Presentation Outline: Instagram

What is Instagram?

            Brief discussion

·      A very brief history of Instagram

·      Basic how-to’s for a new user

            Why use Instagram?

·      Newer than Facebook, with more appeal to younger users

·      Visually appealing and exciting

·      Innovative way to advertise collection and services

·      Interesting addition to an already established social media presence

            Who uses Instagram?

·      Demographics of average users

·      Why some users are moving from Facebook to Instagram and Twitter

·      Pairing Instagram with other social media

Instagram in Academic Libraries and Other Organizations

            Some examples of who’s doing it right

·      Mutter Museum: #GuessTheDeath

·      Public Art Fund: Staff involvement

·      US Department of the Interior: Frequent posts

·      NASA: Great photos, educational captions

Guidelines for a Successful Instagram Presence

            Do…

·      Create frequent, regular posts of visually engaging materials, both from within the library and throughout the campus

·      Document events, daily activities, and partnerships with other organizations

·      Monitor connected posts from the community and respond reliably and as necessary

·      Engage with students and campus population through contests, events, and even trivia – and don’t forget your hashtags!

·      Post behind the scenes sneak-peeks and pictures of your staff at work to help to put a face on the library and encourage students to get involved

·      Promote the collection, resources, and even study or communal spaces of the library through pictures and videos; it’s much more engaging than a marketed text blurb on the library home page!

            Don’t...

·      Get caught up in over-aggressive, obvious marketing

·      Think of it as posting in a vacuum; post about other events and organizations on campus to keep things interesting and foster a feeling of unity

·      Rely on Instagram as your only social media outlet

·      Forget to explain your pictures as needed

·      Neglect the almighty hashtag

·      Ignore student posts, comments, and general involvement

Conclusion and Q&A