[Editor’s Note: This weekly feature asks communicators to spot trends and discuss their reactions to them. In this edition we hear from David Flores, social media manager, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.]
The Trend: For those representing academic institutions online, the task of evaluating yet another new social network or social media offering from established outfits can feel overwhelming. Several years ago, it was tempting to think the world would cleave neatly into Facebook and Twitter camps. With some extra effort, we could adjust our messages to both, engage with their respective audiences and respond to new features. The market for social networks seemed almost mature.
What followed was a growth spurt that appears to be speeding up each month. New social content platforms continue to sprout up alongside updated and improved versions of networks we’ve come to call home to our communication efforts.
The Reaction: And yet, we understand our team can’t be everywhere. It’s become important for us to figure out the best way to evaluate the latest in social media without losing track of what’s worked to date.
We’ve also scaled back offerings on some platforms to focus on the quality of our Facebook and Twitter posts, since that’s where metrics indicate our best opportunities for engagement reside. Throughout, our goal has been to create brand awareness using social media to promote content created via press releases, our website, videos and blog.
Now, with the increased focus on pay-to-play at Facebook and questions about Twitter’s future, it’s become necessary for us to look at other options. For example, Snapchat’s evolution into Snap Inc. and its focus on telling stories has us taking a closer look at that network.
When our team discusses these new offerings, we use it as an opportunity to ask questions about the state of our current effort: Are we reaching the audiences we seek for news of our biomedical research and education programs? Do we have the resources needed to maintain a genuine presence on that network? And can we get metric data to help us determine the success of our outreach?
Answers to these questions frequently lead us back to our main social accounts, but taking a fresh look at our options often leads to significant improvements in how we use those platforms.
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