how to use social media to save places
Post on 22-Jan-2018
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Nine Questions to Ask When
USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO SAVE PLACES
What kind of strategy are you
creating?
The same questions are worthy of consideration for both long-term
and project-specific strategies, but the answers—especially regarding
goals, timeline, and content—may be very different.
What is your preservation goal? Knowing what you want to accomplish will help you decide which social sites
to use—for example, Facebook posts can be great for awareness, while
change.org is better for creating petitions to influence policymakers.
What does success look like?Having a clear, measurable goal from the outset will guide the choices
you make and let you know when your social outreach is working—
and when it isn’t.
Where is your audience? Knowing the demographics of different websites can steer you
towards the right social channels to meet your goals.
What’s your budget? There’s a common misconception that social media is free; it’s not. While
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other sites can be used without charge,
advertising—which is increasingly important for being seen—does have a cost.
What will you be sharing? Social media requires content, so know what you have at your
disposal before you start. This will help you select what sites to use as
well as help you plan a posting schedule.
How much staff time do you have? It’s important to factor in time not just for posting content, but also for
answering questions and participating in conversations. Social media
should be a two-way conversation.
Is there someone on your team with
social media-friendly skills?Concise writing, an analytical mindset, and familiarity with the subject matter,
along with understanding how various sites work, are key—and photography,
video production, and graphic design are also helpful.
Do you need a social media policy?If you’re working on your own to save a place, probably not, but if
you’re part of an organization—even a casual or ad hoc one—
agreeing to some ground rules can be helpful.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation works to save America’s
historic places. Preservation Tips & Tools helps others do the same
in their own communities.
For more information, visit SavingPlaces.org.
Photo credits: National Trust for Historic
Preservation (slides 1, 4, 8); Sarah Heffern (slides
2-3, 5-7, 9-10).
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