As I walk on campus, I’ll see signs and maybe even some sidewalk chalk telling me about upcoming events on campus.  

As an advertising and public relations major that’s a solid way to get the word out to students. It may not be the best way but still effective. But for the other organizations that advertise an eventon campus via Facebook, it’s disgusting how little these organizations try in order to get people to come to their events and then, in turn, get mad when no one shows up.

I take pictures at these events for The Shield and finally I’m tired of going to these events and only seeing 12 people there.

I am not trying to point fingers at any specific organization on campus, but every event that I have been to hosted by The Edge radio station has a minimal turnout, not that the event was horrible, or for lack of talent, or even a bad night for the event but because their only source of advertising is making a Facebook page.

Making a Facebook page isn’t the best way to reach the students. Sure, most of college students check their profiles every five minutes, but they need something tangible to see, to remind them when they are away from the computer.

Talking to people at these events about how the turnout is, I always hear the same thing: “I know someone made a Facebook page.”

I am not saying that Facebook isn’t a good way to reach students, because most of them get on Facebook every day. But when you make a page asking people to attend the event and then don’t update the page until about three or four hours before it takes place, can you really expect them to show up?

Making a Facebook page should never be the heart and soul of your advertising strategy. It’s a good way to keep hounding and reminding people when the event is, but you should venture outside the Internet and make some other attempts. Posters, sidewalk chalk and Access USI are three alternatives.

A final thought about Facebook invites- don’t count on the number of attendees confirmed on Facebook to be the number that will actually show up. People probably just check a box to get the invite notification to go away.