Social media isn’t just a tool for personal connections; it's a powerful platform for organisations to engage with their audience, build community, and drive growth. For associations, utilising social media effectively can mean the difference between a thriving membership and stagnation. In this post, we’ll explore how your association can use social media to engage current members and attract new ones.
Understand Your Audience
Before you begin creating content, it's essential to understand who your members are and where they spend their time online. Are they on LinkedIn, Facebook, or maybe Instagram? Conduct surveys or analyse your membership demographics to determine the platforms most relevant to them. Tailoring your social media strategy to where your members are most active will increase engagement.
Create a Content Strategy Aligned with Member Needs
Your social media content should resonate with your members' interests and needs. Consider creating a content calendar that mixes informative, educational, and engaging posts. Share industry news, member success stories, and upcoming events. You can also incorporate interactive content like polls, and quizzes. This is a great way to increase engagement which improves the performance of your content.
Share User-Generated Content
Encouraging members to share their experiences and achievements can significantly boost engagement. Try creating a hashtag unique to your association and promote its use during events, webinars, or special campaigns. This will help with finding content relevant to your organisation.
Reposting member content not only highlights their contributions but also builds a sense of community and belonging. You can also share content from other institutions that may be relevant to your followers.
Use Targeted Ads to Attract New Members
Social media platforms offer advanced targeting options that can help you reach potential members based on demographics, interests, and behaviour. Run targeted ad campaigns to promote membership benefits, upcoming events, or special offers. Social media advertising can be a cost-effective way of getting your message out there; you can easily set your own budget and timeline. LinkedIn, in particular,can be a great platform for advertising to existing and potential new members in the professional sector.
Engage with Followers Regularly
Social media should be a two-way conversation. Respond to comments, answer questions, and engage with members who mention your association. Regular interaction not only keeps your current members engaged but also shows potential members that your association is active and responsive.
Measure and Adjust Your Strategy
Track key metrics such as engagement rates, follower growth, and website traffic driven by social media. Use this data to refine your strategy continually. If certain content performs particularly well, consider expanding on those topics or formats. Conversely, don’t be afraid to pivot if something isn’t working.
Host Virtual Events and Webinars
Social media platforms are ideal for promoting and hosting virtual events. Use live streaming features on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram to broadcast events, panel discussions, or interviews with industry leaders. Encourage real-time participation from followers and capture the event content for future sharing.
Stay Consistent and Authentic
Consistency and authenticity are key to building trust and engagement on social media. Maintain a consistent posting schedule and ensure your messaging aligns with your association’s mission and values. Authenticity in your communications will resonate more deeply with both current and prospective members.
By understanding your audience, creating valuable content, engaging with members, and using targeted strategies to attract new members, your association can thrive in today’s digital landscape. With thoughtful planning and consistent effort, social media can become one of your most effective tools for fostering community and expanding your membership base.
What does success look like?
By implementing the strategy above, Dot-The-Eye successfully increased the number of LinkedIn followers for one of our clients by 87% in two years.
Dot-The-Eye can take on the management of your communications including social media management, email content and newsletters. Get in touch with us to find out more.
Author - Jorge Da Silva jorge@dot-the-eye.com
Comments