If you’re planning a class reunion, then you need to get used to this word: Facebook.com
Almost a billion people use Facebook so you can expect a large portion of your graduating class to be a part of it.
It is a social network that connects lives by helping us keep in touch with our families and friends.
Facebook has another neat feature that lets groups like class reunions create their own page. This feature is called a Facebook Group.
And it’s going to be your single biggest resource for finding classmates outside of your class reunion website (Read: Reasons Why You Absolutely Must Have A Class Reunion Website)
What is a Facebook Group?
A group on Facebook is simply a page where a group of people can come together and discuss a topic that they all have in common. There can be groups about cheerleading, stocks, and even class reunions.
The advantage of having a class reunion group page on Facebook is that it is easy for everyone to find, provides a forum for discussion and is easy to set up if you already have a Facebook account.
Why Do I Need A Facebook Page For My Class Reunion?
As mentioned earlier, there are almost a billion people on Facebook. There is a good chance that most of your classmates are on it as well. Finding them and then inviting them to join the group is a great first step in getting people to attend the class reunion.
Facebook provides a discussion board that you can use to discuss upcoming events like Fundraisers, ask for opinions, and take polls on various subjects related to the class reunion.
You can also post hotel group rate information (Read: How To Reserve Hotel Rooms For A Class Reunion), event details, upcoming due dates, and directions to keep people informed and engaged.
So How Do I Create A Facebook Group For My Class Reunion?
Start by logging into your own Facebook account, and clicking on the create group button (Example below).
On the following form (image below), fill in the name of your group (e.x. Port Richmond High School 10th Class Reunion), and add a description.
On the privacy setting, you can choose Open, Closed, and Secret.
Open means that anyone can view the group information, member information, and read posts and discussions
Closed means that anyone will be able to view the group information, and who is in the group, but they cannot see what is posted in the discussions.
Secret means that only members can view any part of it.
Make sure to add a photo of your school logo as the main picture for your class reunion The file size limit is 4MB but that should not be much of a problem for a high school or college logo (Alternately, you can use the image of the school mascot too).
Add officers (i.e. reunion planning committee members) to the list of people to the group.
Invite Facebook friends and non Facebook friends by clicking on the members tab. For non facebook members, you will need their email addresses.
What Tabs Should I Have For A Facebook Group?
There are tabs on the top left of any Facebook group that are much like pages that hold different information. Many of the following tabs come standard on all Facebook group pages. You can also create custom tabs easily in the settings area. Here are the standard tabs used by most class reunions that have a Facebook Group Page
Wall – This area is where all the interaction between your classmates happens. It is the news feed, ideas, and discussions amongst members of the class reunion. People can post their photos, videos, complaints, and updates in this area.
Info – This is the page where you can post the What, and Where information about your class reunion. Make sure to place the date, time, and location of the class reunion in this tab.
Photos – Have old photos of your classmates? If so, then scan and post them here for everyone to see. If you don’t have any old photographs, then see if the alumni office can provide some. Another source would be the members of Facebook group. Ask to see if anyone would be willing to share their old high school pictures.
Videos – Have an old video that would make people smile? How about a video of you dancing like MC Hammer (Don’t know who that is? Then don’t worry about it ). Any video that is funny and shows a sign of the times should be posted in this section. The important thing is to keep things interactive.
Registrations – Facebook does not allow you to create a registration form where you can collect money for the class reunion. The next best thing is to create a tab that contains a link back to your own class reunion website. If you want to learn how to create a class reunion website without any programming knowledge, then read Class Reunion Website Reviews.
Events – Planning a class reunion involves organizing a lot of smaller events like fundraisers, car washes, bake sales etc. Post all the events here and ask volunteers to help.
Links – Want to provide a link to a class reunion registration form or a survey that you need taken? Post all your links here. You can also ask classmates to list their business on the Facebook groups page for a small donation to the class reunion.
Notes – Post your class reunion planning committee meeting notes on this page so you keep everyone up to date.
Polls – Have a question for your class reunion attendees? Want to know if they want to block rooms at a 3 star hotel or a 4 star hotel? Ask them with the polls tab. Let the results be your guide to better reunion planning.
The large Facebook user base has made it a very useful tool for organizing class reunions. While planning a class reunion can still seem like a intimidating task, finding your old classmates and keeping them up to date about the reunion has become much easier with Facebook Groups.
What should you read next?
Since you’re planning a class reunion, why not get some great tips to help you organize the event.