Three years ago I decided that there wasn't enough information out there on the internet about things I liked. So I decided to create some fanpages about military trucks (when it was easier to set up a fanpage) in Facebook since it is free. In my former life I drove trucks in the military from 1989-1993. I thought I would post old pics about the Oshkosh M977 HEMTT (heavy expanded tactical truck) which has been in service since 1984 through today. Now why a mechanical military machine fanpage in Facebook? a social networking system?........because there wasn't one created for this item.
Now a truck is much like a computer, many moving parts, static displays, stuff that breaks. When I was in the army driving these machines I really did take many pictures as I was being told to do (or redo) tasks (sometimes meaningless tasks) almost all day. So with the M977 facebook fanpage I decided to take it a step further and make HEMTT parts albums along with the other albums. With the help of government liqudation I comb the truck parts sections on their fantastic website. Culling through parts seems on your computer tedious for the faint of heart or those with a life. But I do it as I want this to be a info center years from now. When I find what I am looking for either by nomenclature or NSN, I copy pictures and label their function, cost, and manufacturer. The best part of government liquidation is the pictures are free! I have fans from all over the world who probably would also look but they keep wondering where these pictures come from, some secret ops type dudes (and ladies) who know of these HEMTT vehicles.
Helpful tips for getting your Facebook fanpage admin types:
1. Visit your fanpage(s) everyday either through Facebook or google. At first this page was about #7 on the search results list. People are all about #1 and don't like to scroll too much.
2. If you use personal pictures on your fanpage you cherish of make them SMALL! (around 280 x 200 dpi). I unfortunately did not do this with my other fanpage M915 and some pictures ended up on some "globalsecurity" website and a youtube video. Also use a personal emblem or logo to watermark your pictures.
3. Do not give others admin access to your created page unless you know them. Or they give you lots of money and you cannot resist.
4. Give credit where credit is due. Yes I've copied some pictures, but I put names in the credit line. Some anti-social types can be fussy when their property is used—especially publishers who hire lawyers.
5. Be a fan of your own fanpage or "like" button it, it may sound mundane, but if you don't like what your page is about why do it then? The like button has kind of thrown into the fray to accelerate followings.
6. Resist Facebook modifications or upgrades until you check out other fanpages to see what the new modification will look like.
7. Facebook (or wikipedia) will try to compete (wiki-pete) your fanpage if it gets traffic. Like my site M977, a M977 competitor exists now (with one fan!) set up wikistyle.
8. Setting up a Facebook fanpage is harder now with all new prompts. You probably would have had an easier time 2 years ago setting up your own Facebook fanpage(s)
9. You can sell stuff, I have had questions about truck part availability, but I am not a wholesaler, just a cataloger. But I wish I were.
10. Fanpages for movies, music, copyrighted entertainment are being created by the owners of those services. Who knows someday I may be ousted by Oshkosh Corporation over this site, I bet they have themselves have viewed my fanpage about their product several times and wonder what I am trying to prove.
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