Evaluating organisation’s social media presence is a practice that information professionals should regularly engage in. A crucial professional tool is understanding what makes a profile effective and efficient. Then using this knowledge to analysis similar organisations and determine which methods are successful. It is then possible to emulate a similar successful model within your own organisation. I have decided to analyse and compare the twitter profiles of two similar organisations: Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and the United States equivalent, American Library Association (ALA).
In June 2009 both ALIA and ALA joined twitter. Although both accounts are of a similar organisation and have existed for the same period they operate very differently and one is more successful than the other. ALA has impressive statistics with over 225k followers, while ALIA only has 11k followers. Follower numbers are not always an indicator of success. However, operational methods ALA’s used to gain those followers are.
Jackson and Lilleker describe Web 1.5 communication as Web1.0 style interactions on websites with Web 2.0 architecture (2009). It is evident that ALIA’s twitter page has been operating on a Web 1.5 style. ALIA post about relevant industry news and seminars but there is no further engagement with followers after these announcements. ALA by contrast is actively using their twitter profile with successful Web 2.0 interactions. Information has been broadcast but the engagement from ALA continues with consistent replies to followers.
The primary goal of social media is social capital and connection to the community. Connection is ensured through follower engagement. To be proficient in Web 2.0 techniques and ensure ALIA’s Twitter profile is operating successfully for community outreach, ALIA’s engagement must increase. ALIA should be responding to comments, liking and engaging in conversation. To ensure engagement content needs to be posted that is creative and fun; the brand should be humorous (Alfonzo, 2019). Effective social media is a balancing act of posting content you wish to promote with content followers want to see (Alfonzo, 2019).
Alfonzo, P. (2019). Mastering Mobile through Social Media: Creating Engaging Content on Instagram and Snapchat . Library Technology Reports, 55(2), 33-42.
Jackson, N., & Lilleker, D. (2009). Building an Architecture of Participation? Political Parties and Web 2.0 in Britain. Journal of Information Technology & Politics, 6(3/4), 232–250. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1080/19331680903028438