Audience Demographics and Tools for Managing/Analyzing Your Content (Messages)

Demographics of Key Social Networking Platforms – Pew Research Center
www.pewinternet.org/2015/01/09/demographics-of-key-social-networking-platforms-2/

WIU Target Audience

If you have stretched/limited resources, focus on platforms that have your target demographics. For University Relations, we target to the “macro-level.”

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

WIU (managed by University Relations) has a presence on other accounts: Pinterest, YouTube, Google+, Storify, WordPress

For niche areas, such as a small, rural community, Pinterest would likely be a tool to use  more heavily.

Use the site’s “analytics,” when possible, to examine the reach and engagement-level of your messages:

As well as to discern who your users are:

When your fans are online:

Twitter also has analytics you can use…

Crafting Your Messages

Use well-composed and in focus photos! (If you don’t have that, a quick work-around is to use an Instagram filter to give an image a more dramatic effect, and then use the Instagram photo on your other social media sites.)

Well-Composed Photos

Photography: 15 Great Examples of the Rule of Thirds in Action

And if you post links, you can still use photos/graphics…

 

Use Video

(Video was produced by WIU student Jeff Marta.)

Connect Networks for Some Level of Automation

For time management and efficiency reasons…

Facebook to Twitter

Use IFTTT (If That, Then This)… All of the photos we upload to WIU’s Instagram, go to Twitter.

For example: Instagram…

…to Twitter

Final Tips

1. Keep feeding your social media networks with content that appeals to your audience. Use photos, video, and links to tell your organization’s story. Some content items will get strong user engagement, while others will not. That’s OKAY!
2. Be responsive and engage with your followers by answering their questions, liking their comments (if applicable), etc.
3. NEVER get defensive or into a debate with a follower. If someone is posting negative comments, provide answers with fact-based information (links to your organization’s website, news releases, etc.)
4. Follow sites like Mashable and Buzzfeed. Pay attention to pop culture. Watch trending topics on Twitter. Tie timely events into your content.
5. Use memes.
6. Keep on keepin’ on! Managing social media for an organization can be a trying experience… but it can also be rewarding. Know there is always going to be someone who criticizes… Best case scenario is to use that critique to improve your content, your processes, your brand, your community, etc.