Since Facebook introduced the Timeline layout for fan pages, we’ve been looking out for examples of charities using the new layout and features in interesting ways.
Here’s a round-up of our top five:
1) Handicap International UK, www.facebook.com/HandicapInternationalUK
2) Macmillan Cancer Support, www.facebook.com/macmillancancer
3) Blue Cross UK , www.facebook.com/thebluecrossUK
4) Meningitis Research, www.facebook.com/meningitisresearch
5) War Child UK, www.facebook.com/warchilduk
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1) Handicap International UK – For smart use of the ‘About’ and ‘Featured app’ sections
The Facebook Timeline layout provides a new area at the top of the page for you to add 255 characters of descriptive text ‘About’ your organisation. Handicap International UK have made their copy clear and concise, so first-time visitors get a real sense of their organisation’s purpose, as well as what content they can expect by liking their page.
Next to the ‘About’ section, it’s clear that Handicap International UK has put a lot of thought in to having three prominent ‘call to actions’ on the page, including ‘Donate Now’. With our Facebook Giving application installed, Handicap International UK has made it possible for supporters to donate without leaving Facebook. You can find out more about installing the app on your charity’s Facebook Timeline here. By making it even easier for people to donate, you’ll hopefully see a little added generosity – people give an average of 44% more when they donate without leaving Facebook.
2) Macmillan Cancer Support – For getting creative with the timeline feature
The new timeline layout enables charities to go back in time and add important events in your organisation’s history. Macmillan Cancer Support has used the Timeline to tell the story of the charity right back to when it was founded in 1911!
3) Blue Cross – For highlighting and promoting interesting content
Highlighting posts that span the width of your charity’s Facebook page is a new feature introduced in the new Timeline layout. It’s really useful if you have a particular event or appeal that you want to promote to your supporters. The Blue Cross did just this by creating an image, which they posted on their Facebook Timeline, making it span across the entire width of the page. On the image they encouraged supporters who couldn’t make the Tea Party to make a text donation instead, using our free text donation service JustTextGiving by Vodafone.
4) Meningitis Research – For using the new cover photo feature
The new cover photo feature is a great way for your charity to have a real impact on visitors to your Facebook Timeline. By using an effective image, Meningitis Research Foundation manage to communicate their focus on research to save lives and inspire hope in their supporters.
5) War Child – For using an email application to encourage newsletter sign-ups
Like Handicap International UK, War Child UK have used the top section of their Timeline to promote key ‘call to actions’, including an e-newsletter sign-up. It enables visitors to War Child’s Facebook Timeline to sign-up to their monthly newsletters. This is a fantastic way to add new names to your email database and ultimately recruit new donors. Check out email tools such as Dot Mailer and Mail Chimp to find out about their Facebook applications.
Which charities would you put in your Facebook timeline ‘top five’? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Tags: Facebook, facebook timeline