Workshop on getting the most out of social media for libraries. Twitter tips and more. For the ALCL conference on 3 February 2017 in London.

1. Getting the message right: social media for libraries

2. Topics Covered
• an overview of social media platforms and best
practice
• the golden rules of social media
• creating a consistent voice across platforms
• engaging your audience
• how to use content to drive engagement

3. Data never sleeps:
social media is
intrinsically linked to so
much in modern life

4. Keep reminding
people that you exist

5. Strategic uses for social media
• boost the number of customers by expanding reach
• deepen relationships with existing customers through
service quality
• increased exposure and awareness
• promote events and services
• engage your audience
• raise awareness
• create new networks

6. Overview of different platforms and their uses

7. Story Telling is the Strategy
Share your story - what’s on, what’s unique, what are your
services, what’s your reach - and engage others to share
their story.
Why do they use the library?
What’s most important to them?
The story is what makes libraries special - the people in
them and the people that use them, what people find and
learn there. These are the ambassadors for your library.

8. Some stories…

9. Goals: build relationships in the local community,
increase footfall, promote a local writer, get all kids
signed up with their own library card, promote health
offerings, market an event or a new club ….
https://blog.bufferapp.com/goal-setting-strategies

10. The Golden rules of social media. This is your strategy.
• Tell a story. Create engagement
• Know your voice, know your tribe
• Interactive engagement – sharing, responding, RT’s. Encourage sharing from customers
• Great service - be responsive!
• Customer collaboration / Interactive engagement
• Foster customer relationships – cultivating as well as engaging new customers.
• Showing customer appreciation & being authentic
• Creating communities – external but also internal
• Good content – debates
• Multi platform – choosing the right platforms
• Be sustainable – use scheduling, tools and resources.
• Be consistent in putting information out, updating & have ideas about different ways to
market your campaigns, and use different apps to support you, including debates, polls,
feedback, sharing content & utilising established hashtags #throwbackthursdays,
#fridayreads,
• Don’t repurpose
• Put the time in and it will pay off in dividends.
• Analyse, review, adapt.
• Put your phone on airplane when you go to bed!

11. Find your voice and make it consistent

12. Engaging your audience
How often to post? What time of day? And which days?
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/social-media-post-best-
times#sm.000dzhu7wbwqfa3112g2kczwrif1z

14. What is your current social media plan?
How much are you doing each day? Each
week? Which platforms are useful to you?
What are your social media goals:
1.
2.
3.

15. How to craft the perfect
tweet

17. Hashtags
Find discover, track, share and participate in areas of
interest.
• Hashtags hold the threads of a conversation together
• Use for campaigns and events
• Use for/to find a debate
• Use for live updates
• Find content
• Builds your reputation/brand
• Create specific #
• Keep it optimum 5-10 characters
• #library or the name #ColliersWood

18. Lists!
• Find useful lists and subscribe to them. Use them to
build your customer and follower base.
• Use them for inspiration!
• Follow each other for ideas, and support efforts via RTs
• Follow @LDNLibraries