I believe there are applications like - Tweet deck that enable you to post to several sites simultaneously - though suitable content varies to each to each. It would be great to have a demystified analysis of how each social media application is best suited to the needs of museums. I do a lot with short form video and see it (linked to QR codes) as a terrific device for telling stories and sharing content. Am beginning to get the thematic potential of Pinterest - that if you had a fabulous collection of something - you could carve out that niche and get some traction. I still haven't figured out why to use, who uses or even how to use History Pin - and suspect the ideal mapping / social interface has yet to be created. Geocaching has a following and is taking off - gets folks to visit things, search and learn.  Slideshare? I love it for bundling PowerPoints and pdfs - but don't believe their numbers. I have stuff I've uploaded there they claim 500++ have looked at. I don't believe it; don't know how their numbers are determined. Facebook - the key there isn't likes but engagement and there's no question but that fewer of the folks who follow or have liked sites I am involved with - are seeing the post. Twitter - a mystery to me. I search for things and have hashtaged certain topics like "heritage tourism" "house museum" and "placemaking" but as far as my own tweets - and I've done plenty - i have no idea who actually seems them. At least with FB if folks like or comment on a post - that's clear and evident engagement.

Endless change

Bill 


William Hosley
Terra Firma Northeast
860-944-8349 
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On Mar 12, 2014, at 4:23 PM, Lee Wright <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Great initiative.

Is there any reason you wouldn't try multiple outlets, such as . . .

- Pinterest
- Flickr
- Facebook (which you noted you already use)
- Twitter
- Slideshare
- Scribd
- YouTube/Vimeo
- HistoryPin
- WhatWasThere

(Note that not all items would make sense for all of these.)

They are all very easy to use, cost only time, and are ideally suited to volunteers or interns.

Use a simple spreadsheet to keep track of engagement (including the day of the week and the time you post, which is especially relevant for Twitter and Facebook).  Do some tests, such as  . . .

- Posting the same thing to each at the same time
- Posting to one or a few, but not the others
- Posting an item to one, and a week later, posting the same item to another

Include some standard text for each and, where possible, a link to the item or discussion of the item on your site.  Use your site's analytics to track where people come from.  (Again, ideally suited to a volunteer or intern.)

My guess is that while you may whittle the list down a little, you'll find that all of these increase discovery and engagement over using just one.

And if you do take this approach, I imagine just about everyone on this list would love to see the results.

Good luck.

. . . . . .

   Lee Wright

   Founder  -  The History List  (www.TheHistoryList.com)  -  History Camp (www.HistoryCamp.org)


On Mar 11, 2014, at 6:52 PM, Mandy Langfald <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

We are investigating ways to share images of artifacts from the collection using social media.  These are artifacts which are currently in storage, rather than on exhibit.  Ideally we would like to include some interpretation with the photos to make more of our stored collections available to the public. We do currently use our website and Facebook to do some of this, but we are looking for other possibilities. Have you tried this with your collections?  Did you prefer one platform above all others?

Feel free to reply on list or in private.

Thanks,

Mandy Langfald
Curator of Collections
Wyoming State Museum
307-777-7033
E-Mail to and from me, in connection with the transaction 
of public business, is subject to the Wyoming Public Records 
Act and may be disclosed to third parties.



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