Anyone using facebook for their squadron?
I dont know about CAP, but my CG Auxiliary unit has a presence on facebook
www.flotilla4.org (http://www.flotilla4.org)
My last unit had it's own group, but not used for an active purpose
Facebook has become really popular in WIWG. Wisconsin Wing is one big family, and a lot of us have friends across the states in other squadrons. Facebook has really helped us keep in touch. As for the squadron level, we have our own group but it doesn't get used too often. We use our squadron website for inter-sqaudron communication.
Yep, our squadron maintains a page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/fulton-NY/Civil-Air-Patrol-NY408/72131210160) and runs targeted recruiting ads to local users in the right age range. It's not really aimed so much as intra-squadron or inter-unit communication, but at potential recruits.
All right, because I know this is coming, when do we start the CAPTalk facebook group? ;)
Quote from: ♠SARKID♠ on February 21, 2009, 03:52:59 PM
All right, because I know this is coming, when do we start the CAPTalk facebook group? ;)
Never, hopefully.
You'd need a group to communicate with other members who are already a group?
Quote from: Eclipse on February 21, 2009, 03:58:33 PM
Quote from: ♠SARKID♠ on February 21, 2009, 03:52:59 PM
All right, because I know this is coming, when do we start the CAPTalk facebook group? ;)
Never, hopefully.
You'd need a group to communicate with other members who are already a group?
Exactly why I haven't done it
Quote from: Eclipse on February 21, 2009, 03:58:33 PM
Quote from: ♠SARKID♠ on February 21, 2009, 03:52:59 PM
All right, because I know this is coming, when do we start the CAPTalk facebook group? ;)
Never, hopefully.
You'd need a group to communicate with other members who are already a group?
Yeah, but who doesn't love redundancy at times? In all seriousness though, it would be pointless.
Quote from: Eclipse on February 21, 2009, 03:58:33 PM
Quote from: ♠SARKID♠ on February 21, 2009, 03:52:59 PM
All right, because I know this is coming, when do we start the CAPTalk facebook group? ;)
Never, hopefully.
You'd need a group to communicate with other members who are already a group?
Yah, but seeing how often SOME people are on here, they more than likely have time for redundancy! However, some folks here also enjoy the freedom of thier anonimity that the board allows them to stand behind.
Anyway, I'm on FB and already "friends" with some others from CAP Talk. There's a "Swivel Chair Patrol" fan groupy thing for those akin to Tedda ;)
The CAP Chaplain Service has a group on Facebook.
Quote from: RogueLeader on February 21, 2009, 03:34:49 PM
My last unit had it's own group, but not used for an active purpose
My unit has it's own group on FB, and I don't think that it is used for any activities
Quote from: Pylon on February 21, 2009, 03:46:55 PM
Yep, our squadron maintains a page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/fulton-NY/Civil-Air-Patrol-NY408/72131210160) and runs targeted recruiting ads to local users in the right age range. It's not really aimed so much as intra-squadron or inter-unit communication, but at potential recruits.
How many potential recruits have you gotten from it?
Quote from: RiverAux on February 22, 2009, 04:27:27 PM
Quote from: Pylon on February 21, 2009, 03:46:55 PM
Yep, our squadron maintains a page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/fulton-NY/Civil-Air-Patrol-NY408/72131210160) and runs targeted recruiting ads to local users in the right age range. It's not really aimed so much as intra-squadron or inter-unit communication, but at potential recruits.
How many potential recruits have you gotten from it?
As far as I can tell, 0. Only been doing it for a few months. If it ultimately brings in even 1 recruit, it will have been worth my time. Plus, if I
hadn't done it, I would never have known how many potential recruits I might have missed.
I created one for my unit and a cadet from my unit created one for our group. It doesn't get used as much as it use to because the whole format of Facebook changed recently and I haven't figured out everything yet.
I use Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4305419935
I use Twitter too:
http://twitter.com/SERCAP
I live on facebook
I setup Michigan Wing a page on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mount-Clemens-MI/Michigan-Wing-Civil-Air-Patrol/9548473844
There are currently 152 'fans' of the page and I setup events notifications for wing level gatherings, such as our conference in March, and before that the annual academic bowl.
I also setup a Twitter page for the wing:
http://twitter.com/MIWGCAP
I have the RSS feed from it feeding to the main page of the wing website; http://miwg.cap.gov. As CAPnews stories come out of MIWG and are published I'll be posting links to them on Twitter, as well as other random and quick bits of news, such as congratulations for promotions and awards and what not.
Quote from: Eclipse on February 21, 2009, 03:58:33 PM
Quote from: ♠SARKID♠ on February 21, 2009, 03:52:59 PM
All right, because I know this is coming, when do we start the CAPTalk facebook group? ;)
Never, hopefully.
You'd need a group to communicate with other members who are already a group?
I'd say there's more to it than that, though.
I like the CadetStuff group because it allows me to put a face to many of the people I've known for six years, but only through text. Being "friends" on Facebook opens up a lot more information about the people I've been talking to, arguing with, and being inspired by.
