It’s a question I often get asked. I’m not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I read… a lot!

Here’s the opening of an article in the “Leader Essentials” section of the web site of the American Association of University Women. I’ve italicized the “re-worked” parts and highlighted some of the key phrases with bold text.

“Social media can have tremendous rewards for your organization if you’re creative and persistent. It can help you raise your group’s visibility, recruit new members and donors, and influence important community stakeholders. Common platforms for advocacy include Facebook and Twitter, but new tools (Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr, for example) are unveiled every week. Talk to others about what they’re doing, and see how your efforts can fit into or shape what’s already happening. Use this guide to create a social media strategy that will launch your orgnization even further into the conversation about (name the issue). Social media is a conversation, not a monologue.”

Take a look at the article and especially the guide, here. Let us know what you are doing and how it’s paying off!

And remember:

Be genuine. Determine the tone of your messaging. Let your personality show and use humor when appropriate. Try not to simply broadcast; rather, when possible, speak as an individual, to individuals. This will help grant you credibility as a trusted source.

Stay focused. The people and organizations that follow you on social media have certain expectations about the type of content you post and the way you engage with them. If you stray too far from your objectives, you will lose the trust and attention of your community.

Be reliable. Share quality content from trusted sources, and avoid amplifying erroneous messages from unreliable sources. Reliability also means posting to your social media services regularly. Frequently sharing reliable, meaningful content helps establish you as an important source of information and ideas for your community.

Get social. Above all else, social media is about conversation. Share and comment on other people’s or organizations’ posts to start new conversations, and join in the conversations that are occurring on your social media pages. The more you engage with your followers, the more they will understand that your priorities are their priorities, too.

Source: American Association of University Women – aauw.org