Facebook Social Network

GED Testing Service® Facebook User Guide

2009

Facebook User Guide BACKGROUND 1. PURPOSE OF FACEBOOK Facebook's mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. Facebook has more than 250 million active users, more than 120 million of which use Facebook everyday to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet. It falls into the category of social networking media.

2. FACEBOOK AND NON-PROFITS As a community or non-profit organization you can create an authentic connection with current and potential supporters, students, alumni and donors with Facebook public profiles. There are already over 100,000 non-profits, universities, colleges and religious organizations using Facebook to stay connected to their constituents.

3. FACEBOOK AND GED TESTING The GED testing program can use Facebook to communicate effectively with existing and potential GED test-takers and the wider GED testing community while providing accurate information to the general public about the testing program. GED Testing Service conducted research in 2009 with prospective test-takers between the ages of 20 and 35 living in Arizona and Georgia; nearly 70 percent of prospective GED testtakers surveyed said they accessed the Internet on a weekly basis and social media was one of the top three sites visited for 26 percent of the respondents1. This user guide is intended to help members of the GED testing community learn about and use Facebook to promote awareness and education. Tools like the Groups, Updates and News Feed on Facebook provide a variety of options for communicating with these audiences at no cost to the organization. The GED testing program as a whole can also benefit from shared management of the Facebook presence to support test-takers all over the world.

1

Source: GED Testing Service Research (2009): Respondents selected one of the following answers to the question, “Approximately how often do you access the Internet?”: “Every day”, “A few times a week”, “Once a week”.

GED® and the GED Testing Service® are registered trademarks of the American Council on Education® and may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of the American Council on Education.

1

GED Testing Service® Facebook User Guide for the GED Testing Community

Summer 2009

BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................... 1 PURPOSE OF FACEBOOK....................................................................................................... 1 FACEBOOK AND NON-PROFITS ........................................................................................... 1 FACEBOOK AND GED TESTING............................................................................................ 1

GETTING STARTED ...................................................................................................... 3 FACEBOOK’S HOMEPAGE ..................................................................................................... 3 JOINING FACEBOOK ............................................................................................................... 3 USING FACEBOOK ................................................................................................................... 3 HOMEPAGE ............................................................................................................................... 4 NEWS FEED .................................................................................................................................... 4 SUGGESTIONS................................................................................................................................ 4 SPONSORED ................................................................................................................................... 4 HIGHLIGHTS ...............................................................................................................