THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA MASTERY FOR CONSERVATIONISTS
I’m a conservation communications specialist, and at the end of the day about 90% of my job is social media management. Currently I am in charge of a mid-size nonprofit communications department (Population: 1) managing a half dozen profiles daily. And that’s not even taking into account the several other personal, side-hustle, or contracted account I oversee. When I’m not cropping photos for the right platforms or whittling away at the character limits, I’m often found hunched over at my desk making an infographic in Canva (with no graphic design experience) or managing travel plans for international film companies. Over time I’ve come to know a thing or two about these social networks.
I’ve always been a biologist first. I live by the Scientific Method. I apply much of my experimental and analytical processes to my communications. I also work with a large team of biologists and conservationists who don’t see the need or have the desire to learn how to master social media.
I’m here to remind you that incorporating social media into your research is a vital element to the process of science. Here’s why:
Simplifying complex ideas. Have you ever heard the phrase that you don’t truly know something until you can explain it to a kindergartner? Let’s apply that same logic to Twitter: can you fully explain your research until you can fit it into 240 characters or less? Having the ability condense your scientific research into a post (or a few posts, maximize your content — we’ll save that for another blog) not only ensures that you can communicate the topic effectively, but it also means that someone casually scrolling through their feed can get bite-sized science right at their fingertips.
Enduring relevance. There are billions of daily active users across platforms. Social media is a part of how we communicate in society. With advancements in AI and the “creator economy” it’s only going to grow and become the primary way in which we explore parts of our world. Get ahead of the game and study how these platforms work.
The new search engine. Plain and simple. If you are trying to sell anything online — whether that’s a product, service, or idea — someone will likely look you up on Instagram before they make a decision.
Building trust. People want to connect with people, not businesses. That’s what makes social networks successful, after all. But if your main intention behind your online presence is to promote your scientific research, sustainability practices, ecotourism, or anything in between, you have to show up authentically on your personal pages. Remember, people are not brands — allow yourself to share an opinion or get personal.
Information sharing. Being a conservationist is all about collaboration over competition. By putting your work out into the world you give someone else the opportunity to expand, correct, or inspire further action. It’s a part of the scientific process. There’s no gatekeeping here!
Documentation. Everything we know about the world has been documented in some way. Without presenting your data, your experiences, your work, we cannot evolve our understanding of the world.
Inspire future generations. You have the responsibility to leave this place better than you found it. With a large portion of social media consumption belonging to Gen Z and Millennials, you can bring about a positive future by speaking directly to them.
READ: Who is my target audience? Identifying and Connecting with Gen Z for Environmental Education
Ultimately, social media is a tool, and when used as such, it has the opportunity to become a living manual for how to treat the amazing planet we live on. It doesn’t have to be scary, and there are so many different ways you can show up on social media. When we collectively use social media to advance our knowledge and collaborate on ideas we inch our way closer to a brighter, shall I say, more connected future.
With gratitude,
Dailyn
P.S. Don’t let the fear of being perfect stop you from being good.
