Social media training seminar 22 February 2016
Seminar led by Ian Tokelove, Senior Communications Manager, LWT
Potential pitfalls and solutions
Hurrying and putting out poor quality posts as a result: take your time. ‘Instant’ medium doesn’t excuse mistakes e.g. incorrect spellings.
Possible to insult other users (can be a touchy audience especially if hurrying over posts). Take your time and read back to check for possible offence.
Images permissions (permission to be photographed and also risk of not crediting a photo correctly). Build a library of your own images (and make sure you have permission to use these from the subjects/their parents).
Risk of being overwhelmed by attendees if advertise an event widely: use Eventbrite or similar online booking systems to manage this risk.
Facebook: some tips
Facebook page: only the owner/named administrators can post on the page (anyone can comment in the bottom left of screen: you can choose to delete inappropriate comments, hover over the drop-down arrow for options. Note that it might be better to engage with negative criticism and try to turn it into a positive engagement. Reply= private; comment=public ). Page visible to anyone with a Facebook page.
Community group on Facebook: closed group, any member of the group can post on the page; good for chat and discussion groups.
Check your notification alerts: have you set these up as you would wish? Change them if not.
Beware who has administration rights over the page: are they going to post appropriate material for a work page? Avoid the personal (‘Please sign this petition because it is really important to me’: who are you?)
Post at leat 2/3 times a week.
Use the scheduling function to manage time: write the post when have time ad schedule it for publication at appropriate moment. As an imprecise guide, commute time, lunchtime and early evening are good time for posts.
Once have 25 followers, able to request removal of string of numbers from page name (beware: only allowed on name change per page so LEEF are stuck with said numbers!).
Banner picture can be changed regularly to maintain interest. Choose an image which will mean something to followers and the casual viewer.
Facebook uses bing maps so if map is incorrect, create an account with bing and request a change. (They will send a postcard with verification code to check that it is a real address.)
Eliminate tabs that you aren’t using (and add more that you would like to use from the pre-set menu) using the ‘manage tabs’ function. Create a call to action and sign up tabs may be of use.
Short punchy paragraphs with white space.
Facebook analytics rely on complex algorithms which make more sense for bulk volume pages e.g. major corporates and may be less useful for small third sector organisation.
Human interface adds value: beware of automatic programmes (ditto Twitter auto ‘thanks for retweeting’ software).
‘Pin to top’ can be a useful function for posts of which you are particularly proud.
Able to change images for events so each can have a relevant picture.
To avoid inelegant image cropping: Facebook images are 470 pixels wide so ideal image will work in multiples of that size. Take landscape rather than portrait.
Google ‘Facebook image debugger’ and copy and paste the link to the image if Facebook software fails to recognise that you have posted picture.
Paying to boost a post can be affordable and well worthwhile if it is something important.
Twitter tips
There are software options to help manage Twitter accounts e.g. able to display several accounts (assuming you manage more than one) in split screen, automatically reduce URLs, enable scheduling, create Twitter lists to group tweets within themes etc. Tweetdeck is a free service but not available on mobile phones. Hootsuite is a similar pay for service.
Image can be tagged separately with up to 10 tags (@LondonLEEF, for example) and these do not come out of the allotted 140 characters.
Beware of tweets which are lists of tags and hashtag topics: there should be some content!
Use bit-ly to shorten URLs (useful because also keeps stat of how many people follow the link). If you have a bit-ly account (free) then you can edit the shortened URL to make it meaningful to your organisation in some way.
If reply to a Tweet by having e.g. @LondonLEEF as the opening characters then this is not private: all followers in common (i.e. who follow both respondent and person addressed) will be able to see the Tweet.
Add a banner image (use a high resolution file).
Limit use of ‘please share’ to really important matters.
. . . button introduces a number of additional functions over and above retweet, reply and like.
Thunderclap = lots of simultaneous tweets of same post for maximum impact.
Don’t post negative stories and gripes: turn them into positives e.g. not a story about vandalism to your site but positive tale of fabulous volunteers working to rectify it.
Works well for events promotion.
Newsletter tools
e.g. Mailchimp, dotmailer, campaign monitor: secure data and include all relevant data protection info e.g. ‘you are receiving this because . . .’ and unsubscribe button.
Able to send newsletter with split header and analyse which works best.
Click through stats available.
Quick comment on e-mail signatures
Avoid a mish-mash of fonts and colours.