I recently interviewed 3 Anchor/Reporters to get their advice about Facebook best practices for on-air talent. Here are 3 of their top tips:

TIP 1: Set up Custom Sharing for Personal Pics

KPRC Morning Anchor, Lauren Freeman has a single Facebook Profile which she uses for personal and professional contacts. Lauren currently accepts all friend requests but says she uses Facebook’s Custom Privacy Settings to post personal pictures so that only family members can see them. Here’s how:

Before you post a status update, link or anything else, click the lock icon to choose who can see it.

Then, choose “Customize”. This will bring up a box where you can select which of your Friends you want to allow to see that post.

TIP 2: Leave the Lights On

WJXT Anchor, Staci Spanos is careful about what she posts to her Facebook accounts. But says it’s important to remember that viewers are expecting to get some personal connection to you through Facebook. So you can’t completely sanitize the experience. Here’s what she suggests:

1) Don’t post information about when you’re going out of town. Instead, wait until you’re back and post photos then.
2) Limit Photos of your kids. Un-tag any that appear on your page without your permission. But, consider posting a few family pictures because people will identify with you more.
3) Share personal experiences that others can relate to.

TIP 3: Pose Provocative Questions, Give Neutral Opinions

WTSP Anchor/Reporter Tammie Fields takes Facebook security seriously. Her approach to social media is calculated and effective. She’s careful not to post too much or too little. And is successful in using Facebook to engage with viewers. Here’s how:

1) Choose Controversial Topics: Post things you know people will have strong opinions about whether the story makes them mad or sad.
2) Post Talkers: Look for lighthearted human-interest stories to link to as well as cute or funny stories that will get people talking.
3) Give Neutral Feedback: Make a point of chiming-in with your viewers. But be careful to give the same type of neutral feedback you would give on air. Never weigh in on politics. Instead, post political stories and ask the readers – “what do you think?”
4) Join the Conversation: Your Fans want to interact with you. So it’s important that you participate in the dialogue on your page.

Do you have good advice for on-air journalists using Facebook? Tell me, Comment Here!

Facebook security continues to be a big talker in the news, so it’s no wonder some anchors and reporters are a bit leery about creating a Fan Page. But most stations are requiring it these days. And for good reason; Facebook has become the #1 fastest growing referral source for media websites.  Viewers will flock to a Fan Page where they can connect with a station’s popular on-air talent. And while 21^st century journalists have become accustomed to protecting their privacy…creating a Fan Page doesn’t have to put that in jeopardy. Here’s how to create the No-Fear Fan Page…

Tip 1: Don’t Attach Your Personal Profile

It’s important to understand that a Facebook Fan Page is entirely different from a Facebook Profile. If you don’t have a Personal Profile, you don’t have to create one in order to create a Fan Page. If you do have a Personal Profile, you don’t have to link it to your Fan Page. Instead, simply go to Facebook’s homepage, and click “Create a Page”. It’s located under the green “Sign Up” button.

You will then be asked what type of page you’re creating. Click “Artist, Band or Public Figure”.

Next, you’ll need to select “Public Figure” in the dropdown menu and give your Fan Page a name. Most stations prefer their on-air talent name the page beginning with the station’s call letters. (ie: WABC Jane Doe)

Facebook will make one last attempt to get you to create a Facebook account during the final step of the registration. If you want to keep your personal account detached from your Fan Page (or if you don’t have a personal account) simply click “I do not have a Facebook account.” You will still have to enter an email address, password, and birth date. But this will NOT be displayed on the Fan Page. It’s just Facebook’s way of making sure you’re a real human being over the age of 13. The email address and password will be your way of accessing and updating the page.

Tip 2: It’s All Optional

Once you’ve confirmed your account, Facebook will display a “Get Started” welcome page which is designed to help you set up your Fan Page. However, NONE of this information is required. It’s all optional. So, fill out only what you feel comfortable with. I suggest you add an image. But you may choose to ignore items 2-5.

Tip 3: Keep Basic Info Basic  

Once you have an image, you’ll want to enter some basic info. To do this, click “Edit Page” at the top right. This will bring up a menu of items which you can personalize. One of them is “Basic Information”. There are more than a dozen fields for you to enter. But again, they’re all optional. So only fill out what you feel comfortable with.

Here’s an example of how I filled this out for my fake Fan Page: “WNEWZ John Anchor”.

You’ll notice, it’s only displaying what I typed in…and it’s not giving any information I don’t want it to. It doesn’t know my address, my phone number, my spouse’s name, how many kids I have or where I went to school.

Tip 4: Turn Off Email Notifications

This has nothing to do with security.  But unless you want an email every time someone posts something on your page… I suggest you click “Your Settings” and turn off Email Notifications by un-clicking the box.

Tip 5: Keep it Professional

You’re in control of what you post on your Fan Page. Some talent chooses to post exclusively about their job. Others choose to post some basic personal tidbits like a photo of their dog or a favorite family recipe around the holidays. But again, it’s your choice.

It’s best to avoid posting information about when you’re leaving town or any personal family details. Let common sense and personal preference be your guide.