News

Academy Facebook page gets 10,000 fans

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Don Branum
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  The Air Force Academy's official Facebook page hit a milestone Aug. 4 when it surpassed the 10,000-fan mark.

The page, at www.facebook.com/USAFA.Official, gained about 2,000 new fans in the two weeks after it was created in late August, 2009, and averaged about 40 fans per day thereafter.

The Air Force Academy Public Affairs Office established a social media presence to reach out directly to family members and prospective cadets, said David Cannon, the Academy's director of communications.

"Facebook is an invaluable communication tool to reach parents, graduates and high school students who are interested in the Academy," Mr. Cannon said. "We can let parents' clubs know of events that are happening in their areas. We can let the Colorado Springs area know when the (Air Force Academy) Band will perform at a local venue or when a cadet falconer will be at a particular area."

Demographic information on the Academy's Facebook page indicate that about a third of the page's fans are males between the ages of 13 and 24, with females in that age range comprising another 16 percent. The most active participants on the page, however, are women and men in the 45-54 age range, who make up 25 percent and 13 percent of all active users, respectively.

The communication style on Facebook is more informal than traditional means of publication, such as the Academy Spirit or the Academy's official website, www.usafa.af.mil. Academy officials can get information more quickly to fans, and fans can more easily interact with Academy personnel to get answers to their questions.

Photos and videos produced by DenMar Services, along with links to stories about the Academy, form the backdrop for fans' interaction: a Class of 2014 Acceptance photo album, posted the morning of Aug. 4 and updated throughout the day, attracted 38 comments. Carolyn McDonough, the aunt of Cadet 4th Class Aaron Clement, wrote, "Congratulations to all the 2014 cadets. I'm sure this wasn't easy, and it's a true testament to your character that you're all standing proud today! ... And thanks, USAFA, for sharing all of these great photos with those of us unable to be there today. It means a lot."

Second Lt. Meredith Kirchoff, the deputy director for Public Affairs and a 2009 graduate, said establishing a Facebook page a year ago made sense.

"I was introduced to the idea of an official Facebook page my first week at work," she said in an interview for a story that ran in the Aug. 28, 2009 Academy Spirit. "My reaction was, 'Of course -- naturally we should be on Facebook.'"

PA will continue to interact with fans on Facebook to foster institutional pride in the Academy and to share the good news about what's going on here. Fans can provide feedback on what they'd like to see on the Academy's Facebook page by e-mailing pa.net@usafa.af.mil.


USAFA.Official on Facebook (as of Aug. 9, 2010)
Website www.facebook.com/USAFA.Official
Fans 10,143
Top Five Countries:
1. United States 9,113
2. Philippines 79
3. Germany 64
4. Indonesia 47
5. England 37
Top 10 Cities:
1. Detroit 628
2. Colorado Springs, Colo. 342
3. Denver 193
4. Atlanta* 178
4. Washington* 178
6. Los Angeles 154
7. Chicago 144
8. Dallas 140
9. San Antonio 129
10. Houston 116
* Tied for fourth place.