USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO CONNECT WITH USERS

According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, over 66% of American adults who use the Internet use social media. For adults less than 30 years old, the percentage jumps to 86%. Tools such as Facebook and Twitter allow users to communicate quickly and easily with friends and family as well as with others with similar interests. Such widely accepted communication media offer many opportunities to provide useful information services, connect with current and potential users, and to build communities regardless of geographic boundaries.

A brief overview of Twitter will be provided followed by examples of how it can be used to promote your organization. Sources for content (tweets), ways to share responsibility for developing content, policies, and assessment of the impact and reach of your Twitter feed will be described. Leveraging the Twitter feed for other purposes and venues will also be discussed. While few will ever have the reach of pop culture icons such as Lady Gaga in the social media sphere, tools such as Twitter can be a valuable means to put a more personal face before your users.