5 tips to boost your social media engagement by Elsamarie DSilva

Over the last 10 days I was one of the facilitators of a virtual Rotary peace conference #BridgesForPeace on Zoom, moderated a session on the use of social media for social good on behalf of the US Consulate Mumbai, was named one of Top 30 women who champion feminism on social media in India and moderated a Twitter chat on behalf of the United Nations #WorldWeWant2030 campaign.

As I reflect on all these interesting events of which I have been part, it strikes me that never before has the world been more connected or the ability to traverse distances become so easy. We certainly live in interesting times where we have the opportunity to participate in democracy and governance and hold people in power accountable.

Here are 5 tips that you can use to make the most of social media and #GoSocialForChange.

1. Technology - The internet is easily accessible to most people and many social media apps are free. Pick one and figure how best to use it. Every app needs its own strategy and one size does not fit all. So take your time in learning how to use the app, understand what works and make a success of it. Many of the social apps available are Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram; the blogging apps are Medium and Wordpress; the broadcasting apps are Facebook live and Periscope; and conferencing apps are Blackboard, Zoom, Skype, and Hangout.
2. Content - Content is king. Make sure you post stories of your work. Stick to authenticity and be honest. Over time, people will appreciate the integrity of your content and will return to your page for information. It helps break through the clutter and resonates with a like-minded audience. Remember it is a journey and you won’t have instant success. So keep the posts consistent and track your impact.
3. Context - You will have to adapt your content to the various channels of communication. Twitter for example is very different from Facebook where your message is restricted to 140 characters per tweet. Use images, videos and stories that can be related to the audience. Join global conversations and tag influencers. Identify hashtags so that your online conversations are searchable.
4. Create a movement - Every organisation has a story to tell and a vision/mission to communicate. Getting people to be part of your journey should be your number one priority. If your communications has integrity and resonance, you will find people aligning themselves to your brand. This is a slow process but remember every person who is part of the movement will end up being your brand ambassador. Word of mouth marketing is powerful and people seek truth and share opinions online and offline. A study by Nielsen says, 84% of consumers say they either completely or somewhat trust recommendations from family, colleagues, and friends about products and services – making these recommendations the highest ranked source for trustworthiness.
5. Positivity - Convey your values through your messaging. Most people want to be happy and add value to each other’s’ lives. Being positive and staying positive will contribute towards people returning to your site. You can use sentiment analysis to measure the tone of your messaging. Remember there is enough clutter in the world and you need your message to go through like a shining light.

If you found these tips helpful or have more tips to share, do reach out to me at @elsamariedsilva on Twitter.