Still haven’t take the plunge? Thinking about trying a new tool? Before implementing any type of social media effort, it’s important to ask yourself a few important questions.
- Audience — Who do you wish to reach?
- Purpose — Why are you using social media?
- Mission — How does this fit into your work?
Answering these questions will provide you with the insight that you need to move forward.
Now that we know the WHY, it’s time to figure out the HOW.
- Who will update and how often?
- What content are you posting? Only published content? Additional content? Customer-submitted content?
- How often will you post?
- How can fan-submitted materials be shared?
- How will you engage with your community?
- Will the content be moderated in anyway? What if people object to something posted?
- Can readers tag themselves in photos? What privacy settings will you use?
- How will you you let people know what you’re doing?
The more work you do in advance, the easier managing social media will be.
Catherine Odson 