Did you know that after Google, Facebook is the most popular website on the planet?
Social media sites like Facebook make it easier than ever to tell people about events.
The Huntington Society of Canada is active on social media. We have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. We have also created Pinterest and Instagram accounts for our Amaryllis Campaign.
Social media is a great way to share information about your events with your family, friends and contacts. It can be fun, easy to use and is a powerful medium to raise awareness.
Chapter Development posts events on the TeamHD Facebook page as much as possible, and we try to share those events on our HSC Facebook and Twitter accounts.
We encourage you to connect with us on social media and also to create your own posts about events
Not sure what to post? Think of your audience. What do they need to know? What would capture their attention? Your first Facebook post about your event should answer the following questions:
- What is the event name?
Who is planning the event?- Who does it benefit?
- When does the event take place?
- Where is the event taking place?
- Why is the event important?
- How do people register?
Normally all of these questions were answered when you connected with HSC regarding your event.
Leading up to your event, share what is going on, how much money you have raised to date and how many days remain until your event. This is a great way to build momentum.
They say a picture is worth 1,000 words and they are 100% correct. Share photos of your event (get permission first by announcing that photos will be taken at the event and published – if people choose not to participate they can let you know).
Photos are a fun way to engage people and generate interest. On event day, you can post your pictures on your own Facebook page and link to the HSC or TeamHD page which will increase the number of people seeing the fun you are having.
More than half of Facebook users post pictures directly from their phones, which means you can upload a photo to share with the HD community immediately. These are some of the most popular images that HSC shares.
Telling people on Facebook can help you to get more pledges for yourself as a participant in your event. When you register, please share to Facebook and include the link for making a donation.
With Twitter, you only have 140 characters to get your message across. Tagging HSC by using @HuntingtonSC will help you reach the people who follow us on Twitter. People also look for keywords on Twitter that begin with a hashtag symbol: #. You can use the location of an event with a hashtag or your event name: #calgary or #WinnipegIndy. You can also use the hashtags to see what others at the event are doing.
Twitter usually shortens the web address or URL for your event link. If it doesn’t, every character you type will be counted, leaving less space for your message.
Asking people to click on your link to pledge you or to register are great ways to prompt your followers to click on the link to learn more. You can also ask people to retweet (RT) to their followers.
Event pictures are easy to tag on Instagram right from your phone or tablet. Our account on Instagram is HuntingtonSocietyCanada.
If your Instagram account is linked to your Facebook account, your pictures will immediately be shared with your friends.
Pinterest is also a great place to load your pictures. Community boards can be developed for you to upload your pictures either from a phone or computer.
LinkedIn is also a powerful social media tool that can be utilized to raise awareness for your event and also to highlight your sponsors. If you have permission, why not highlight your event on LinkedIn and post your sponsor’s logo to provide them with awareness. It helps to raise awareness for HSC and for your sponsors.