b'PR TOOLKITAmi Neiberger, APR Your Social Story Tips for online media successS ocial media is all around us in advertisingfactoids, and more can be added.Feeding with icons and references. Sometimes itUse social media scheduling software.seems like everything can be reduced to ayour social media content requires posting on a meme. Social media can also be a powerful toolconsistent schedule. This can be hard to sustain. for raising awareness and connecting with volun- Facebook Pages has a built-in scheduler that allows teers, donors, and clients. Platforms like Face- you to schedule posts a few months in advance. book, Instagram, TikTok or Twitter are alwaysSoftware like Hootsuite, Loomly, and Sprout Social hungry for content.can help make So how do you create content that delivers clicks,scheduling easier and comments, and shares? Here are a few tips to help.more efficient across Try to show, not just tell. Photos and videosmultiple platforms. reign supreme on social media. Allow them toTry to interact carry the message. Try to beef up your photowith your audience. quality. Recruit a photographer or videographerAsk questions. Invite to help you take a series of photos or to coverpeople to share their events. This can also be a great job for a studentexperiences. Do a intern. Treat yourself to a class on photography orcontest. Try live videography to up your quality. events. Post Evergreen copy can be recycled. If you havecomments in statistics about your ministry, program informa- response to others. tion, or history nuggets you can share, repurposeShow humanity. Its OK if you dont have the best the information into graphics that cycle periodi- camera and just shoot a video or photos on your cally in your posts. If you always hold a volunteerphone. People appreciate authenticity. Conveying orientation on a particular day of the month, cre- human emotion is key. If you are striving to provide ate a graphic for it that you can share each month. privacy for clients, a photo of a shoes on weary feet Make a content calendar. This can be asor a hand holding a bowl illustrates who you serve. simple as a chart or Excel file. Populate in theUse tags and hashtags. Community partners evergreen content first that you want to runoften like to be tagged with their own social media every week or month. Then pull out your eventhandles in your posts. Learn about hashtags and calendar. Plan for pre-event reminders and post- try to use them judiciously and strategically. Pick event photos. Volunteer profiles, client stories,your own hashtag and try to use it consistently. \x03Ami Ami owns Maple Avenue PR, an independent public relations practice that assists nonprofits. You can reach her at ami@mapleavenuepr.com. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 WWW.CITYGATENETWORK.ORG 51'