This course will teach you the best way to use Facebook with your Scouting unit. Learn best practices for groups and pages as well as how to use ads to promote recruitment and events. Additionally we’ll discuss youth protection policies and how to be compliant in a socially connected world.

1. Facebook for
Scouting Units
Richard Harrington, PMP
VP of Marketing/Communication
National Capital Area Council

2. Richard
Harrington
I'm a visual storyteller exploring
the fusion of photography and video.
I'm a husband & father.

3. Vital Statistics
๏ Author 40+ books
๏ Author 200+ video courses
๏ Publisher of 2 websites
๏ Business owner
๏ Inventor
๏ Photographer
๏ Director

4. Scouting Background
๏ Eagle Scout
๏ Vigil Honor Member Order of the Arrow
๏ Wood Badge
๏ National Camp School
๏ Council VP Marketing & Communications
๏ Assistant Scoutmaster | Scouts BSA Troop 1533
๏ Advisor | Venture Crew 2188

5. Richard Harrington
P 703.608.4852
www.NCACBSA.org
Vice President of Marketing & Communications
rich@rhedpixel.com
www.BeAScout.org

6. General Considerations for Social Media Use

7. ๏ Social media must be monitored.
๏ A qualified staff member or volunteer should
have the responsibility of monitoring social
media channels daily
๏ Backup administrators/monitors should be
designated so there is no gap in the monitoring
General Considerations
For Social Media Use

8. ๏ Talk to your audiences and let them talk to and
about you.
๏ By posting content on a consistent schedule,
you can tell your story and encourage
conversations in the community.
๏ Social media takes a thick skin.
๏ Negative conversations are happening already,
but now you have a voice in the conversation.
General Considerations
For Social Media Use

9. ๏ Don’t delete negative comments unless they violate
the terms laid out in the BSA Social Media Digital
Contract.
๏ Be prepared to respond to negative or inaccurate posts
if response is warranted.
๏ Some negative comments do not require a response,
while others should be taken seriously and addressed.
Factors such as the number of followers and the
severity of the conversations should temper if and
how you respond.
General Considerations
For Social Media Use

10. ๏ Direct media inquiries to the appropriate person.
๏ Media inquiries coming through social media
should be referred to the Scout executive or a
designee for an official response.
๏ Build trust by being open and transparent.
๏ Share information and what the challenges and
opportunities are for Scouting in your
community.
General Considerations
For Social Media Use

11. General Considerations
For Social Media Use
๏ Be Scout-like.
๏ When disagreeing with others’ opinions, remain
appropriate and polite.
๏ If you find yourself in a situation online that looks as if
it’s becoming antagonistic, do not get overly defensive
and do not disengage from the conversation abruptly.
๏ Ask your Scout executive or the designee for advice
on how to disengage from the dialogue in a polite
manner that reflects well on the BSA.

12. Youth Protection Training

13. Shifting Demographics

14. Shifting Demographics
๏ One in every three people on Earth is on Facebook
๏ More than half of users are outside of college
๏ The fastest growing demographic is those 30 years old
and older
๏ 96% of Facebook users access mobile version

15. The Infinite Dial 2019 – Edison Research

16. Facebook Usage
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Ages 12-34 Ages 35-54 Ages 55+
2017 2018 2019 2017 2018 2019 2017 2018 2019
53%
69%
62%
49%
69%67%
49%
72%
79%
The Infinite Dial 2019 – Edison Research

17. Safety & Publishing Guidelines

18. Safety Guidelines
๏ Have 2-deep leadership running the page
๏ Turn off messaging. No private messages.
๏ No names – no image tagging of parents or kids, even
by the parents
๏ Must be monitored

19. Publishing Guidelines
๏ Publish some content – welcome message, news,
about.
๏ ‘Like’ some pages from your page.
๏ Join relevant groups
๏ Re-share content
๏ Do you have photos from past events? Make albums!

