1. Overhaul
Your Online
Presence
Devon Henderson
Marketing & Web Services

2. Improve the
library’s online
relationship
with patrons.
THE END GOAL
Presentation Outline
➢ The current issue(s)
➢ How people use the
internet & social media
➢ What it all means
➢ What we can do

3. Our Current Issues
Library stereotype - stuffy, quiet, books only
Library as an “institution” - cold, impersonal, professional (which, in this
case, is a bad thing!)
Training - always new things, constantly changing & shifting

4. What can we
possibly do to
overcome
this??

5. Data

6. Internet Use
General Internet Use
Top 3: Search, Email, Social Media
Google, Yahoo, Bing
Blogs - WordPress, Blogspot
News - Buzzfeed, Quartz
Shopping
Smartphone catching up to computer
Social Media
Facebook
➢ 75% of avg. community
➢ #3 most used in 2015
Women & men use equally
90% 18-29 yrs, 35% seniors
YouTube (#2), Twitter, LinkedIn,
Instagram, Pinterest, Reddit, Tumblr

7. Content Trends
Information/Learning
How-To Articles: Million-$$$ industries
➢ Pinterest, Buzzfeed, Brit.Co
➢ “Lifehack” entire industry
Lists (who doesn’t love lists?)
Learn from peers - YouTube, Skillshare,
Question + Answer sites (Quora, Stack
Overflow, etc.)
Recreational
How-To Articles, Lists
Social Media (Facebook is king)
Media (YouTube, Imgur, etc.)
Quizzes
Blogs

8. WOOP DE DOO
BASIL,
BUT WHAT DOES
IT ALL MEAN??

9. Takeaways —
Your Website

10. Be Google-Friendly
Google - internet entry for many
All search engines follow same
practices
Mobile-friendly required
➢ SEO your site
➢ Fill out Google Business info
➢ Get site responsive or
mobile-friendly

11. Be a librarian, not a
library
Buzzfeed, Pinterest, blogs, et al.
popular due to personal touch
More approachable
Relationship > membership
➢ Write how you talk
➢ Embrace trends, memes,
etc. within reason
➢ Encourage engagement
➢ Be human

12. Blog!
Personal
Local, original content - pride
Write content like Buzzfeed, et al.
➢ Short, easy-to-read articles
➢ Fun/useful lists
➢ Simplifying complex
services - databases,
inter-library loan, etc.

13. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Silly!)
9th grade reading level
➢ Flesch-Kincaid Readability
➢ Hemingway text editor
➢ XKCD Simple Writer text
editor
Front-load important info
Keep pages clean, easy to
navigate
UI Test if needed

14. Takeaways —
Social Media

15. Be on Facebook
Post like your Page is your Profile
Native video/photos
Post daily
Post funny/silly things
Post behind-the-scenes, staff
pictures & info
Use known emotions
A little $$$ goes a long way

16. Share often
Share posts more than once
Schedule in advance
➢ Facebook
➢ Buffer App
➢ HootSuite
Share uniquely to each site
➢ Image size
➢ Post length
➢ Share schedule

17. Send emails
Create an email list
1-3 emails/wk
Personal is key — nothing canned
Share on social media
Update patrons on library, news
Feel like communicating to family

18. Unaware → Observer →
Supporter → Advocate
PROGRESSION OF PATRON INVESTMENT
-PC Sweeney, EveryLibrary

19. Resources
Buffer App Social Media blog
https://blog.bufferapp.com/
Pew Research: Internet & Tech
http://www.pewinternet.org/
Pew Research: Libraries
http://www.pewinternet.org/topics/libraries/
Flesch-Kincaid Readability Tests
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flesch%E2%80%93
Kincaid_readability_tests
Yoast SEO - WordPress plugin
https://yoast.com/wordpress/plugins/seo/
Hemingway Text Editor
http://www.hemingwayapp.com/
XKCD Simple Writer Text Editor
http://xkcd.com/simplewriter/
MailChimp email platform
http://mailchimp.com/
Unsplash — Open-source photos
https://unsplash.com/

20. Thank you!
Devon Henderson
Marketing & Web Services
dhenderson@hctpl.info