My library recently formed a ‘3.0 team’ to help create and curate content for our current social networking sites, as well as bring information to the table for using on other or additional sites. In our monthly online meeting, the facilitator shared this article, Three Digital Marketing Trends for 2014 and Beyond. While the article isn’t only focused on teens or libraries for that matter, each trend seems applicable to both.
1. Real-time Marketing
Chances are we all know a teen who shares what they’re doing ‘in the moment’-whether it be by text or photo-with one (or many) of their friends. While this isn’t necessarily considered marketing per se, it definitely shows an important way teens react to the world around them. One of the ways libraries can engage in our own ‘real-time’ marketing is by taking photos and posting while events are happening, ‘in the moment’. While that might not be rocket science, it can take a little preparation to make sure your phone/camera is on hand and you’re looking at the bigger picture of the program (no pun intended). Another way this can work is for libraries to respond to what is happening in the community or world. After Nelson Mandela’s death, some of his well-known quotes were Pinned on my library’s Pinterest board for example.
2. Creating Youtility Through Care, Context, and Creativity
Building relationships online are just as important as building them when a teen visits the library. Sharing information about what book you’re reading or what your department wore for Halloween at the library are ways to show your more personal side online. Depending on your library’s policy for posting photos of the public online — or perhaps just using initials and a book cover — can also show that you’re keeping up with what is important to the teens that visit the library or interact with you online. Don’t underestimate teens’ own ideas for what would be fun to post or read about as well!
3. Empowering Employees and Fans
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I’m part of the library’s newly-formed 3.0 team. This means I get to contribute to and craft messages that are tweeted, photos that are shared, and even promotional videos. This takes risk and trust on the part of our Marketing and Communications Department. Are there avenues of participation at your library that you might have thought about exploring or pursuing but haven’t made the time to do so? Make it a goal in 2014 to figure out some ways (starting small is okay) to market to teens digitally. There are a lot of stories out there waiting to be shared!
