Online Publicity - Web/Social Media

Think right message, right audience, right space, right time.

  • Always keep messages positive, not corrective.
  • Think: successes, new benefits, actionable items, celebrated individuals.
  • Avoid messages that scold or tell people what they “should” do.

What makes a good social media post?

  • Highlights timeliness, relevance, notability, and uniqueness
  • Poses a question (not always applicable, but can sometimes work)
  • Opens with a quote (not always applicable, but can sometimes work)
  • Asks for action
  • For an event—post at least a week in advance
  • For a recap of an event—post as quickly as possible
  • Instagram: see photograph rules; use specific details
  • Facebook: include photograph, include a link to click on

What makes a good blog post?

  • 400 words or less
  • Active headline (use present verbs), no more than 6-8 words long
  • Timely, relevant to audience, notable, unique
  • Entices action or more contact—what do you want your audience to do?
  • For an event—post at least a week in advance
  • For a recap of an event—post as quickly as possible

What makes a good photograph?

  • People in action, engaged with something
  • Happy people, or people seriously engaged in task/action
  • 1-3 people preferred over groups (unless the scale of a crowd is the point)
  • Faces, not the backs of people
  • If not people, then interesting, beautiful takes on spaces that have emotional connection
  • Always get the names/years of people in photo

How do you grow a social media channel?

  • Post with frequency (once or twice a week on FB and Instagram, more on Twitter)
    • Many posts can be written at once and schedule to go out in regular intervals 
  • Tag others in your posts (where logical and appropriate)
  • Share and engage with other social channels with positive messages where appropriate