I’ve just filled out an online survey from Jupiter Research about online social marketing with lots of questions about blogs, social networking websites, facebook widgets (or applications as they are called by facebook) and the likes.
While more and more big brands are starting to engage their target audiences on facebook via these applications, only a few universities and colleges (fewer than 20 as you can see in my higher ed facebook application directory) have created an application of their own.
Kind of strange when you think about it.
Almost all our student population (prospective, current and even young alums) live inside facebook, but most institutions haven’t considered yet leveraging this platform to offer news updates or student services.
In the meantime, hundreds of institutions have already created their Facebook page — even if this feature was launched only a couple of months ago, which tells me that institutions do understand the power of the popular social networking website.
This scarcity of Facebook applications authored by institutions has a simple explanation: a lack of expertise coupled with less and less time for web teams to learn new skills.
When I designed “Facebook Applications 101 and Beyond” – a 3-webinar series scheduled on March 4-6, 2008 – for Higher Ed Experts, my goal was to provide a solution to this problem:
“Facebook Applications 101 and Beyond” is a 3-webinar series that will help you assess what it takes to build a successful Facebook application, build a very simple app to republish news on Facebook and find out how to create more complex applications.
How to build a successful Facebook application
March 4, 2008 – 1PM-2PM ET (rain date: March 11, 2008)
Chris Mocko, one of the 3 Stanford students who developed the viral success KissMe (2 million installs in a few weeks), will explain what it takes to build a successful Facebook application. He will share lessons learned, practical tips and advice with higher ed professionals.Build your first Facebook application
March 5, 2008 – 1PM-2PM ET (rain date: March 12, 2008)
Mike Richwalsky, Assistant Director of Public Affairs at Allegheny College, will teach you how to build a simple Facebook application to republish content already available on your website via RSS.From Facebook to the course registrar
March 6, 2008 – 1PM-2PM ET (rain date: March 13, 2008)
Dr. Anthony John Hirst, one of the 3 team members who designed and built Course Profiles for The Open University, will explain how this Facebook application was developed. He will share lessons learned, practical tips and useful advice with other higher ed professionals interested in developing complex Facebook applications for their institutions.
For more information and to register, you can visit www.higheredexperts.com/facebookapp
Places are limited and registration will close on February 25, 2008.