The South Carolina Aquarium

and Twitter

SCA’s Twitter Basics:

• Started tweeting in May of 2009

• 3,951 followers

• Following 488 others

• Currently on 268 lists

• More than 3,880 tweets sent

• Profile layout: Key species, the jellyfish, as the

icon as well as the Aquarium’s logo

Tweet Breakdown

Average of 6 tweets per day, about 133 per month

99% are original content, 1% are re-tweets

Tweets scheduled with Hootsuite, mostly M-F, but occasional weekends

Tweet throughout the day, spaced out by at least an hour

Ping-Pong between: news/events/happenings/facts/tips

Why the SCA is active on Twitter:

People are out there!

It’s Free!

Drive web traffic and visitation

Connect with a wider audience

Tap into a more-targeted audience

Share our work with our followers and their networks

Useful for learning about new resources and what others in the industry are up to

Fulfills our mission:

• Mission: “The South Carolina

Aquarium inspires conservation of the

natural world by exhibiting and caring

for animals, by excelling in education

and research, and by providing an

exceptional visitor experience.”

How we do that through Twitter

• Inspiring conservation:

Tweet about the Aquarium’s conservation projects, for example

the Sea turtle Rescue Program

Tweet tips on how folks can better treat the environment and go green

Provide folks with information on how they can get involved with the

Aquarium and conservation projects

Tweet about stories and studies involving conservation

Excelling in Education:

Tweet about educational resources we provide both students/teachers

Tweet facts/information about species that live in S.C. both on

land and in the water

Tweet new ocean and environmentally related stories and

studies

Tweet fun educational videos

Visitor Experience:

Tweet about upcoming events so that visitors can plan accordingly

Tweet about promotions like $2 off for children in costumes

Encourage visitors to share their experience

Respond to questions/inquiries followers may have

Tweet about daily happenings like dive shows and programs

Fun With Twitter at Sea Turtle Release

Live Tweets/Twitpics from the release: • Just got word the turtles are on their way! #seaturtle #ocean

• Ripley set free! #seaturtles #ocean http://twitpic.com/4uqqnt

Fun with Twitter At Media Preview

Opening of Saltmarsh Aviary

• Encouraged participants to use hash tag to

be eligible to win a gift

• Chose tweet with specific hash tag at

random as the winner

Benefits of Twitter to the SCA • Promotion of Aquarium through re-tweets which

in turn drives more traffic to our website

• Promotion of Aquarium events/promotions/news

• Gets the word out about how we’re helping in the

world of conservation/education

• Connects us with a wider audience

• Quick response to inquiries or questions

• Gives the Aquarium a “personality” for people to

connect with

Thank You!