Social Media
Social media and other promotional tools can allow you to engage and grow the membership of your student group in the most effective way.
First steps when using Social Media
Think about what you’re trying to achieve and who you’re trying to engage.
You might be trying to reach people who would be interested in what you’re offering but haven’t been involved before, or people who have thought about attending but are maybe unsure, or regular members of your group.
You could be encouraging them to join your society, go to a particular event or ask them to do something e.g. sign a petition.
Once you have decided the purpose of your post/ social media use, you can have clear aims and objectives with your content.
For detailed guidance on how you can effectively use: Facebook, Instagram and other platforms, follow the links below.
Social Media use in the Current Climate...
Instagram is the most used social network by young people (24% use it the most often)
Young people use Instagram the most often, but a higher proportion of young people use Facebook overall (67% vs 86%)
Platforms like TikTok continue to grow
The main reason that people use social media is for news and to find current events
What does this mean for my student group?
Facebook, Instagram and newer platforms like TikTok are all useful tools to use. Since one of the main reasons that people use social media is to find events, it means that your student group accounts are automatically providing valuable information! You just need to make sure that you:
Present it effectively
Reach the right people
Four Key Principles to Social Media Success
Content - is it valuable?
Creativity - does it make people want to stop scrolling?
Collaboration - does it engage with other accounts?
Consistency - am I posting in a regular manner?
If you do all 4 of these things correctly, you’ll be posting in the most effective way possible, and also reaching the audience you want to reach. This will translate directly into higher engagement with your activities and help to boost turnout and membership.
It’s important to remember that social media is a process of trial and error and you will learn what works most effectively. You just need to be open to learning, having a go and reflecting on mistakes.
Questions?
Jasmine Pledger, Student Citizenship and Employability Development Coordinator - volunteering@yorksu.org