The New Media Mentors program is built on a foundation of core beliefs. Over the last two weeks we shared five of those beliefs with you. Here’s a quick recap in case you missed them. We believe that these principles are at the core of any solid social media or new media program.
Let’s face it: mechanically posting articles to your organization’s Facebook or Twitter profile is easy. Many of us do it because we feel we need to post something, and posting something dry and descriptive is quick. The problem is these social media posts often read more like mission statements than fun updates. And we all know mission statements are boring. While they’re integral to defining your organization’s goals and strategy, they’re not usually written in a tone that’s engaging and approachable.
Deciding how to measure your social media efforts can be a frustrating undertaking. Number of likes? Number of followers? Level of engagement? Which measures are right for you?
Believe it or not, these measures are virtually meaningless. In fact, all measures are meaningless—unless they are tied to your goals.
It may be hard to accept, but failure is one the keys to having success with new media.
For many organizers, the world of social media can be a scary place—full of good intentions turned sour, PR disasters, out-of-control messages, haters and trolls. However, with a little strategic planning and a willingness to put yourself out there, it can also be a land of passionate supporters turned advocates, touching stories turned media hits and petitions that spread like wildfire.
A lot of what you read out there implies that you can create an account on various social networks, follow a few best practices and then you’re all set. What you don’t usually read about are the costs involved in doing it right.
My first introduction to new media happened in a conference room in DC in 2006. Huge thanks to Pete Leyden, then director of the New Politics Institute and his keynote (hadn’t heard of it) presentation on the monumental changes taking place in technology, media and demographics. Part of NDN’s new tools campaign to help “progressives understand the transformation of politics” was, quite frankly, stunning.
