How are Cultural Institutions Incorporating Social Media?

“Roman Mosaic” Musée du Bardo, Tunis, Tunicia

Picture taken by Jonathan Acuña (2019)

How are Cultural Institutions Incorporating Social Media?

Just a checklist

Cultural centers, higher education institutions, and any other important teaching organization in a country contribute with social media growth and cultural production. And it is at this point that it is important to understand the close relationship this type of organizations have with its media contributors, followers, and stakeholders. Even going beyond this point, it is essential to comprehend how institutions of this sort operationalize all input of its “punters.”

To help you understand this special but important relationship between cultural and education institutions and social media users, the following set of checklists are here provided. At this point your institution could probably be doing several of the actions stated here, but see what seems to be missing or what else can be added to these three areas or commonalities spotted and adapted after listening to Claire Joachin, social media specialist.

In Times of Enrollment

Every time there is enrollment in the institution and classes have begun, who is checking and seeing what is trending in social media? To help this person or team, the following list has been created and adjusted to comprehend cultural and education institutions and social media users’ relationship better. Now, organizational teams should look for the following when digging up data from social media.

A	¨	Identification of something that needs to be pushed down to the ops team
B	¨	Spotting of any relevant feedback for the institution’s sites teams that requires immediate attention
C	¨	Submission of sensible, reasonable, and viable suggestions stated in the media that can be incorporated into institutional processes
D	¨	Answering of questions that have not been properly addressed

Posting in Social Media Channels

Once enrollment is over, what is being posted in the social media channels that the institution administrates? By reviewing this short checklist, what of this is being done and what else can be done to really project the institution’s image and turn it into an iconic organization of culture and learning in the country? Any company needs information put forward, so others can come and dig it up and find it.

A	¨	Organizational push of positive feedback to be shared among the company’s media channels and with its personnel
B	¨	Sharing of real-time feedback in social media with institutional stakeholders
C	¨	Profiting with genuine real reactions to project the company’s image
D	¨	Facilitation of real conversations to welcome people (or students) and their feedback
E	¨	Publication of current/former learners’ success stories for the body of students and outsiders
F	¨	Presence in social media communities to have people know our teachers’ stories and their career paths
G	¨	Sustainability of the gained reputation earned by the institution as a national icon (If not, how can the organization become an icon in your country?)
H	¨	Publication of what happens backstage in the organization to make it visible for potential students
I	¨	Media presence of more than one voice or figure telling the company’s achievements, plans, corporate social responsibility, etc.

Dealing with Contentious Issues and Feedback

Social media users can also be quarrelsome and make community manager’s online work tough. However, the fact is that these antagonistic social media users, who can also be part of the body of students in the institution, may be roaming around the organization’s social media channels. And when they manifest combative, belligerent posts, have the following been established in a manual to deal with contentious issues? And aside from these difficult “punters,” what is being done with good, loyal “followers?”

A	¨	Way in which sarcasm is being dealt with contentious issues on social media
B	¨	Policy to deal when jokes are published in the organization’s media channels
C	¨	Way in which mindfulness and flexibility are used to deal with contentious people based on the institution’s social media policy
D	¨	Directness in treating contentious, hateful, inappropriate comments
E	¨	Code used to invite a person to put a comment back up fitting with the community guidelines (if a comment is taken down)
F	¨	Type of money-can’t-buy-it experience to be offered to “loyal” followers
G	¨	Treatment given to the aggregate of best comments on the institution’s social media channels
H	¨	Clear reasons used by the organization in the use of social media to drive a true learning experience that otherwise would not exist
I	¨	Bold statements issued on the learning tapestry of the country’s education landscape

Finally, it is noteworthy to highlight the fact that many social media management teams are probably working on these points. Nevertheless, it is meaningful for a cultural, education institution to constantly analyze these aspects to correctly read or hear what is being said in social media and how it can be positively used to contribute with the company’s image. And some other contributors should be invited to contest your beliefs to help you see through a wider spectrum of opportunities.