Tag Archives: linkedin

Want to reach more people? Figure out what content works best on your accounts

Social media accounts are not all the same. Twitter is vastly different than Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn, etc. No account is ever the same, and their purposes and audiences are all different, as well.

Some content lends itself better to certain networks, but as long as you’re paying attention to what does well on each account, you’ll be able to reach your audience more effectively.

Can you share your same blog post or article on multiple networks? Yes, definitely! Just make sure your social media messages fit with each account and audience.

  • Twitter is a great place to share useful tips, tricks, and visual content. Because text is limited to 140 characters, you’re forced to get to the point. It’s also a great place to engage people in conversation and answer questions.
  • Facebook has turned into more of an entertainment sharing network, where the most popular posts are the ones that are easily shared between friends and family. If people aren’t liking or sharing your post, there’s a good chance that most of your fans or friends won’t see it at all. Adding images and videos to your posts almost always ensures a wider reach.
  • LinkedIn is a great place to share business and industry news, as well as job openings. Things like how-to posts, case studies, and other content that helps your audience grow professionally should do well on this network.
  • Google+ is a space that easily combines personal and professional content. Since you can set up different circles of people, it offers you multiple spaces to share content between either friends and family or professional contacts.
  • Pinterest is all about the images. The best way to use Pinterest is to share great visual content. This can be info-images, infographics, comics, custom photography, and memes.

For more inspiration, check out Virginia Cooperative Extension’s social media directory.

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Are you ’In?: Using LinkedIn for networking

Did you know that LinkedIn is one of the fastest social media networks? Thanks to the economic recession, LinkedIn gained in popularity as unemployment climbed, and it became a way to easily search for jobs and be seen by prospective employers.

Students graduating from college are now encouraged to have an online presence, and LinkedIn is where the students turn when creating a resume or CV for their first job hunt.

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has a LinkedIn group. It is a closed group, meaning members have to be approved before they can see all group activity so the moderators can make sure requestors have a Virginia Tech affiliation.

The groups are set up like a discussion forum. Participants can ask questions, create posts, and share information. One of the newest features is that members can post jobs and requests for employment. This makes the group a powerful place where students and alumni can connect and network. The communications office selects relevant news stories and posts them on the board to keep information fresh, even when discussions have been quiet.

Please join us on LinkedIn and find a new way to connect with students, alumni, and your fellow Virginia Tech employees!

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