Getting More Likes or "How the Fuse Mpowerment Project achieved 200 FB likes in just two weeks."
by Jonathan Joyner @JonathanJoyner Mpowerment Coordinator FUSE
@DFWfuse Mpowerment Dallas TX
Fuse obtained 1553 FB 'likes' as of 9.25.13
Fuse obtained 2,090 'likes' as of 12.16.13
1) Make it simple. Keep all your links the same when possible. For example, FUSE is known as DFWFUSE in their URL, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit and Foursquare location. One name is easy to keep track of. Also, look into reserving your project's name every time a new social media network pops up. The site http://namechk.com/ can tell you quickly if your name is taken.
2) Put it out there. It's simple, but you'll be surprised how often putting social media on materials gets overlooked. And I don't mean just put the Facebook "F" or Twitter bird on your materials (unless it's digital and it hyperlinks to your social media page), I mean, put the URL or username. You want to make it as easy as possible for people to find you.
 |
| @DFWfuse Mpowerment Dallas TX |
3) Ask. This is another simple trick. Ask your members/volunteers to like your page and ask their friends to like your page too. Do it when you're doing outreach. Nearly everybody has a smartphone and a Facebook account, so ask them to like to.
4) Don't just give it way. Besides being good life advice, this applies to program materials too. Project swag like shirts, backpacks, Chapstick, and sunglasses are popular with the Project participants. Think about how much every item you give away costs you and your agency. Get some bang for your buck. Before you give up your goods, get something in return whether it be contact information, a Facebook like or a tweet.
 |
| FUSE SWAG (they also offer branded tees and chapstick) |
5) Set goals. First, see where your project ranks and decide where you'd like it to be. It helps to check out similar projects as a barometer. Make smaller goals on your way to your larger goal.
6) Share. You may not have an interest in social media, but your members do. If you don't have the luxury of assigning the task to an assistant coordinator, give the task and password with some socially savvy core group members. Just make sure to monitor the account to make sure it's being updated regularly and for content.
7) Automate. Link everything to your Twitter. If you make a new Facebook post, upload a YouTube video, share an Instagram photo, make it a tweet. Just make sure it's a one way street. Your Facebook page should probably only be updated 3 or 4 times a week. The worst thing you can do is fatigue your audience with unnecessary updates. This brings us to...
Content Writing Rules
Be regular. Make sure that you're updating regularly. Each project is different, but typically Facebook activity is most popular during business hours Monday through Friday.
Relevant posts. Facebook is the place where you share your brand. It's fine to share cool videos and images every now and then, but the majority of the content on your Facebook fan page, should be about you. Remember you're there to push your project and your brand, not somebody else's.
Take photos - or it didn't happen! Fact 1: you throw awesomesauce events, yet a picture is worth 1,000 words. It seems painfully obvious, but you'd be amazed how many projects put on cool events, but don't have any proof that it happened. Taking photos 1) gets new people excited about the project and 2) is free publicity when members are tagged in your photos. Photos don't have to be limited to events, if you have a particularly large gathering, always take photos, it'll last longer.
Celebrate milestones. Your first 100 likes or your first 500 likes is a big deal. It took you a lot to get there there click that 'add milestone' button on Facebook. Also, add other milestones like when your project began, got its own space, or marched in it's 1st pride.
Utilize the cover page real estate. Your Facebook cover page is big and visual. Specifically design event posters that fit in this space and add a link to the Facebook event in the photo's description.
Join the conversation. If people are participating in #ThrowBackThursday / #tbt (just means posting "old" photos - and "old" is a relative term), you can do the same. Use the hashtags people are using and celebrate those good times of yesteryear. 1 year counts.
Don't be boring. Every post could be somebody's first post and their last. Make sure what you're posting is interesting to the demographic you're trying to reach.
 |
| Coordinators Jonathan and Andy celebrate breaking 2000 'likes' 12.15.13 |
Additional Social Media and Publicity ideas can be found in Module 10 "Publicizing the Mpowerment Project" a free download at www.mpowerment.org
 |
HIV prevention by developing healthy communities.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment