This month Ellen tells us about social media and what she’s learned so far.
Although the Crannog Centre is a fantastic place to explore life in 500BC, one of the newest skills I’ve been acquiring whilst on my placement here requires a little more knowledge from the 21st century than from the Iron Age. Social media is something we all use every day so it’s obviously a great tool to promote what’s happening at the museum and engage people on a constant, real-time basis. But unlike our personal accounts where we’re free to divulge whatever quirky thought pops into our head at the time, we need to be strategic and creative when it comes to our business profiles. Certain times of the day, for instance, can help or hinder who sees and engages with your content, and which platform you post on has to be relevant to the content you’re uploading. The content itself is the most important part as that’s ultimately how your audience is going to view your business.
Pictures really do speak a thousand words, mainly because people don’t want to read a thousand words on their tiny screen!
“Artsy” photos are best for Instagram, whereas Twitter should be used for quick snapshots of day-to-day goings-on.
Using colour really draws the eye in, so try to get a good range in the photo if possible.
Don’t forget to engage with people once you’ve posted! Likes and comments are a quick way to let people know you’re involved and listening.
Using these different rules to create quality content can sometimes be a challenge depending on the subject of the posts, but it’s been a good way to expand my creativity and try to think outside the box when it comes to showcasing what’s happening at the Crannog Centre throughout the year. Another task I’ve been given along with helping to run our social media accounts is to create a series of “photo stories” of our redevelopment during the next few months, capturing the process, thoughts and feelings of staff and visitors alike. So watch this space to see those!
Photo: taken by me for #Museumselfieday
Ellen Pryde January 2019
