The Benefits of Social Media for FCCLA – Twitter

Once again, Marketing & Membership Assistant and social media guru, Lauren Rhodes is here. This time she offers tips for improving your chapter's Twitter presence.

“What we have to do is deliver to people the best and freshest most relevant information possible. We think of Twitter as it's not a social network, but it's an information network. It tells people what they care about as it is happening in the world.”  - Evan Williams

What is Twitter? Twitter is a “real-time information network powered by people all around the world that lets you share and discover what’s happening now.” Twitter is a social networking and “micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author's profile page and delivered to the author's subscribers who are known as followers.” Basically, Twitter is quickly becoming the most effective form of non-verbal communication, especially now that users have direct access to it 24/7 via cell phone applications.

Twitter is important for FCCLA chapters because it helps them communicate quickly and it’s in writing.  All of those following your chapter on Twitter can receive real-time updates and reference older posts. You can also stay up-to-date on your students, other teachers and chapters, causes and organizations, even National FCCLA, by following them on Twitter.

Disclaimer: Twitter may not be for everyone…yet. Many are still getting used to what Twitter is and how it integrates into our daily lives. However, it is only a matter of time before Twitter becomes as popular and widely used as Facebook – so, hold on, we’re only climbing up the hill of the roller-coaster.

Step 1: Ask your chapter if they are using Twitter.

If they are, wonderful! If they are not, talk to them about Twitter and see if your chapter is interested in pursuing this.

Step 2: Sign up for Twitter, create your profile, and start following!

If you already have a Facebook profile, creating a profile on Twitter is a walk in the park. Let one of your students, perhaps the VP of Public Relations, take the lead to create a profile. Let your chapter know when the page is up so they can start following it. Select organizations, causes, members of the community and school to follow on Twitter. Following others will help keep you in the loop. Who knows – you may hear about a scholarship or grant your chapter could qualify for!

Step 3: Tweet it!

Remember you only have 140 characters per tweet. You can tweet links to pages such as your Facebook page or www.fcclainc.org. Tweet events, school functions, and reminders. Start a spreadsheet of tweet ideas for several weeks in advance. I have one for the next month and I update it a week before the end of the month. If possible, download the Twitter application for your phone. This will enable you Tweet from your phone and be able to update your site anywhere!

Step 4: Tweet and monitor the site as frequently as possible.

By tweeting frequently, the information posted will show up in any members’ twitter page and this gives free publicity.  As an adviser for FCCLA it is important to supervise your chapter and make sure they are modeling the way and representing FCCLA respectfully.

These are some essential steps toward launching and maintaining Twitter page.  Feel free to post questions and discuss.  If you have any questions or comments you are not comfortable posting please contact me at lrhodes@fcclainc.org.