Immediate posts are important, but using valuable social media space is way more important. This was evident when this press release was plainly copied and pasted into this Sheriff’s Facebook page.

On social media, people already know that your posts are for “immediate release” because Facebook puts your status in the timeline and then time/date stamps it for everyone. Also writing with all caps infers YELLING or SCREAMING. As public servants, we strive to bring peace to stressful situations including in messaging.

On Facebook, Sheriff’s name is listed right at the top so it isn’t necessary to repeat it again in the content. Email address in a post? Most likely, people will just click the “Comment” button below your post and respond back. They will likely not email you questions.

That space you are using is PRIME digital real estate. Do not repeat already posted information as readers will rapidly lose interest in your post. But DO write a concise and interesting status update with picture(s) to draw more interest from your audience. Remember that social media is a visual medium.

A more effective Facebook post could have read

By phrasing it this way:

1. You identify the agency responding to the incident and the incident itself.
2. You pull the reader in with a leading headline and help news reporters write their story.
3. You use a picture from the incident that helps increase interest in your post.
4. You use Facebook’s prime digital real estate in everyone’s timeline and push good information.

Time is valuable, so tweet good stuff.

@rusnivek

To download the one-pager, click here: Safety-PIO-SM-15-001