Making the most of Facebook

Here are a few hints and tips for making sure you get the most from your club's Facebook Page.

Have a good-looking and logical Facebook Page

Remember to set your club up a Facebook ‘Page’ (not a ‘Group’ or ‘Personal Profile’). You will reach more people that way - Get started on Facebook. 

Name and username

A Facebook Page has both a name and a username. Both of these need to be clear and easily recognisable as this is how people will find you on Facebook. Your username will also become the URL (the web address) for your Facebook Page.

For example, our username is @BritishSubAquaClub so you can find our Facebook Page at facebook.com/britishsubaquaclub.

Profile and cover photos

Make sure your club can be found quickly by having a profile picture that is easy to recognise. If you have one, use your club’s logo. Try and get a great photo for your cover image – one of your club members out and about having fun is ideal. Or, a great diving shot.

Keep it current and keep talking

People prefer to listen and watch rather than read lots of text. Put short videos up about your club or of your club members out and about diving. Post on all of your activities – pics or videos from dive trips, training days, social events. Also, celebrate any successes – when people qualify, overcome challenges, grant successes; any positive news from the club.

Keep your Facebook Page vibrant. A silent page doesn’t give a great impression of your club. You can engage people by commenting on what they are posting and asking for their views. 

Get Facebook recommendations

Facebook has a system for recommendations where people can go online and speak about the service of a business or organisation on their Facebook Page. For more information, see Facebook's page How do I recommend a business on Facebook?

Email your members and ask them to 'Recommend' your club and talk about the experience they have had with you. The more recommendations you have, the better the club will look.

After Try Dive events, maybe ask those who attended to leave feedback and recommendations too!

Be responsive to enquiries

Clubs have a high success rate when they answer messages from potential members quickly on Facebook. We advise responding to enquiries within 24-hours, if possible. This will turn on a badge on your page that advertises your club as 'Highly Responsive' and lets potential members know that you are easily accessible. 

Use Facebook Events

Facebook events facility is great for your club’s trips and other events such as a Try Dive event. This will enable members to add comments, upload their pictures and members can have online banter before and after the event. It will also help potential members see how active your club is.

Below is a great example of an active club Facebook event calendar from London No 1 Dive Club (who incidentally are very successful recruiters of new members). 

Members can also invite all of their own Facebook friends to come to the event too (which would be particularly useful for a Try Dive event). 

Be engaging - tag people, places and pages in your posts

Tagging people, places and other pages in your posts and photos will result in more people seeing your posts and get more people engaged. Ask members to tag your club page in their personal posts where possible.

What’s in it for your Facebook followers?

Give your Facebook followers a reason to engage by posting information that they see as valuable. Most club members and Facebook users like to:

• Get up-to-date information, such as dive trip and social event dates, and pics/videos afterwards
• Be kept informed about any changes happening in the club, such as new initiatives or training times
• Show support to their club
• Interact and connect with other like-minded members
• Get entertained!
  
  

Add your club's Facebook activity to your website

If you have a club website you can place the Facebook ‘Like’ symbol onto your web pages. When someone clicks it, they will 'like' your club’s Facebook page.

On your club's website, you can embed your club's Facebook Page Timeline, Events and even your Facebook Messages. Use a Facebook 'Page Plugin' to easily embed and promote your public Facebook Page on your clubs website. Find out more and how to do this here.