Digital Media and the Branding of Downtowns: Strategies for New Business Development Using Paid, Owned and Earned Media November, 2013 | Page 13

Others to consider
Instagram

Eight Tips for Using Social Media

Instagram allows users to easily share photos
and short videos (15 seconds or less) with their
followers. They can also share through Twitter
and Facebook. Instagram includes filters that can
make even the most mediocre images look good,
and the site allows for categorization of
information through hashtags, a simple tool to
categorize content (see inset for more).

1. Listen before speaking.
Create a free account and follow people or
organizations that are important to the district.
After you’ve seen how they interact, you’ll be
better prepared to do your own.

Vine
Vine allows for easy sharing of six-second video
loops that can also be posted to Twitter. Six
seconds sounds like it would be too short to be
helpful, but the boundaries have forced Vine
users to be creative. A 15-year old in Charlotte
with more than a million followers told The
Charlotte Observer that his only secret is to be
original and upbeat and make people laugh.
YouTube
YouTube is still the king of online video sites; the
site says users upload 100 new hours of video
every minute. The site is easy to user and can be
accessed across multiple devices. If you upload
original content, keep it short. Users are more
likely to watch your entire video if it’s no longer
than about two minutes.
Google+
Pronounced “Google Plus”, Google+ allows users
to share photos, endorse search results, make
video calls and hold private meetings in
“hangouts”. In 2013, the site had more users
than Twitter, about 390-million. Because it
started a little later than Facebook and Twitter,
some consider Google+ to be a work in progress,
but with a company like Google behind it, this

2. Keep it positive.
Don’t get drawn into debates about personal
opinions. Remember, you’re representing a
group.
3. Ask Others to Help Carry the Message
Successful business owners can reach more
people than you and their endorsement is likely
to carry more weight.
4. Know your Audience
Your online persona should be a reflection of
the community. Have a vibrant arts presence?
Include images and video.
5. Be Comfortable with Informality
Your area’s social media presence should be
professional, but not stuffy.
6. Don’t try to Use Every Platform
A few select platforms will reach most of your
target audience . It’s better to do one or two
well than to have several dormant accounts.
7. Make the Most of Hashtags
Hashtags help categorize content. They’re
formatted as one word with a ‘#’ sign at the
beginning, like this: #downtown. They make
sorting through content faster and simpler.
8. Be Ready to Respond
Social media facilitates a conversation. If
someone asks a question, offer a helpful reply.

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