Spice Up Your Library’s Social Media!

We’re here to spice up your life, or more importantly, your social media marketing! It’s time we showed the general public that libraries aren’t just a mausoleum for those vintage stacks of paper also known as books that we used to get all of our information from before the internet was invented. Take a chance and try some different techniques with social media to reach new patrons and shake things up!

Utilize Live Streaming

Almost all social media platforms now feature a live streaming option and you don’t need to be Good Morning America to make your live debut! No fancy camera or lighting necessary, live streaming is as simple as having a smartphone and a Wi-Fi connection. This could be a great component to utilize for discussions or events to maximize reach and attendance. Several platforms offer a live streaming option including YouTube, Facebook & Instagram. YouTube offers more functionality, but Facebook and Instagram have your followers built in allowing them to be notified directly of your stream. Regardless of the platform, live streaming allows patrons to comment or participate in the moment, while also engaging with each other. If attendees don’t catch the live stream, the video will be recorded and posted to your social pages allowing anyone to re-watch afterward at their convenience. Live streaming creates an intimate experience for followers and can be more off the cuff than a pre-planned event. And in the age of the podcast, it doesn’t have to only be exclusive to video. Clubhouse allows individuals to spark live discussion without having to get camera-ready. Audio has its perks – as we work remotely, we ALL know how valuable it is to be able to accomplish anything in sweats!

Boost Engagement Through Contests & Giveaways

Realistically we can’t all be Oprah giving away cars to all of our patrons. However, it’s important to note that everyone loves a giveaway. Leaning into people’s general zest for contests could really work in your favor if you’re looking to boost engagement on any of your social media platforms. Coordinating a contest where the 100th person to follow your page wins a prize or rewards for patrons when you reach a certain number of likes on a picture, can certainly get the needle moving on your following. If you’d like to increase subscribers for your email marketing, you can announce a winner through your monthly newsletter as well. If you don’t have swag to give away, simply run a contest for engagement. Ask followers to share their favorite thing about your library, contribute to a discussion or post a picture with their favorite book and repost the best submissions. Even if they’re not winning something, the recognition and interaction is genuine and will be appreciated. Not as much as a free car, but you get the point!

Get Trending with Video

As attention spans diminish in a digital world, people are more willing to watch video content than read text so creating short videos will grab more attention. What will REALLY grab attention is your entire staff learning a TikTok dance, but that’s not necessary unless you’re very talented choreographers. There’s a space for everyone on Tiktok from entertainment to education–check out #BookTok! If a whole new app seems intimidating, try using the Story feature on Instagram or Facebook. Take us through a visual tour of your library, share video content of your patrons attending events and participating in programs you’d like to promote, or even introduce your staff members. Video adds a personal touch and freshens up the content that you’re sharing. Give your followers a reason to stop the endless scrolling and actually SEE what’s going on in their community.