Which tools and tactics do you like?

Each social media platform has its own benefits, message styling and audience type. Which channels will you use and what key messages and strategies will be employed to ensure quality engagement?

Social media platforms are plentiful and different in how they work. New platforms are also created all the time.  Think about where your audience is and which platforms offer the best kind of interaction for what you are trying to achieve.  Review your station website and look at how social media integrates with what you’ve got, and consider about who will be using the social media accounts internally and the skill sets required.

Engagement with your social media platforms is key. Quality over quantity makes for successful social media outcomes. Audience members who are engaged, interact and take the action you want them to are far more valuable than large numbers of followers who may never participate in your online efforts.

Most people are familiar with the well known Twitter and Facebook but there are many more platforms you are able to engage with to build a community. Here are the key platforms for you to consider:

• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest
• Vimeo
• Four Square
• Flickr
• StumbleUpon
• Instagram
• Google+
• A radio station or program blog (that you create)

The key is to work out which social media platforms are the right fit for your community radio station and your audience. You don’t need to get onboard with each and every one of them and it is better to engage in one authentically, instead of spreading yourself thin across multiple platforms. Not all of them require regular updating as some are tools to store and spread information rather than focussed on community building.

You can cross post on different social media platforms, for example your Facebook updates can appear on Twitter and you can display your Flickr photos on your Facebook page without having to upload them again. YouTube videos can also be easily embedded into blogs and websites. A word of warning though – before cross posting all messages and communications, consider if they are suitable for all platforms. Each social media platform is different for a reason and they each have a different type of messaging and audience.

Top tips

• Regardless of which social media platform you choose for your radio station you will need patience – it takes time to build a following and an engaged community.
• Consider the resources you will need to develop, maintain and optimise your social media presence. If you don’t have the staff or volunteers to spend the time on social media then it will fall in a heap – it would be better to start off small and build up your social media platforms.
• Be efficient with your time and use automated free scheduling tools which will result in your audience hearing from you at least once a day in your social media platforms. We talk about this more specifically in each platform as there are some words of caution about automated tools.

Learn more

• How To Choose The Best Social Media Platform For Your Company: Jeff Bullas

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