Many of our members already know the value of social media and seem to navigate with ease, while others may feel intimidated or unsure how to use these tools to help their careers. At ASSP’s recent Leadership Conference, communications staff shared tips for how to get started engaging on social platforms. Here are a few pointers that can help whether you’re a new or experienced social media user.

1. Like a networking event, social media can help you meet new people and establish professional connections.
2. Any time you’re unsure about what to post, remember that social media are just an extension of real life. If you were at a networking event with someone, what would you say to them?
3. Before you share a message on social media, consider your audience. For example, your message would be different depending on whether you were addressing safety professionals who have never heard of ASSP versus members of your chapter/CIG/PS.
4. Your social media goals should be S.M.A.R.T.: Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Don’t just say, “I want to gain more followers.” Say, “I want to gain 100 more followers from the OSH profession within the next 3 months.”
5. When deciding which social platforms to use, consider this: ASSP actively uses LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter and can support your efforts on those channels.
   • Facebook has the most users (2.2 billion). It’s an intimate, personal space where your posts will appear alongside family photos. It’s good for driving traffic and sharing videos.
   • Twitter is good for quick conversations, reading in-the-moment news and identifying trends.
   • LinkedIn is for professional networking and industry resource-sharing. It’s currently the most engaged social media community for ASSP.
   • Get started by following others in the OSH space, such as safety influencers, speakers or writers whose messages have inspired you.
6. The times when you post can have a big impact on your success.
   • If you’re a beginner, experiment! Aim for posting three times per week on Twitter and once per week on Facebook and LinkedIn. Test out different times of day and see what works for you.
   • If you’re at an intermediate level, contribute to conversations others are already having on social media. Use calendars of holidays and “content sharing occasions” like this one. Look for relevant trending hashtags.
   • If you’re advanced, delve into your analytics and replicate your success. What has worked for you in the past? If something was successful once, maybe it will be successful again.
7. Why should people care what you have to say? The Golden Rule applies. They’ll care about you if you care about them.
   • “The No. 1 social media principle applicable to everyone is this: You have to give to get. That means producing content for your audience, not yourself.” -Gary Vaynerchuk (VaynerMedia)
8. How will you evaluate your success?
   • If you’re a beginner, cut yourself some slack. You’ve achieved your first goal: Using social!
   • If you’re at an intermediate level, pick one to three measurable metrics (e.g., link clicks, @mentions, shares) that align with your goals. Track for 2 months using Real Magnet and compare.
   • If you’re advanced, create a time-bound plan for improvement based on your metrics.
9. Contact the ASSP communications team any time with questions. Here’s where to connect with ASSP on social media:
   • Twitter (@ASSPSafety)
   • Facebook
   • LinkedIn