20. How to Create a Facebook Page

21. How to Create a Facebook Page
1. Go to facebook.com/pages/create
2. Click to choose a Page type
3. Fill out the required information
4. Click Continue and follow the on-screen instructions

22. Setting up a page
1. Enter a Name for your Page
2. Choose Community Organization or Youth Organization
for the Category
3. Click Continue

23. Setting up a page
4. Upload a Profile Picture
• Consider using official icons from BSA Brand Center
• Visit https://scoutingwire.org
5. Upload a Cover Photo
• Can download generic images from BSA Brand Center
• Can create your own easily with Adobe Spark

24. Setting up a page
6. Create a page username
7. Invite some friends to the page
• Start with adults
• Remember two-deep leadership
• Assign additional administrators or editors
8. Click the … icon and choose Edit Page Info.

25. Setting up a page
• For the Info Tab of your Facebook page, you should use
the guidelines set forth on the BSA National Council
Facebook Info Tab in its Digital Contract, found here:
http://www.facebook.com/BoyScoutsofAmerica#!/
BoyScoutsofAmerica?sk=info
• Add other relevant information to the page including
troop website and contact information.

26. Setting up a page
9. Click the Add Page Button button
• Add a link to your troop website or your BeAScout
page to encourage membership signups
10.Consider setting an Instant Reply message with an
alternative way to connect
• Consider discouraging messages via Facebook
• Important to avoid one-on-one contact with youth
members or potential members
11. Click Settings

27. Setting up a page
12. Adjust Settings to control privacy and access
• Visitor Posts | Disable or Review
• Messages | Suggest Disabling
• Tagging Ability | Disable
• Age Restrictions | Can limit youth members
• Profanity filter | Enable
• Page Updates | Disable
• Live Commentary | Disable

28. Setting up a page
13. Click Tabs and adjust visibility and order of controls
• Jobs | Disable
• Reviews | Disable
• Offers | Disable
14.Adjust Notifications settings to personal taste
15. Click Page Roles and assign Admins and Editors

29. https://www.facebook.com/pg/troop1533/about/

30. Facebook Page Guidelines
๏ It may be valuable to think of a Facebook page as a little
like a troop meeting that is always open, always going
on, and where members of the public may drop by and
watch or participate at any time of day or night.
๏ Facebook requires all users to be at least 13 years of
age. Before creating a Facebook page, you should
educate yourself about what Facebook is and how it is
used, and familiarize yourself with its terms of service.

31. Facebook Page Guidelines
๏ When creating a Facebook page, you should make it a
public fan page.
๏ All Youth Protection policies that govern the use of
email are applicable to the use of the messaging
capabilities of Facebook.

32. Facebook Page Guidelines
๏ You should make sure that any information shared on
that page by you or by your fans is information that is
appropriate to share with the public. This is especially
true regarding the level of detail you provide regarding
Scouts and their activities.
๏ For the Info Tab of your Facebook page, you should use
the guidelines set forth on the BSA National Council
Facebook Info Tab in its Digital Contract, found here:
http://www.facebook.com/BoyScoutsofAmerica#!/
BoyScoutsofAmerica?sk=info

33. Facebook Page Guidelines
๏ Unfortunately, not all the content posted to the wall by
your fans may be appropriate. All content posted by you
or by fans on the Facebook wall should conform to the
precepts of the Scout Oath and Law.
๏ Content that does not meet that standard should be
removed immediately. If a user posts highly offensive
content, the content should be removed immediately,
and you may need to block or ban the user who posted
it. Such an action should not be used liberally but only
when content is truly objectionable.

34. Facebook Page Guidelines
๏ As with any online site, it is highly important that you
do not give out personal information about Scouts or
Scouters to anyone on Facebook.
๏ Every effort should be made to help ensure that your
fans and those Scouts and Scouters that use the
Facebook page are protected.
๏ Keeping Scouts safe and keeping their private
information safe should be the primary concern in any
endeavor involving them.

