The halls have quieted, and the doors have closed. But the learning and engaging isn’t over. Your social media is a great way to keep your members invested over the summer. But what are the best practices to keep members involved over a long break? Follow these tips to stay top of mind.
Update All Social Media Platforms
Make sure all contact information is updated so members or potential members can reach out if they have questions. (If responses will be slower over the summer, set an auto-message so members know what to expect.) After all the important information is updated, feel free to revamp your social media designs to be the most up to date. And, don’t forget to post regularly. Give your members a reason to come back often.
Make A Plan
Plan out your posts and be specific. Plan the timing of posts and pick out content early. It can help to center posts around holidays to gain more viewers. Make sure posts follow the SWE Brand Guidelines & Social Media Policy that can be found on the SWE Website. Also, take advantage of popular hashtags like #TipTuesday or #MotivationMonday. And don’t forget about your audience. Spend time thinking about what they want to know, learn, or hear about over the summer. Share a variety of content at different times and watch to see what gets the most engagement.
Be Thoughtful with Designs
Make sure your posts are not overwhelming. You want them to be eye-catching but not too much. Keep messages short and sweet and images simple. Typing words on your images in brand colors reinforces your message and tells your story faster. You want your images to be sharable, so consider infographics with information that is meaningful to your members.
Schedule Virtual Meet and Greets before the School Year Begins
By hosting small virtual meetings you are enabling current members to stay involved and allowing incoming freshmen to meet members early. Some suggestions are: virtual game nights, cooking classes, virtual workout classes, etc. There are tons of options and resources available. Be interactive and reply during these meetings in real time. That on-the-spot engagement is what social media is all about.
Get Creative
Find ways to get members engaged and interacting with your platforms. Some suggestions are posting polls of meeting topics members want in the upcoming year or Bingo Games for members to fill out. What about an online scavenger hunt where members tag you as they find items on the list? The more creative and fun the more engagement you will receive. Another creative way to engage your members is to start a fun Q&A with a meme on a topic that has fervent followers on both sides, but is not truly controversial, such as deep-dish vs pan pizza.
Ask to be Tagged
No doubt your members are doing amazing things this summer, such as Engineers without Borders, a cool internship, or volunteer work. Ask them to tag you when they share their photos and then reshare them to show that your members make the most of their summers.
