Tweeting ain’t just for the birds.
Why you should be using Twitter to help run thriving programs.
Whether you run an Athletics Department, a Summer Camp, or a Doggie Daycare...one of the biggest keys to running a successful and thriving program is creating awareness.
These days, it's not enough to simply run a great program, you have to stand out from the crowd. And that requires a completely different set of skills!
In short, you've got to promote your programs.
If you're not using Twitter to get the word out about your program offerings, you could be missing a huge and cost-effective opportunity to engage with potential participants.
The good news is, it's easier than you may think to promote your program with compelling content online.
What is Twitter and why should I care?
Twitter is a social media platform that allows account administrators to broadcast messages to other Twitter users. These short, purposeful messages are called "Tweets". Tweets contain 280 characters or less, and can include text, links and images.
Creating a Twitter account for your organization that is interactive and personal can help you build your brand, share content, engage with your community and build demand for your program.
The most successful organizations share content that other Twitter users want to "follow" and share (or “retweet”) because they see the value behind the words expressed in the account.
If you don't have a Twitter account, you can create one for free here.
Follow Me
Once you've created an account for your organization and established a presence, you'll want to build a base of followers. Followers are people who have signed up to receive someone's Tweets.
Don't worry, it's not a numbers game. Having fewer followers who are engaged with your content is more valuable than scores of followers who don't engage. That's because Twitter is all about the power of word-of-mouth. Engaged followers sharing your content will help you to get more visibility with their network of followers, creating a viral effect for your organization.
Building a fanbase starts with just a few easy steps:
Find and follow relevant people.
Tweet content that will be interesting to your target audience.
Engage with your audience.
Promote your Twitter account through other channels.
Show, don't tell
Twitter has recently claimed that tweets with imagery get 313% more engagement than just text alone. Try to include images in tweets whenever possible to stand out from the crowd.
Images can be humorous, heartfelt, anything that will create an emotional connection and engage your key audience. We love this one from our friends at Barnstable High School Athletics in Massachusetts!
Balance your messages
Twitter isn't just a place to let your followers know that practice is cancelled or a session's start time has changed. Use Twitter to promote special events, announce fundraisers, provide followers with real-time information during live events, and spotlight special achievements.
Hashtags 101
People use the hashtag symbol (#) before a relevant keyword or phrase in a Tweet to categorize those Tweets and help them show more easily in Twitter search. Clicking or tapping on a hashtagged word in any message shows you other Tweets that include that hashtag.
That means, putting this symbol # in front of a word (with no spaces) can make your Tweets a lot more visible and can help you gain new followers.
So, how does FamilyID come into play?
We make it easy for you to promote your programs and build your brand with your community at the click of a button.
First, assign your Twitter account to your Organization's landing page on FamilyID:
Log-in to your organization's FamilyID account and select 'Organization' from the blue menu.
Then click 'EDIT' button which will take you to tab 1 (Description) of the landing page wizard. You'll see fields to enter your social media links towards the bottom of the page.
Enter your info and select the blue 'Save and Continue' button
Next, select tab 6 (Publishing) of the landing page wizard to review your page.
Scroll down to select 'Publish' and then click the blue 'Approve and Save' button to publish your updated organization page. (You can also link your Facebook and Instagram accounts.)
Your organization landing page will now display a way for participants to easily navigate to your social media accounts (see below!)
Now, how to promote your programs!
Create your program on FamilyID using our easy Program Building Wizard and “Open” you registration form to the public. Get step-by-step instructions here.
Now that your program is open, you are prompted to 'Tweet' the link to your form.
Select the blue 'Click to Tweet' button which will open Twitter in a new tab. You'll need to log-in to your Twitter account if you're not already. Once logged-in, a pre-populated tweet with the link to your form will display.
Feel free to edit the text in the box if you want to personalize it! Select 'Tweet' and watch those signups roll on in.
NOTE: If you would rather not 'Tweet' the link to your form, select the 'X' in the top-right corner of the "Click to Tweet" window.
Want to know how FamilyID can help fill seats in your program faster?
Click here to learn more about how FamilyID online registration helps program providers save time, eliminate paperwork and run thriving programs. Call 1-781-205-2800 or email news@familyid.com to request more information or schedule a personal demo.