And I wouldn't have just gotten to buy a new, cheap i-Pod to replace the one that was stolen if I hadn't had a CadetStuffer see my utter despair through Facebook. ;D
Quote from: Nathan on February 25, 2009, 02:44:32 PMAnd I wouldn't have just gotten to buy a new, cheap i-Pod to replace the one that was stolen if I hadn't had a CadetStuffer see my utter despair through Facebook. ;D
Technically, you bought a
used, cheap iPod. ;)
I don't sell things to make a profit, I sell things to get rid of them. Plus I think you're a swell guy, so you got the swell guy price. :)
Quote from: dwb on February 25, 2009, 04:25:33 PM
I don't sell things to make a profit, I sell things to get rid of them.
Sounds like most banks these days... >:(
No, just do it personally: got some fantastic folks as friends from CAPTalk, though. . .
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4305419935#/group.php?gid=20313214755
here is ours. it is part alumni and part new stuff
Quotehere is ours. it is part alumni and part new stuff
I didn't even think of that. My squadron has an "Alumni and Friends" group also - kind of a reunion group which has been fun.
My wing also has a "Members from the 80s and 90s" group, with lots of old school photos and long lost friends.
There is a Minnesota Wing Cadets group that I don't belong to, but I think it has been successful.
Quote from: alamrcn on February 26, 2009, 02:15:02 AM
My wing also has a "Members from the 80s and 90s" group, with lots of old school photos and long lost friends.
Who's lost?!? Call CAP, stat!
Quote from: Pylon on February 22, 2009, 04:35:50 PM
Quote from: RiverAux on February 22, 2009, 04:27:27 PM
Quote from: Pylon on February 21, 2009, 03:46:55 PM
Yep, our squadron maintains a page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/fulton-NY/Civil-Air-Patrol-NY408/72131210160) and runs targeted recruiting ads to local users in the right age range. It's not really aimed so much as intra-squadron or inter-unit communication, but at potential recruits.
How many potential recruits have you gotten from it?
As far as I can tell, 0. Only been doing it for a few months. If it ultimately brings in even 1 recruit, it will have been worth my time. Plus, if I hadn't done it, I would never have known how many potential recruits I might have missed.
Any new recruits yet from this? Did you choose the pay per click or pay per impression route? How much have you spent on it so far?
I tried the targeted ads, they don't really work, at least not in my area. It has been running since 3/11/09, it has had 4,208 impressions and 1 click through and I'm bidding 13 cents per click.
At least it only charges you per click, I've only paid 11 cents to have the one click through. Maybe the 4,208 impressions were enough to plant a seed of curiosity and when they see us at an air show or something they may want to check us out.
What did you use for targeting?
I really only planned on getting cadet interest through FB.
Targeting:
Under the age of 18, within 20 miles of our area, interested in air force, rotc, airplane, airplanes, color guard, colorguard, drill team, flying, military, planes, shooting, guns, astronomy, flying, gliding, or camping and have english as the default language on Facebook.
The total universe returned was over 10,000 possible viewers.
I was really just playing around with it. If I feel like shelling out money I would probably set up several different ads but keep a similar universe.
From looking at it, it seems like the key words limit your potential audience quite a bit. and just from your experience it doesn't really seem like they've really helped that much as there is not much difference between 1 click through per 4200 impressions (supposedly targeted by those keywords) and none.
What was the text and photo used with your ad?
Quote from: ♠SARKID♠ on February 21, 2009, 03:46:02 PM
Facebook has become really popular in WIWG. Wisconsin Wing is one big family, and a lot of us have friends across the states in other squadrons. Facebook has really helped us keep in touch. As for the squadron level, we have our own group but it doesn't get used too often. We use our squadron website for inter-sqaudron communication.
I just got back from a week in Wisconsin. My guard unit had an exercise at Volk Filed in some little small town called camp douglas. I visted Wisconsin Dells.
Quote from: flyguy06 on July 20, 2009, 05:24:05 AM
Quote from: ♠SARKID♠ on February 21, 2009, 03:46:02 PM
Facebook has become really popular in WIWG. Wisconsin Wing is one big family, and a lot of us have friends across the states in other squadrons. Facebook has really helped us keep in touch. As for the squadron level, we have our own group but it doesn't get used too often. We use our squadron website for inter-sqaudron communication.
I just got back from a week in Wisconsin. My guard unit had an exercise at Volk Filed in some little small town called camp douglas. I visted Wisconsin Dells.
Yeah, we use Volk for training a few times a year. Hotel Volk makes for a much better weekend than sleeping bags in a hangar.
[/drift]
I just set up a page for my squadron, if anyone wants to become a fan its Brooklyn Tech Cadet Squadron.
The rules of supply and demand apply to the facebook ads. Take a few days and crank up your bid for pay per click to something like $0.75 and watch. I just ran one for my business. Started Friday, over 100,000 impressions and it's very targeted for information technology in Kentucky... Gotta pay to play as they say..