Social media has become an important element of maintaining contact with an organisation’s constituencies. For NGOs, Community groups, social activists and other civil society actors, engaging online followers through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram means enlarging the space for participation in your cause. Here are 4 tips for keeping your followers engaged and active.
1. Make sure that your organisation’s purpose, goals and objectives are clearly stated on your social media platform. This way people who join or follow your organisation’s page are able to identify with your cause.
2. Ensure that you provide periodic feedback on what your organisation has accomplished and how this compares with the goals you have set for a given time period. This will provide accountability to your online constituencies and make them feel invested in the success of the organisation.
3. Provide opportunities for getting feedback from your followers. Ask questions about what they think about certain events or actions your organisation has taken. Do they agree with your methods? Do they feel the organisation is making an impact? Getting feedback from followers lets you know if you are addressing the needs they think are important.
4. Provide usable content. Making your followers knowledgeable about your cause enables them to become more active participants in moving the agenda forward. Using memes, posters or infographics is an excellent way to communicate important issues in a way that is easily understood and absorbed by followers.