There are many things that make a social media post engaging but by focusing on a few keys areas you can ensure your post is seen by as many people as possible.
We know you can’t be at each and every event, job shadow, or tour in your area so when you can’t be there encourage those who are to use the following tips to help you reach a larger audience. You can also remind them to use the hashtags #IIN and #IowaInsiders in their own posts about the event to make it easier to find and share their posts.
In Training #1 we outlined the specific themes for the 2019-2020 campaign. Incorporating these themes into your post can help readers further their understanding of the work you do for students, businesses and parents.
In addition to sharing information about our themes, including descriptive language helps engage the reader and may encourage them to like or comment on your post. Sharing specific information about the event, what you felt, smelled, or description of the weather will help bring the reader into your event.
Social media has become largely an image and video based medium. It is very easy to scroll past a post with only text, but an interesting image can cause a consumer to stop and dig deeper. Taking time while you are at an event to grab a couple of photos is great, taking an extra minute to capture an engaging image can mean the difference between someone spending time with your post or scrolling past.
TIPS FOR GREAT POSTS
1. Backs of heads are not very interesting. Simply changing where you stand to capture an image can make a huge difference. Seeing the faces of participants will increase engagement.
2. Take multiple pictures. Don’t be afraid to snap a bunch of pictures, you never know which one will grab your attention and support the story you want to tell.
3. Get establishing shots. On your way into the event, or even on your drive in you can take pictures or video that help the viewer understand where your event is taking place. At a business, take a picture of the outside of the building or part of their office before people arrive. At a school, a picture of the school hallway, or a group of students congregating in the hall.
4. Ask for quotes. Either at an event or when talking with an attendee later get a quote you can use for your post. Even better if you can get their social media information so you can tag them. This can create an entirely new audience for your post.
By spending a little extra time to capture images and write descriptive copy you can help create engagement for the entire network.