10 Best Practices for Association Social Media

Maggie McGary@maggielmcg

Best Practice #1

Meet Your Members Where They Are

• Survey—but with a caveat• Discovery & audits• Reports

Best Practice #2

Not Just Younger Generation—But a Must-Have for Younger Generation

• 67% of all Internet users use social networking sites

• 83% of users 18-29 • 77% of users 30-49• 52% of users 50-64

(source: Pew Research Project, The Demographics of Social Media Users 2012)

Best Practice #3

If Your Member Aren’t There, Don’t Give Up—Educate

• Be a resource for members on how to use social media in the context of their profession

• Provide training and resources• Promote org’s social media sites everywhere

Best Practice #4

Don’t Be Anti-Social

• Not just a marketing channel• 80/20 content mix• Content curation

Best Practice #5

Be Data Driven• Analytics• Tie to business goals• Evaluate and adjust

Best Practice #6

Don’t Silo Social Media• Focus on user experience, not internal silos• Integrate social media into larger strategies—

marketing, communication, membership

Best Practice #7

Encourage Members to Share Your Content

• Sharing widgets on website, online publications and email

• Cross promote content across print & online channels

• Promote conference hashtags on EVERY communication

Best Practice #8

Don’t Worry About Being Everywhere

• Evaluate which channels make sense for your membership

• Be good at few instead of ineffective at many• Be realistic about resources

Best Practice #9

Keep Your Eye on the Ball• Public social media sites change constantly• Keep an eye on emerging channels• Times change; make sure your strategy and

tactics don’t stay static

Best Practice #10

Social Media Won’t Do Itself• No resources=no results• Would you have an intern as the public face of

your organization? • What to look for in a social media manager

candidate

Bonus:

Don’t Worry So Much!• Don’t be afraid to experiment• Don’t worry so much about control• Know where to turn for advice

Thank You!