#savingplaces: twitter tips for preservationists
DESCRIPTION
So your preservation organization is on Twitter, now what? This session will provide easy, actionable tips about finding your audience, sharing your stories, building connections, and using analytics to build a vibrant community on Twitter – and tap into the nationwide conversation focused on #savingplaces.TRANSCRIPT
#SAVINGPLACES: TWITTER
TIPS FOR PRESERVATIONISTS
Sarah Heffern | November 13, 2014 | @smheffern | #PastForward
Know Your Audience
• Your new favorite website: pewinternet.org
• Channel-by-channel demographics
• Twitter has most reach into 18-29 year olds, African Americans
• Think about both your current and desired audience
Find Your Friends & Allies
• Search your org’s name– Who is already talking
about you?
• Look at partner orgs’ accounts– Do they have lists?
• ID local movers and shakers– Search by name,
affiliations
Tell Your Story
• What stories are you
already telling?
– (And what stories are you
not telling? Why not?)
• Don’t reinvent the
wheel.
– Research files
– Training packets
– Website and/or blog
– Newsletters and internal
reports
Make it Visual
• Get double the engagement
• Think eye candy– We are not like other
kinds of nonprofits
• Use text and collages– Phonto (app)
– PicFrame (app)
– Pixlr (website)
– Canva (website)
Put a Hashtag on It
• Insert yourself into existing conversations– #PastForward
– #preservation
– #savingplaces
• Be strategic– Search first
– Hashtagify.me
• Participate in memes– #TBT – Throwback
Thursday
– #OTD – On This Day
Be a Resource for Media
• Follow reporters
• RT/reply to relevant stories – Build a relationship
• Answer questions– Let them see you as a
resource
• Pitch gently
• Don’t be spammy!
Ask and Share
• Twitter is a conversation, not a megaphone– Answer questions
– Ask questions
• RT partner orgs, local advocates
• Always, always attribute what you’re sharing
Make Your Events Tweetable
• Pick (and publicize) a hashtag in advance
• Make the action simple and fun
• Collect and re-share responses
• Thank people for participating
Host a Tweetup
• Connect “IRL”
• Casual or formal
• Focus on unique experiences
• Use a hashtag
• Capture the story– Storify.com
Set Goals & Analyze Results
• General goals vs. project-specific goals
• Quantitative goals vs. qualitative goals
• Sources include:– Twitter’s free analytics are
free (and great!)
– Hootsuite.com
– Topsy.com
– Hashtracking.com
•Be proactive!
Questions?
More Questions?
• Forum booth “specialist spotlight”
• Friday, 11:30 am -noon
• One-on-one question time
• More than just Twitter!