Introducing This is Govable: The U.S. Army’s Facebook Landing Page

Hello, GovLoopers!

I’d like to introduce This is Govable, a series that will highlight government examples of impressive social media tactics and improved collaboration through technology. This series might not always showcase the biggest campaigns, but it will highlight small, meaningful steps that the government is taking towards Gov2.0. Please feel free to send me any interesting government uses of social media that you happen to stumble upon.

The first example I’d like to present to you is the U.S. Army’s customized Facebook landing page:

You may have read about some prominent private brands doing really unique Facebook landing pages, such as Red Bull, Coca-Cola and Mashable, but we come to expect high end graphic design in industry more than in government. However, you shouldn’t be surprised when you start seeing more great work being done on government websites (remember, “Innovation is Alive”).

Now, let’s break down the Army’s Facebook landing page.

What the Army Gets Right with Its Facebook Landing Page

1. There is a clear call to action at the top of the page with the “Join the Army Conversation” graphic and the hand pointing to the “Like” button. This falls under Marketing 101. Let the consumer or stakeholder know what you want them to do, especially in the online world. Don’t make people think about what you want them to do, just tell them. Every split second counts because virtual world visitors want their information fast.

2. It has a unique page title, which in this case is the very appropriate U.S. Army battle cry, “HOOAH!” If that doesn’t motivate you to “Like” the page, I’m not sure what will. I like that the title says more than just “Welcome” which any Facebook landing page could do. It’s specific and meaningful to the organization. It represents the culture and gets the visitor into the Army spirit from the word “HOOAH!” When you are planning your organization’s Facebook landing page think about your history, your culture and your services, then pick something that represents you best.

3. The Army also has a beautifully organized and well-designed page layout that emphasizes several ways to engage with the organization. There are active links to the official Army website, the mobile Army website, the Army on social media, the official Army blog, and even information on how to join the U.S. Army. All of the major highlighted resources and profiles for the U.S. Army are hyperlinked from the graphics, making it extremely easy to visit the other sites and tools. You already know that Facebook visitors are inherently in tune with social media, so it is the perfect opportunity to identify all of your organization’s social media profiles and increase your network reach.

4. Finally, the landing page includes a video that speaks directly to the larger Army community with the message “Keep Army Families, Army Strong.” Well-produced videos are an excellent way to convey an important organizational message in an easy to digest format. Although they don’t always have to be heavily produced and edited to be meaningful. A simple welcome message from your leadership or one of your organization’s established cheerleaders can have just as much impact in telling your unique “story.”

With over 489,000 Facebook members that “Like” the U.S. Army’s page, it’s obvious the call to join the conversation is working. I’ll also bet that they love the fact that they have got more than double the U.S. Navy’s 219,964 Facebook fans. Personally, I “Like” each of the service branches equally.

I don’t see a much room for improvement here, but if I had to give one piece of constructive criticism, I would suggest slightly more emphasis on the policies/guidelines regarding fan activity on the U.S. Army’s Facebook page. They currently provide guidance on the info tab, but they could break it out into its very own tab. You should let visitors know exactly what is expected of them once they join the conversation and clearly explain what isn’t allowed (or how it will be moderated).

What are your thoughts? Do you have any suggestions for improving the U.S. Army’s Facebook landing page or their Facebook presence in general?