I apologize for the headline (and the macarons). I had to get you here and I knew “New Year’s Resolutions,” and sweets, might work.
But here’s the thing – I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. I think if you want to make a change, now is as good a time as any.
Still, the start of a New Year is a time to rethink things, take a look at the big picture, and start something good.
Here are a few suggestions for starting something good for your social media practice in 2017. Anytime you’re ready.
Get Your Twitter Account in Shape
This is going to be easier than shedding those pounds you may have gained from COOKIES (it’s not just me, right?).
Clean your Twitter account. Unfollow dead and dormant accounts. Organize your important followers into some lists (Check out SHOW US YOUR LISTS! 8 Ideas for Nonprofit Twitter Lists). Discover the people who are following you, but you aren’t following them.
Here are a few tools you might like to help you prune and organize your account:
Bone Up On Your Video Skills
For the past few years, some social media expert has pronounced the incoming year as the year of VIDEO. I’m not going to do that.
I will say that, in an attention economy, video is an important resource. To wit:
- Video in an email leads to 200-300% increase in click-through rate
- 92% of mobile video consumers share videos with others
- Enjoyment of video ads increase purchase intent by 97% and brand association by 139%
See where these stats came from and learn a few more here: 31 Video Marketing Statistics to Inform Your Strategy
Keep in mind, your investment in video does not have to equal the price of a new car. You can start small – with a (steady) cell phone, tablet or laptop camera – and short (try a 20 second thank you video), and build (or buy) your skills over time.
Here are some video resources for you:
- TRAINING: Udemy or Lynda
- NONPROFIT SUPPORT: YouTube for Nonprofits
- INSPIRATION: The Daily DoGooder Videos
- INSIGHT: Into Focus: A Benchmark Guide to Effective Nonprofit Video
Recycle & Reuse
This may come as a surprise to some, but you don’t have to create all of your social media content yourself. In fact, the best social media marketers reuse their best content, and share high-performing content from others, in addition to creating original content.
So cut yourself some slack and stop beating yourself up over not feeding the social media beast with fresh content every minute.
- Follow aspirational peers, share their content and add your commentary (ActionSprout is a Facebook content tool for nonprofit that will help you discover over performing content)
- Recycle your best-performing content (how about a Top 10 Blog Posts, Tweets, Facebook Posts, Pins or Instagrams of the year?), like the Nonprofit Marketing Guide’s Top 10 Blog Posts of 2016.
What are your intentions for your organization’s social media strategy? Share your thoughts in the comments section. Happy New Year!
