The Importance of Social Media

Written by Leah Oake 

Thumbnail Photo by Merakist on Unsplash

In this current age of technology and social media, every aspect of the human experience has been transplanted into the world inside of our phones. With just a tap of the finger, you can access infinite information. Students, in particular, can gain knowledge through interactions with this wide web of information. In everyday life, social media has become a natural way of communication and leisure, but for student societies, it can be a confusing place. Creators must balance entertaining content and influential ideas with student body success. Promotions for events are almost only done via social media, and when the event has no social media presence the turnout is bleak. Thus, the internet is crucial for a society's function and success in this modern age. Everyone is online so societies need to adapt. But how? How can a society successfully use social media without overflowing feeds or being swept under the rug? By showing commitment, having consistency and engaging the audience’s curiosity.

Commitment

If a society wants to thrive using social media, it needs to ensure that everyone on the executive team is on the same page. Most societies have a designated social media content creator, but a common misconception is that this creator is the only person responsible for creating social media content. This is a misconception because the entire executive team should be a part of the process of their social media journey. Everyone from the team should be sharing ideas and tips to help the creator(s). Creators are like everyone else; they can burn out, have an off day, and lose inspiration. Being solely responsible for student body engagement is tough and intimidating. Instead of continuing this cycle of pressure, societies should have more than one person responsible for their social media accounts. They can achieve this by forming a social media team or adding content creation to another executive member’s duties. By taking pressure off of one individual and dividing the tasks, commitment to social media engagement can be upheld. Team members can cheer each other on, bounce ideas off one another and create! The creators themselves need that confidence and commitment. If they do then they will work to produce the best possible content for the society. For example, if the Chemistry Society posted a TikTok guessing Broadway songs, it would not be relevant for their viewers. On the other hand, if the Geology Society posted a TikTok about a rock auction and explained their properties, their viewers would be engaged. If a society wants to do well using social media, they must be committed to their creations and set ideals.

Consistency 

Once the society is committed, it needs to establish a level of consistency throughout all of its platforms. This does not mean adhering to a strict, monotonous schedule, but it does mean having some level of notability. Notability in this case refers to the idea that societies should be aiming to stand out amongst others. There are dozens of societies at Saint Mary’s University competing for student body attention so it is only reasonable for societies to want to stand out. This can be done by actively posting. An easy way to create that consistency is by developing a social media schedule. This schedule can be made months in advance, so the team knows when to start promoting an event. If a society starts posting three weeks before the event occurs, they will be more likely to have a larger turnout than if they only posted the week of. If the social media group consists of more than one creator, a schedule can also help divide up the workload. Here's an example of how a schedule for one week can look:

TikTok and Instagram are undoubtedly two apps that garner some of the most interaction, so using them for marketing purposes is crucial for success. A schedule (like the one above) allows the creators to create content months or weeks in advance, so they are not hit with an abrupt request for an event poster on a fast-approaching deadline. In addition, the content style needs consistency— especially if there is more than one creator. The feed should not only be aesthetically pleasing but also cohesive. Find an easy content creation site or app (Canva, Adobe Express, Capcut, Google Docs, Notion, etc) that all creators can use with the same account, so everyone can be aware of the themes, colours and patterns to work with. 

Photo by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash

Curiosity 

Do not be afraid to experiment! If a creator has an outlandishly funny idea for a reel, they should pitch it – or if ambitious enough, make it! Creators should constantly be seeking inspiration for new ideas. Curiosity is a gift; when one possesses it, there is a large possibility for creativity and inspiration. For example, in a sports society, the content creator should be engaging with other sports societies to see if any ideas can be formed. However, before curiosity gets the best of the creator, they should make sure their ideas will translate well to their audience. Will this funny video about the struggles of psychology majors work with the Sociology Society? Maybe not. So, adapting it to a sociology student audience is key. It is normal for creators to lose creative motivation at some point. But a way that can effectively keep their motivation alive is with curiosity!

Social media can make or break a society. If a society does not use it enough they can lose possible members, and, if they use it too much, it could leave viewers with a bad taste in their mouth. SMUSA is always keen to repost content on their Instagram stories, which is a great way for societies to gain more traction! I encourage any content creators or society executives reading this to rethink the way they use social media, and consider how they can better utilise their accounts. There is always room for improvement no matter how great an account seems. Likes and comments can always fade, so a society should ensure they have commitment, consistency and curiosity. If they stay actively present in their pursuit of social media success, their accounts should inevitably thrive.