This document outlines strategies for engaging communities through social media. It discusses establishing a philosophy of community engagement with the goals of creating emotionally invested followers and a space for interaction. The social media strategy section addresses planning content, measuring responses, and maintaining conversations. Specific tactics discussed include using images, humor, infographics, getting followers involved, dealing with criticism, avoiding engaging with trolls, crafting tweets, and curating pins. The presentation aims to provide libraries and organizations approaches for effectively utilizing social media.

1. Engaging Communities
Through Social Media
Sarah Coleman
Jefferson County Public Library
sarah.coleman@jeffcolibrary.org

2. Presentation Outline
 Philosophy of Community Engagement
 Social Media Strategy
 Tactics
 Questions?
Philosophy
Strategy
Tactics

3. Philosophy of Community Engagement
 Goal: Create emotionally invested followers for your
organization or cause.
Image credit: http://blog.kromamarketing.com/blog/2012/10/15/emotional-investment-emotional-capital/

4. Philosophy of Community Engagement
 Create a space for followers to interact with each
other, and you
 Deliver content that has value to your followers; put
yourself in their shoes
 Ask your followers what they want
 Do not talk ‘like a brand’ with followers, give your
organization a human voice
 NO overt advertising/marketing

5. Community Engagement Example: Sharpie’s Website

6. Community Engagement Example: Sharpie’s Instagram

7. Social Media Strategy
 Who will manage social media
accounts?
 How many times a week will you
post?
 I don’t have time for multiple social
media accounts!
 Scheduling posts with HootSuite
 Time to answer comments/interact?

8. Strategy: Planning Your Social Media Content
 Dynamic vs. Pre-Planned Content
 The Power of the Image
 Using Humor
 Re-Posting Content From Friends’ Feeds
Examples of Pre-Planned Topics Examples of Dynamic Topics
Holidays (Thanksgiving,
Christmas, etc.)
Local festivals and events
Library programs
Library Friends’ Book Sales
E-books for Beginners
Book-of-the-day
Response posts for trending
topics on Google
New book and movie release
information
Sharing content from friends’
accounts

9. Strategy: Measuring Responses To Posted Content
Facebook Insights
Learn to Use Facebook Insights: http://goo.gl/DGtDN

10. Strategy: Measuring Responses To Posted Content
Pinterest Analytics
Learn to Use Pinterest Analytics:
http://goo.gl/P857r

11. Strategy: Maintaining a Two-Way Conversation
 Dealing with complaints, negativity
 Answer followers in a timely fashion
Images via: http://www.pamorama.net/2013/06/09/7-types-of-social-media-fans-how-to-connect-infographic/#more-7906

12. Tactics: A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

13. Tactics: Humor

14. Tactics: Infographic

15. Tactics: Get Them Involved

16. Tactics: Deal With Public Criticism

17. Tactics: Don’t Feed The Trolls

18. Tactics: Great Tweets

19. Tactics: Perfect Pins

20. Questions?