Nonprofit Performance 360 Magazine Vol 5 No 1

Getting the Most Out of Social Media CLARK GREER Academic Desk

Digital technologies can be a boon and a bane for organizational communications. They facilitate rapid dissemination of information to your constituents, but their use requires knowledge in how best to implement technologies to ensure the best return on your efforts and resources, and keeping track of trends and new developments. For many organizations, social media use is essential. The challenge is using the right platform in the best way. Here are a few tips that will help with the development and use of social networks. 1. Usesocialmediastrategically. Creating an annual plan is necessary, but thinking purposefully takes communication and marketing to a higher level. Strategic planning begins with understanding your target audience from demographic and psychographic perspectives. Define the age group (with other demographics) you want to reach to match the primary user to the social platform. Good online sources of social media demographics include the Pew Research Center, which provides periodic data updates. Then research the target’s psychographics: attitudes, lifestyles, interests, motivations, and other assessments. Knowing these characteristics, you can tailor content that is of interest to your audience. Social media each have distinct features that should be used to get the most out of the platform.Match the platform characteristics with the target, using content that best conveys your central message. Schedule the best days and times to post on different platforms.

2. Post meaningful content. There is a temptation to use social media primarily for advertising. Posting only activity announcements might help people with their personal calendars, but it does not connect them to the organization. Social media is intended to create associations and to get followers to be social. Enhance connectivity through articles that give value to your target audience by informing and educating them about your organization’s area of expertise in a way that engages them. For example, a local symphony orchestra might offer an article about the ways music enhances children’s academic skills. Another type of meaningful post is user- generated content (UGC).Encourage community involvement online by letting followers post and share, rather than always featuring your organization’s content. This might include asking attendees to post photos of an event. For performing groups, how about inviting followers to reminisce about their first experience playing an instrument or singing? Consider having local guest authors, such as business leaders, tell what performance organizations or the arts mean to them. 3. Develop relationships. Social media should be more than just a one-way tool to push communication. Organizations can’t possibly visit personally with each person in their target audience, but they can virtually converse through social networks. Use social media to develop and maintain relationships.Think about what it takes

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