Jamie Crager - Facebook All-in-One For Dummies

Facebook All-in-One For Dummies, 2nd Edition

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2013954107

ISBN 978-1-118-79178-3 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-118-79181-3 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-79187-5 (ebk)

Manufactured in the United States of America

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Chapter 1

In This Chapter

Answering the question, What is Facebook?

Discovering the benefits of being part of the crowd

Using Facebook efficiently

Understanding the statements of rights and responsibilities

Before considering whether or not to join Facebook, you probably want to know what it is, how you use it, and whether its going to be invasive in your life. Those concerns are all fair, and the purpose of this chapter is to address them. First, we explain what Facebook is and how it fits into the scheme of social media. Then we discuss the benefits of joining Facebook, the basic rules of doing so, and how you can customize your experience.

Facebook is a social networking platform where people share their thoughts, actions, photos, and videos with friends, family, and (in some cases) the public at large.

By setting up a personal timeline (sometimes referred to as a profile), you can create status updates and keep others up-to-date on what youre doing. Facebook is where you can hang out with friends, even when youre not in the same location. Through status updates and shared applications, you can listen to the same music your friend is listening to or see where your friend had lunch if he or she checked in (in Book II, Chapter we discuss what it means to check in to a place).

Facebook is becoming more than just a way to keep up with friends or family its a new way of marketing as well. Brands create business pages to connect with their customers on a more personal level and may offer marketing campaigns, coupons, or special deals to Facebook fans. Some brands have gone so far as to launch new products or services to their Facebook fans first.

When we tell people that we love Facebook, we get all kinds of reactions. Some people dont get it because they are Twitter or Google+ diehards. Others dont get it because they think Facebook is fine, thankyouverymuch, but theyre not passionate about it. And some people don't get it because they would never think of sharing their life in the public realm. Luckily, others understand that when we say we love Facebook, we mean we love the opportunities it brings.

Facebook is not just a way to share photos of the new baby, your lunch, or Saturdays party. Its an integral way of interacting with others personal friends, colleagues, businesses, and even celebrities. Its a way to research your interests and learn new things. Facebook offers you a way to broaden your social circle with people youve never even met (indeed, they could be a world away), though many people start by finding and reconnecting with old friends (say, friends from high school, college, or even old workplaces).

A benefit of being on Facebook is that you have the opportunity to be heard. Until social media truly became mainstream, we were broadcast to as a whole. News outlets, businesses, and celebrities all shouted their information to you to further their interests. The crux of social media is that broadcasting is frowned upon and conversations are encouraged. You have a chair at the table and an opportunity to have your say. We dont mean to imply that all voices are equal. Obstacles still exist, but social media has opened new avenues that make it more likely for your voice to have an effect if you use it wisely.

When you join Facebook, you have the opportunity to customize how you interact, who you interact with, and how often you interact overall. Your Facebook timeline is a record of your voice. As you interact with other users and businesses, you build your online persona. Others begin to create a perception of you, based on what you share on Facebook. Throughout Books , we emphasize how you can bring your personality into your online persona by choosing your friends, sharing photos and videos, controlling your privacy settings, and creating a stellar cover photo for your timeline. (Your timeline allows you to share all the milestones of your life in one place.)