you are when you travel somewhere is a recent addition to Facebook and other social networks. You may have heard of Foursquare, a social networking site used solely to let friends keep track of one another and never miss a moment of fun; well “checking-in” on Facebook is a similar concept without the need for a separate application. The purpose of checking-in to a” Place” when you arrive there is to let your friends on Facebook know where you are so they can possibly join you or at least know where you are if they need to contact you, or maybe you just want brag a little bit when checking-in somewhere nice. It’s another way to keep you connected with those that mean the most to you.

Checking-in is available exclusively on mobile devices, which means you will need to download the Facebook app to your phone or i-device.. The objective is for your friends and yourself to check-in when you are on the move so you can constantly update your location. There are multiple ways to start the check-in process once you arrive at your destination. Your first option is go to your Facebook mobile application and go to your profile.  At the top right of your mobile profile you will see the check-in button with the check-in logo.  

When you tap this button a list of nearby places will appear. These “places” will be nearby locations in your area and will most likely include the one the where you are present. If your location is not shown you can always add it by using the + button in the top right corner. When you find your place, click on the location and a new screen will appear giving you the options to add a message to your location, post a picture with your location, or tag friends that are with you. You can do all, or none, of these options depending on how specific you want to be when checking-in.  Once you have completed the check-in process a post will appear on the newsfeed of your friends letting them know where you are and what you are doing. Of course you can limit who sees your check-in by adjusting your Facebook privacy settings. 

A second way of checking-in is clicking the button at the in top left corner of your Facebook mobile app, selecting “Nearby”, tapping check-in and repeating the above steps. To assist your check-in process you can enable location services on your mobile device which will automatically find the location nearest to you. Now all of your friends can join you on your nights out on the town!

Besides the benefit of letting friends know where you are, checking-in can also allow to participate in check-in deals. Businesses and advertisers can create special deals for those who have checked-in to their place and reward those who come there often. When searching for nearby places a yellow or green ticket may appear next to a place; this indicates there is a check-in deal at that location. Click on the place to see the deal then check-in and show your phone to an employer claim it. It can be anything from 50% of a cup of coffee to a free T-shirt! You can learn more by watching the video here: http://www.facebook.com/deals/checkin/claiming/.  

 This is a great way for stores and other locations to attract business and bring in a steady base of customers. Businesses can learn more about creating a “place” and check-in deals here: http://ads.ak.facebook.com/ads/FacebookAds/EMEA_partner_deals_businesses_EN.pdf.

It’s hard to beat the convenience of being able to let your friends know where you are whenever you desire. Social gatherings can now grow from 2 to 20 with just a few taps and clicks. 

Creating Groups and Advertising on Facebook

Wondering what else Facebook can do for you?  Are you entrepreneur? Do you own your own business? Are you a free-lance worker? Maybe a promoter? Well creating a Facebook group will be perfect for you.  Facebook groups allow you to communicate with people with the same interests, as well as allow people to know any updates or current events with your business.

Creating a Facebook group is simpler than you think and can be done in 5 easy steps:  first go to your My Groups page: http://www.facebook.com/grouphome.php.When you get there click the “Create Group” button in the bottom left of the My Groups page. Next you just need enter you group information, add a group picture, and finally invite members to join your group.

 When creating a group, one has the option of making it as exclusive or open as they wish.  The group administrator, which would be YOU, has the ability to change these settings by clicking “Edit Group Profile”.  You need to decide who will have access to your group; this is a big decision one has to make.  You can make your group “Open”, “Closed”, or “Private”. What these terms mean are as followed:

Open:  Everyone on Facebook can view the group and join. If the group is exclusive to a specific network, only the people on that network can become a member. The Wall, discussion board, and photos are all visible.
Closed: Everyone on Facebook can see the group, but the administrators must approve all membership requests. If the group is exclusive to one network, only people on that network can see the group. Only group members can view the Wall, discussion board, and photos. If you are not a member, you will not receive News Feed stories about closed groups.
Private: These groups cannot be found in searches or viewed by non-members. The name of the group will not display on the profiles of members. Membership is by invitation only. Non-members will not receive News Feed stories about secret groups.

When creating a group you are also required to select group type. Group types allow people to browse for interesting groups by categories. For this purpose choosing Business, Organizations, or Entertainment& Arts will help one use Facebook groups for advertising. To help promote your group you can add photos. Photo privileges are controlled only by the group administrators. You can allow every member to post photos or only you the administrator. They also have the ability to remove photos that that don't belong in the group or are inappropriate.

When creating a group on Facebook there are two mistakes that are made too often: Choosing the wrong name and selecting the wrong network. Once you choose a group name it can not be changed so think long and hard before typing that in. Also choosing which networks can view your group is another permanent choice and requires careful consideration. Groups can be one of the most beneficial parts of Facebook and the possibilities for their use are endless!  

Facebook Timeline




Facebook's new profile layout, Timeline, promises to turn your Facebook account into an online scrapbook where you can highlight important moments in your life and resurface past Facebook activity. Facebook Timeline changes the default profile from a list of your most recent updates which is the original profile to a complete summary of your entire life since birth. Do not let this scare you; Facebook doesn’t know your entire life.  Only what one adds to this timeline can be shown, which includes photos, videos, status updates and locations you have visited.  The Facebook profile will look a little different; it will have two main columns, with a line down the middle representing the passage of time.  In order for this timeline to work one must add life events that took place before you joined Facebook, such as photos on important moments, really anything you wish.  Your Timeline can be edited to your satisfaction leaving anything out you do not want anyone to see. Also unwanted updates can be hidden from the Timeline. The new profile pages are thought to constitute one of Facebook's most extreme redesigns so far, completely reimagining what a social networking profile can be. 

When you first arrive on Timeline you will be given the option to publish it right away or wait until you finish editing it before making the project go live. You will only have a limited time to keep your Timeline private, as Facebook sets a specific date for your Timeline to be published.

At the top of Timeline sits a large photo--Facebook calls the cover photo--along with an inset of your profile photo. You get to select the cover photo. Below the right side of the cover photo, you will see three menu items: Update Info, View Activity, and settings.

"Update Info" takes you to a new page where you can edit your basic profile information,  including employment and education history, contact information, favorite quotes, places you've lived, and a list of your family members and relationships. The data you see populated on this page will depend on how much information you've included on your Facebook profile.

"View Activity" shows you a list view of all your Facebook activity that is organized by year since the date you joined Facebook. It includes such information as things you've written on friends' walls, photos and links you've shared, and photos you've been tagged in.

”Settings”  includes a privacy setting that shows you what your Timeline will look like to specific Facebook friends or people on Facebook who are not your friends. The settings feature also allows you to add a Facebook badge to your own website.

A little further down from your cover photo, you'll see your basic information listed, which includes where you live, where you studied, where you work, or other information that you may have included in your profile. You will also see a photo montage representing your Friends list, another photo showing the number of photos you've been tagged in, a map showing where you've lived, and a list of all the Facebook pages you've ”liked.”