35. Create an Event

36. Create an Event
๏ Click the Create button in the top menu
๏ Choose Event
๏ Choose Create Public Event
๏ Set the Event Host to your group
๏ Add Banner Artwork (1200 x 628 pixels)
๏ Add additional details including date and time
๏ Notify your District Executive to boost post

39. Promote an Event
๏ Send to your District Executive
๏ The date
๏ The time
๏ The location
๏ Web address for event
๏ Consider boosting post

43. How to Create a Facebook Group

44. How to Create a Facebook Group
1. Click Create in the top right of Facebook and select
Group
2. Enter this info
• your group name
• add group members
• choose the privacy setting for your group
3. Click Create

45. Public Closed Secret
Who can see the
group's name?
Anyone Anyone
Current and former
members
Who can see the
group description?
Anyone Anyone
Current and former
members
Who can see the list
of members in the
group?
People on Facebook Current members Current members
Who can see
admins and
moderators in the
group?
People on Facebook People on Facebook Current members
Who can see what
members post in
the group?
Anyone Current members Current members

46. Public Closed Secret
Who can find the
group in Facebook
search?
People on Facebook People on Facebook Current members
Who can request to
join?
People on Facebook People on Facebook Former members
Who can see
stories about the
group on Facebook
(News Feed and
search)?
People on Facebook Current members Current members

47. Setting up a group
4. Upload a Profile Picture
• Consider using official icons from BSA Brand Center
• Visit https://scoutingwire.org
5. Upload a Cover Photo
• Can download generic images from BSA Brand Center
• Can create your own easily with Adobe Spark

48. Setting up a group
6. Invite some friends to the group
• Start with adults
• Remember two-deep leadership
• Assign additional administrators or editors
7. Click the … More icon and choose Edit Group Settings
8. Link to your page

49. Setting up a group
9. Adjust membership settings
• Set membership approval to Admins and Moderators
• Click Ask Questions
• Confirm child’s name
• Confirm leaders name
• Confirm adherence to Youth Protection policies
10.Click Create Rules

52. Social Media Policy

53. Social Media
Procedure
• Review policy
• http://bit.ly/ncac-social
• Implement

54. http://bit.ly/bsasocialplaybook

60. BSA Content Sources

61. BSA Content Sources
๏ Scouting Wire
https://scoutingwire.org
๏ Scouting Newsroom
https://www.scoutingnewsroom.org
๏ Chief’s Blog
https://scoutingwire.org/chiefs-corner/
๏ Scouting Magazine
https://scoutingmagazine.org

62. BSA Content Sources
๏ BSA Home
https://www.scouting.org
๏ Cub Hub
https://cubscouts.org
๏ Venturing
https://www.scouting.org/programs/venturing/
๏ Scout Stuff
https://www.scoutshop.org

63. BSA Content Sources
๏ Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/theboyscoutsofamerica/
๏ Boys’ Life
https://boyslife.org
๏ BSA on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/BSA100years
๏ BSA Communications
https://www.youtube.com/user/BSAIntComm

64. Scouting Marketing Toolbox

65. Scouting Marketing Toolbox
๏ Marketing Toolbox
๏ District Infographics
๏ Annual Report
๏ Program Calendar Changes

66. https://ncacannualreport.org

67. bit.ly/scoutmarketing

68. beascout.scouting.org/
Starting
point for
online
member
registration!

70. bit.ly/scoutpics

71. Scouters Digest

72. Next Steps
• A digital magazine is coming
• Looking for regular writers and photographers
• Special opportunities for youth to participate and publish
• Ability to inspire participation before events more easily
• Personal stories of Scouting

73. www.weownadventure.com

74. weownadve
nture.com/
submit

75. Digital Digest Editors
๏ Daily Editors
๏ One Hour Per Day Max
๏ Pick a Day of the Week
๏ Six Month Commitment

77. October Meeting
• Website update working session
• Sunday, October 6, 1-4 pm ET
• This is an IN-PERSON meeting at the
NCAC Office.
• We will be reviewing the following
• Council website redesign
• District pages on website
• Use of Basecamp by districts
• Role of WeOwnAdventure.com site

78. November Meeting
• Web Communication 2020
• Sunday, November 17, 1-3:30pm ET
• This is an IN-PERSON meeting at the NCAC Office
• It is required that each district and committee has
representation. It is suggested that both Chairs and
Marketing managers attend.
• This in-depth training session will address major
changes to the council website.
• Event registration
• Event promotion
• Social Media
• District pages on website
• Committee pages on website
• Use of Basecamp for collaboration

79. Richard Harrington
P 703.608.4852
www.NCACBSA.org
Vice President of Marketing & Communications
rich@rhedpixel.com
www.BeAScout.org

80. Facebook for
Scouting Units
Richard Harrington, PMP
VP of Marketing/Communication
National Capital Area Council