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).