An overview of current trends in association social media use with highlights from several recent studies. For more details, visit http://mizzinformation.com/2015/07/30/current-trends-in-association%E2%80%8B-social-media-use/
Facebook continues to be the most popular network for associations, despite decrease in organic reach.
Anecdotes I’ve heard from large brand social media managers point to decrease in effectiveness, despite paid promos
Has become “old person” platform—may not be great for reaching younger members
AOTA is one organization that’s still having great success with FB—but only with visuals, video
Be prepared to pay to play and evaluate if it’s worth investment
Images are king and Instagram continues to grow in popularity, even though associations are slower to adopt
Best fit for associations seems to be around events, promoting content that can be conveyed visually
Anecdotally Instagram is replacing Twitter as that platform becomes more and more crowded
For associations for whom Pinterest is a good fit, it’s very effective
ASHA example
Continuing to grow in popularity
Ability to promote content—worth a look to see if it’s a fit for your members
Good examples—architecture, nurses/medical, fashion/retail, therapy
Still emerging but should at least be on your radar
Represents good opportunity to increase reach of your events, promote awareness
Potential pitfalls are attendees sharing content, control mentality if associations attempt to proactively address
PGA example
Great to see more associations using social media
What works for one might not work for another
Set goals, evaluate effectiveness of platforms, pick what works best for your org
Social media landscape is a moving target so keep an eye on the horizon for emerging platforms