Media Handbook for National Human Rights Institutions Choose your platforms and plan your posts It is essential that you consider how much time the NHRI can afford to spend on social media (see “Different types of social media platforms” on page 60 for recommended update frequencies). As a minimum, you will need to set aside at least two hours each week for every social media platform you manage. Determine how best you can engage people in your work and build relationships with new supporters. Your strategy should outline how many posts you will make each week, the broad type of content you will post and who will be responsible for managing and approving posts and responses to comments. Create targeted calls to action, ensuring that everything you post is consistent with the SMART goals set out in the strategy. Find your voice, start posting and listen What you say and how you say things online is of critical importance to the community perception of the NHRI. The ultimate key to success in social media is to be authentic and engaging. Before you start posting content, it pays to research how similar organizations approach their social media communication and the type of “voice” they use. In general, NHRIs should use a casual, informal tone and post regularly. This helps creates the impression of an accessible institution that is interested in talking with people about the issues that matter to them. In addition to considering what you want to achieve through social media, NHRIs should also consider what they can “give” to their supporters. Think about how you can add value, by posting content that might be interesting to your supporters (such as videos, photos, infographics or links to articles or websites); asking people what questions they have and giving short, plain language answers; and celebrating the inspiring work of individuals and organizations who are promoting and protecting human rights in the community. Pay close attention to any messages or mentions related to your NHRI. If someone mentions your NHRI or a key spokesperson in a post, acknowledge it and, if appropriate, add something to keep the conversation going. Promote your social media presence on your website, in your newsletter, in media releases, in email footers and any other ways you communicate with your stakeholders. Establish links to your social media platforms from your website and invite staff and partner organizations to “like” your page and respond to initial posts to help build a sense of community. Measure your results Regularly tracking audience engagement is a crucial way to chart progress towards your SMART goals and to identify whether you need to make changes in managing your social media activities. Many social media platforms include free, built-in monitoring tools to help you track user behaviour. These include tools such Page Insights (Facebook) and Analytics (YouTube). Four simple metrics to measure the effectiveness of your online activity include: • Views: the number of times people view or open your content • Followers: the number of people that form your supporter base • Engagement: the number of people who actively participate (comments, shares, likes) • Conversion: the number of tangible, “real world” results you achieve, such as people attending NHRI events promoted online. Chapter 4: Using social media | 65