Facebook for Business: UVA and VT Face Off

One great evolution of Facebook has been how it has created a platform for businesses to connect and create a community of fans online. There are multiple options available for businesses and non-profits, but my favorite is the Facebook Fan Page. 

The Fan Page offers the most features and options to add interesting content and it enables you the ability to reach out to people through their daily walls. Since football season is nearly upon us and Virginia fans have fierce alliances, I thought it might be interesting to have a little healthy competition to demonstrate some of the uses of Fan Pages for businesses through our local rivals, UVA and VT.

Both schools are doing a great job of utilizing features available on Facebook Fan Pages, however, I do have a winner!  Vote for who you think has the better Fan Page (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=JCCO3A17TWQpBnwTTBsNBA_3d_3d) and I’ll reveal the results and my choice at Thursday’s Coffee with Kendall. 

VT: 

http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=VT&init=quick#/virginiatech?ref=ts

+ 20,601 fans
+ Shares interesting information in status updates that encourage engagement from fans
+ Utilizes notes to discuss University programs
+ Has a live Webcam on the Boxes tab

UVA: 

http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=VT&init=quick#/UniversityofVirginia?ref=ts

+ 12,882 fans
+ Has excellent “New Media” tab on Web site to direct traffic to other places UVA lives online
+ Utilizes photos that show life at the school and personality
+ Status updates offer a cross-section of campus life and interests to engage the fans