It’s safe to say that everyone reading this has mastered the Facebook basics of creating a profile, knows how to “Like” a page and read posts. But with the site constantly evolving, here are a few tips and tricks to maximize your experience.
Privacy Settings
Monitoring and adjusting your privacy settings has never been easier on Facebook.
On the upper right hand of your Facebook page you will see the word “Home”; click on this for the pull down menu, then click on “Privacy Settings.” From there, you can choose settings for all of the various Facebook options. Under “Timeline and Tagging,” you can adjust things like who sees posts on your wall and tagging (where you ID yourself or others ID you in photos and posts). Because Facebook is constantly changing, revisit your privacy settings periodically.
In general, you will want to limit who sees your profile and posts to “friends only.” However, it’s always a good idea to think about what you’re posting and who might see it. Also make sure friends, relatives and the parents of any children pictured are OK with the photos you post of them.
Once you have chosen your settings and preferences, it is a good idea to view your profile through someone else’s eyes. From your profile, simply click the “cog icon” (which looks like a gear) located directly under your cover photo. Within the drop down list of options, select “View As.” You can then enter a friend’s name to see how they, or the public, will see your page.
Sharing
Five tips for sharing on Facebook:
- Every time you post a photo, video or update, you can choose who sees it by clicking on the “Public” drop down menu to the left of the “Post” button before you click “Post.” There you can choose “Friends,” “Public” or “Custom” (which allows you to customize exactly which of your friends see your post).
- If you have a set of friends on Facebook who would be interested in certain types of posts or links (such as your church group or garden club friends), you can create a “List” for of them and then select that list when sharing related items. To create a list, on the home page you will see “Friends” on the left hand side; scroll to the right of that and click “More”; at the top of the page that appears you will see the button to “Create List”; from there you can name the list (i.e. “Garden Club”) and choose who will be on this list.
- You can also create a “Group” on Facebook, which is a good way for your group to disseminate information, such as upcoming get-togethers. To do this, go to the home page and click “Create Group” from the left hand side.
- Another fun tip: If you post something you feel is important, you can “Highlight” it by clicking the highlight star in the upper right hand corner of the post box. This will make the post span the width of your timeline page.
- To learn more, visit facebook.com/about/sharing and watch the how-to video.
Your Personal Webpage
With the new timeline, Facebook has become much more than just a way to stay updated. You can add “Life Events” to your timeline to share much of your life story, including important events complete with corresponding photos.
While all the options can seem daunting, in the end Facebook is a fun tool for sharing your life and connecting with friends and family. Explore, experiment and enjoy the ride!
Resources
Connecting to Kids in the Digital Age – AARP.org
Facebook Keeps Families in Touch – AARP.org