This is an introductory guide to social media.
Introduction to Social Media
What is Social Media?
Social media refers to a variety of digital platforms which can help your organisation grow, become more sustainable, and communicate with your people and the wider community. • The ability to share information quickly and effectively to a wide audience. • Staying connected and visible to lapsed participants and volunteers.
There are several different social media platforms used by community organisations, but common platforms include: • Facebook. • X (formerly Twitter).
• An opportunity for you to promote your offer, increasing awareness, raise interest, and generating new enquiries. • A quick and more cost-effective way of marketing your organisation. • Enabling people to connect and interact with each other. • Helping you connect with organisations that you want to create relationships with. • Improved accessibility. Platforms are often built to accommodate the different needs of those using them, so by promoting your offer online you may reach different groups that otherwise may have had communication as a barrier to involvement.
• Instagram. • WhatsApp.
This Toolkit will guide you through the benefits of using social media, how to use the different platforms safely, which platform is appropriate for your needs, how to set up a social media profile, and how to use each platform. Benefits of social media: There are many benefits of using social media for both your organisation and for the people that are engaged with your offer, as either members or volunteers. Benefits include: • Making it easier to engage and stay connected with your people. It’s likely that some, if not most, of your organisations people are already active on different social media platform and ready to engage with you.
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• Creating a buzz. Posting about an upcoming event or activity can create a level of excitement and increase interest and engagement. • An easy and convenient way for interested parties to ask questions about your organisation and engage with your activities. • Keeping up to date with developments from other local organisations to worldwide news. Things to consider: When considering using social media and developing your online presence, it’s important to plan to ensure it’s both safe and effective: • Know your target audience so social media can be used effectively. • Pick the platform(s) that align best with your audience and the type of content you’re looking to put on them. Speak with your members and volunteers to see which social platforms they use and when. • Give responsibility to selected, trusted people to manage and control your accounts. • Online safety is important, being aware of safeguarding concerns including cyberbullying, abuse, offensive comments, exposure to inappropriate content and child protection online is essential. Click here for more on online safety from the Child Protection in Sport Unit.
• Respect people’s privacy and get consent to use images. • Not all members or volunteers will have access to the internet or be able to use digital devices so be mindful not to solely rely on social media to communicate with people. Using social media safely: Staying safe online, especially on social media, can be a big concern for individuals and organisations. Whilst social media provides an excellent tool for helping your organisation engage with your people and wider community, it can also present a number of risks including: • Cyber bullying- through posts which are upsetting to people and sometimes inaccurate. • Causing offence to individuals, or other organisations. • Exposure to inappropriate content or nasty comments. • Making individuals identifiable by posting personal details. • Communicating with others online, and the potential for inappropriate relationships.
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Develop a Social Media Policy and nominating a Social Media Officer are great first steps to being safe on social media. A social media policy should outline how your organisation will use social media and how it will be managed. You don’t need to start from scratch, many of the behaviours and actions you would consider to be unacceptable in the ‘real’ world, are also unacceptable online. So, make your social media policy an extension of your code of conduct to get you started. Click here for a template policy. Deciding who has responsibility for the set-up, management and moderation of your social media is also important. Ensure they are suitably trained and aware of online safeguarding issues and support them by making sure the rest of your organisation aware of your social media policy and their responsibilities online.
The Child Protection Support Unit (CPSU) has a wealth of resources available, including an online webinar, to help you and your organisation understand and prevent the safeguarding risks posed to children and young people from online media. Which social media should you use? Social media can be a great tool in growing your organisation and engaging with your people and the wider community. However, not all social media platforms are suitable for the same use. It’s important to understand the key functions of each platform, to ensure you are using the platform as effectively as possible.
What It’s Best Used For
Social Media Platform
Sharing Photos and Videos Externally
Reposting Content from Other Groups
Long Written Content
Communicating Internally
Live Video and Updates
Creating Closed Groups
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Twitter / X
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