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The MOST IMPORTANT tool for student organizations | 5 STEPS TO SOCIAL MEDIA SUCCESS

In a world where media is everywhere and the internet is everything, there is no doubt that the most effective tool to grow a following is through the use of social media. Arguably every single student organization on a college campus has a message to communicate to the rest of the community. Whether it is about an event they are hosting, promoting a particular cause, or even just updating their group's weekly activity, there is an audience for it!
Jimmy: So, if social media is the key to gaining support for your student org, why isn't everyone doing it?!
That's a good question, Jimmy! It may be that some people just don't know how influential their group can be! Or, if they do know that social media is a tool to be used, they may not know how to execute this form of promotion effectively.

Tonacity A Cappella's official Instagram account, @tonacityofficial.

Tonacity may not be "Insta-famous", but we are learning more about effective publicity techniques every single month! With the help of myself (and the other members), Hannah Vestal, our Publicity Chair, has been working hard at updating all of our social media accounts on a regular basis. As we continue making plans for the rest of the year, and leading into next year, I've come up with a simple process to continue the growth of our internet fan-base:

Tonacity singing at the 2019 opening night of The Union; PC: Jimmy Bright.

STEP #1: MESSAGE

As a leader, decide what your group's overall message to your audience is. This can be a general statement, but it is crucial to know what you want your audience to know when they look through your social feeds. 

STEP #2: FREQUENCY

Based on the activity within your group and what time you have available to produce content for social media, decide a realistic plan for when you are going to post, and STICK TO IT! The best way to grow a following is to be consistent with the best quality of content you can muster!

Tonacity A Cappella's official Facebook page: www.fb.com/tonacityoffcial


STEP  #3: CONTENT

Decide what kind of content makes the most sense for your group. This can vary from event promotion, information on group members, or anything else relevant to your overall message. Note: Frequency of posts will affect what kind of content you will produce; making higher quality content will take more time, but you can post more often by collecting statements / photos from group members periodically.

STEP #4: EXECUTION

By planning all of this out, the designated social media manager for your group will now begin your organization's new social media campaign! If you properly planned ahead, this person should have no problem keeping up with your group's online schedule over the course of your campaign. Be sure to use the tools social media platforms give you (hashtags, tagging, location, stories, etc...) to make sure the algorithms are giving your amazing content the exposure it deserves!

Tonacity A Cappella's official YouTube channel; a live performance at the 2019 opening night of The Union.

STEP #5: INTERACTION

Your job as both social media manager AND group members is to continue interacting with  your followers on a daily basis. By sharing, liking, and inviting friends to like your group's social media accounts, your organization will get more exposure and gain followers right away! Interacting with followers in the comments will be an essential tool to creating a friendly and inviting atmosphere that will appeal to larger audiences.

Tonacity may not be social media giants yet, but we are continually growing and cannot wait to interact with more and more fans around the world through our use of social media. Follow us on all social platforms below to keep up with our latest campaign and stay updated with our performances!

Cheers,
Dani James, VP






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