Social Media guidelines for Twitter and Facebook participation

Many organizations go without social media. But as we are trying to educate our stakeholders and constituents as to the Kobach Voter Suppression efforts, KanVote affiliates can make great gains through online interaction with these groups. Our mobilization can only be helped by effective social media interactions through twitter, facebook, and other sites. There is no need to overdo it: 5-10 minutes a day with a 10-minute reflection at the end of each week will get the job done. But only if your work is effective. Augment your daily routine with a quick post or two using these guidelines and you can reasonably expect success in educating Kansas voters, if not mobilizing them to action.

Stay Social (SS): Retweet other affiliated groups posts (it helps to follow and friend the people you see here).

Don’t speak for others/Speak to your stake-holders: Stick to your area of expertise and provide unique, individual perspectives on what’s going on with Kobach voter suppression efforts and their early implementation.

Stay Super Salient (SSS): Post meaningful, respectful comments—in other words, no spam and no remarks that could be construed as off-topic or offensive.

Before you post, PAUSE: Always pause and think before posting. BUT, do respond to comments in a timely manner, when a response is appropriate. BUT, also pause before sending responses.

Be original or respectful: Respect proprietary information and content. If you link to someone else’s media or content, make sure to credit them.

Chill O’Reilly: When disagreeing with others’ opinions, keep it appropriate and polite.

Be Yourself: Reflect on the mission and goals of your organization when you post.

ENGAGE!: Make sure to engage your stakeholders. This cannot be repeated enough. Social Media is for conversations, not broadcasts or lectures. Ask questions. Use online polls. Offer prizes and hold contests online. Don’t talk at people—engage with them.