PART 1: OPENING PARAGRAPH
For my blog in particular, I think the best approach when it comes to social media is to utilize photo oriented platforms because people will be more inclined to pause and look at a post if it contains a picture of an animal. That being said, Instagram is an obvious choice, however I could also use Twitter to draw readers in with quick descriptions about events taking place regarding pet adoption. I should also maintain a Facebook page, as most organizations and blogs do, just to act as an archive of all the information and activity my blog would perform. While the main focus of my social media strategy would be pictures, I could post videos from time to time when I get the chance to attend an event, or if I would ever be allowed to film inside an animal rescue shelter.
PART #2: WHO TO REACH
I would follow some of the widely recognized organizations such as the ASPCA, The Humane Society, and PETA because they are reputable and reliable. These are the animal adoption and rescue organizations that have been around for years and have established both successful businesses, as well as a good social media presence. I could turn to these platforms to learn how to make my blog and social media outlets more successful and visually appealing.
I would also follow local New York City based adoption organizations that are a bit smaller-scale, but nonetheless still important. Most people already have some knowledge about the larger agencies, but I would like to promote small businesses that hold several events that people may not know about. These are the handles I could either tweet to or retweet, and most likely get responses. These responses would establish my blog as reputable and attract more fans. I would follow some of the widely recognized organizations such as the ASPCA, The Humane Society, and PETA because they are reputable and reliable. These are the animal adoption and rescue organizations that have been around for years and have established both successful businesses, as well as a good social media presence. I could turn to these platforms to learn how to make my blog and social media outlets more successful and visually appealing.
I included a few twitter handles of places and agencies that I am interested in possibly writing blog posts about. I think you should always follow the people and places you write about, as it is a networking opportunity. Small-scale businesses would especially like to be recognized, so it is likely to evoke positive responses from them.
Lastly, I included Ellen Degeneres, as she has been very vocal in advocating for animal adoption. She has been known to donate generously to things revolving around pet adoption. I think it is important to follow celebrities and well-known people because it gives your social media more legitimacy. There are other celebrities I could follow who have been instrumental in drawing attention to adoption, and reaching out to these people on Twitter could increase my follow count.
PART #3: ACCOUNTS
Facebook-
The Facebook account would be the archive of all the blog’s activity, and would include click through links to all other social media outlets involved. Each time there is a new post to the blog, there would also be a posting on Facebook with a link to the blog post itself. I would also use the Facebook to collect all the pictures that have either been taken for my articles, or even the unused pictures from the places I’ve been along the way. I think the most important factor of the Facebook page would be interaction, as I would have to communicate with my audience in order to make people feel as involved as possible. The Facebook account would most likely be the most frequently updated platform, posting several things each day.
Twitter-
This would also be another platform for self-promotion, however here I would also include links to outside sources with information regarding adoption events, or pets that are in need of adoption. This could be done by either creating the tweets myself to advocate for these agencies, or I could retweet them. Ideally, I think each tweet should have a unique picture, as many animal adoption based twitter accounts look similar and have similar content. A picture is what will make a person pause while scrolling down their feed instead of skipping another conventional tweet about an animal in need. I don’t think Twitter needs to be updated as much as Facebook because there is not enough information to be posted before it starts to be redundant and irritating. The only time I would tweet frequently would be if I was live tweeting from a specific event taking place.
Instagram-
The Instagram account would be one of my most important accounts, as I feel that this is the social media platform that people would be most interested in. Unfortunately, people tend to be more interested in looking in looking at a single picture, rather than taking the time to read an entire blog post. Also, in my research of other related blogs, I found that very few of them possessed Instagram accounts, so I think this a way for me to set myself apart from the rest. On my Instagram, there would be recurring hashtags related to pet adoption where people could send in their own photos with a short description of why their pet should be chosen. I would then chose a few of my favorite submissions and post them on Instagram. In doing so, I hope this would keep readers interested and would compel them to visit my site at least once weekly. By having weekly contests, my audience could have something to look forward to will hopefully bring out some competitive spirit, which may expand my following.
Youtube-
The Youtube account would not be my most frequently updated platform, however I would post videos whenever I attend events. I could even incorporate an element of live blogging, posting videos on the spot from the event I’m at. This would not only draw attention to my brand but would also promote the organization hosting the event. Hopefully this promotion would lead to developing strong relationships with other people in the field of pet adoption. Not only is this good for networking purposes, but also serves as a method of finding inspiration for future blog posts. In addition, I would love to get the chance to go inside some shelters and capture videos of what goes on at those places if I were allowed to. This gives my blog a more investigative angle, which could also attract more of a following.
PART #4: WRITING TWEETS AND HEADLINES
Post #1
Tweet: Cat in the… van? An #ASPCA van filled with kittens hits road to hold mobile adoption event in Stuyvesant Town. http://bit.ly/1xKK6tq #mobileadoption
Old Headline: ASPCA Mobile Events Promote Adoption
New Headline: ASPCA Mobile Events Promote Adoption in Stuyvesant Town
Post #2:
Tweet: Store sells “designer doggies” while fighting prominence of puppy mill breeding in America. http://bit.ly/1EXTNYM #STOPpuppymills
Old Headline: Petite Puppy Boutique Combats Puppy Mill Menace
New Headline: Long Island’s Petite Puppy Boutique Combats Puppy Mill Menace
Post #3:
Tweet: 70 years since opening, North Shore Animal League has saved the lives of over a million animals and won’t stop there! http://bit.ly/1qR2UT2 @AnimalLeague
Old Headline: North Shore Animal League Saves Lives
New Headline: North Shore Animal League: America’s Largest No-Kill Adoption Organization Saves Lives
Post #4
Tweet: Love animals? Love fashion? Stop by @CauzforPawz! Buy something that makes you look good, feel good while doing it. http://bit.ly/1AbdxZ6
Old Headline: Cauz for Pawz: Gramercy Thrift Shop Bridges Fashion and Animal Rescue
(Keeping headline as is)
