Over the years, we’ve written a lot about social media and its impact on associations. We’ve covered the subject from many angles, including the growing use of Twitter and Facebook as news sources, stats on associations’ social media use, and unique ways associations are experimenting with various platforms. 

So, a couple of weeks ago we decided to get a first-hand glimpse into how social media affects busy association professionals via an informal poll, and the results are in.

Specifically, we wanted to gauge how comfortable you are with social media, how frequently you use it, how it affects your professional lives, and which platforms are your favorite.

And, well, according to the 155 responses, most of you are pretty comfortable with social media. Overall, most respondents rated themselves as average in terms of their social media savvy. More than 100 out of 155 people rated their social media savvy with either three or four stars, and 25 respondents reported their social media skills were of the five-star level.

 

Social Media Is Here To Stay

It doesn’t seem like social media is going anywhere anytime soon, at least in the association space. More than half (52 percent) of respondents said it was critical for association professionals to understand and know how to use social media. Forty-one percent said it was important, and 7 percent said it was somewhat important but not imperative. Unsurprisingly, no one reported social media is just a fad.

On The Job

Nearly a third of respondents reported they are engaging with social media for professional purposes multiple times a day. And, in terms of using social media as a source of information on the job, about 37 percent of respondents selected an 8 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10—10 being “multiple times a day” and a five being “about once a week.” About 10 percent said they use social media once a week, and about 5 percent said they never use social media to find information relevant to their jobs.

When it comes to making connections via social media, respondents were nearly divided (85 yes and 70 no) when asked if a social media contact has ever turned into a significant personal or professional relationship.

If You Had To Pick

Could you pick a favorite platform if you had to? According to respondents, Facebook came in on top, but it wasn’t too far ahead of Twitter. LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest were the next most favored networks. Google+, the relatively new live video streaming platform Periscope, and the sneakily resurgent Snapchat each picked up a few votes. And a special shout out to Tinder, which got a write-in vote.

 

Thanks to everyone who participated in the poll. If you missed it and want to share your favorite platform or how social media affects your job as an association professional, please let us know in the comments.

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