Using Social Media to Attract and Retain Members

Takeaways from the Membership Networking Group on June 15:

Social Media is a must to keep your members informed. You want to be where your members are!

1. What should you put on each form of media? Here are a few suggestions:

• Facebook: Social, Events -- link back to your website. Keep accessible to all (not just members) so others not in your association get information on your upcoming events -- use to create buzz about your association/membership.

• LinkedIn: Connect with members only. If non member wants to join, send prospect information. Professional, create chat conversations on association topics, current news events (need to monitor member connections with dues renewals).


• Twitter: Learn from others, promote your association and events, recruit new members. Schedule tweets by using hootsuite.com

• Blog: Represent your organization's events, post comments on current events, recap meetings, etc... ; control your PR and manage posts.

2. Which social media is better to use? You should be on all of them. Utilize social media monitoring tools to help you monitor success, listen, learn and engage your members -- like Hootsuite, TweetDeck, or Tweetizen. Set a specific time each day to monitor/respond to comments.

3. Social Media Policy: Every organization that has numerous people posting items on their social media sights should have a social media policy that all employees sign off on. If you don't currently have a policy check out socialmediagovernance.com

4. Put your social media links on all marketing materials.

5. Don't represent your company on your personal sites -- keep business discussions on the organizational site.

6. QRcode -- Use on marketing materials so members can scan and visit your website/event page. Tag under your QRcode "Visit us at (your web address) or Scan" so all can access the information.