Thursday Buzz: Putting the “Social” Back in Social Media

We should all know by now that simply posting content on social media isn’t enough to create a community or make an impact. But generating high engagement can be  challenging.

To start, you need to find the resources to engage in conversations online. “Staying on top of ‘mentions’ on social media, tapping into relevant conversations, and filtering out irrelevant social chatter is the basis of most social media engagement strategies,” says Mike Eckstein in a recent Buffer blog post  (opens in a new tab).

You also need to develop and maintain an authentic voice. And after you’ve done all that, you need to figure out how to measure your progress.

Brand impact is one of the metrics Buffer uses to measure success, and social reach is a component of that. “We treat social media as a component of total reach, and it is a big contributor for us to our total reach number,” says Eckstein.

A Little More Conversation

#icebreakers  (opens in a new tab) do a lot more than help your crowd get to know one another 🔗 Here are 62 Ice Breaker ideas for more engaged #events  (opens in a new tab) https://t.co/T77fAdZhRS  (opens in a new tab) #eventprofs  (opens in a new tab) #eventengagement  (opens in a new tab) #eventideas  (opens in a new tab) pic.twitter.com/IAYd70WLm1  (opens in a new tab)

— Skift Meetings (@SkiftMeetings) June 14, 2018  (opens in a new tab)

For introverted conference attendees, introductions and small talk aren’t easy. Take some of the pressure off by providing ready-made icebreakers, even if they may seem a little cheesy.

The Event Manager Blog shares a full guide of conversation prompts and activities  (opens in a new tab) you can use at your next event.

To get a personal conversation started, try asking, “If you never aged, what age would you want to be for the rest of your life?” or “What do you think is missing from your career or life?”

Other Links of Note

Is your workplace too stressful? If the answer is yes, find out what to do about it from Beth’s Blog  (opens in a new tab).

Maximize your website. The Wild Apricot blog shares 10 design best practices  (opens in a new tab) for membership websites.

Snapchat launches a developer platform. App makers will now be able to integrate some Snapchat features  (opens in a new tab) into their products, reports The Verge.