Unit 2

USER ENGAGEMENT: THE “WHAT” AND “HOW” OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR GLAMs

2.1. Digital participation and engagement


In general, social media engagement is the measurement of people’s reactions in the digital world (e.g. comments, likes and shares) that also help assess social media success. Digital participation and engagement have become essential elements of every entity (public or private) that is active on social platforms and seeks to form relationships with new and potential future customers or to create a public interest for its product.

Digital participation offers benefits and opportunities simplifying the methods and promoting familiarisation with the potential audience that we want to engage within our cultural activities. Examples of digital tools could be a museum’s account on social media, a library’s digital platform or account on social networks etc.

The questions of “what to offer” and “how to present it” are universal for all kinds of users. The same applies for GLAMs.

According to McLachlan (2020), some of the techniques that measure engagement are the following:

  • Shares or retweets
  • Likes
  • Followers and audience growth
  • Mentions (either tagged or untagged)
  • Using branded hashtags

Cultural institutions encourage their visitors to post comments and pictures on social media as proof of cultural engagement or to collect memories of the visit. Taking and posting images on social networks is already a trend in the GLAMs sector social media activities. Accordingly, many museums’ actions are articulated around the sharing of an image or a post. Similarly, many cultural institutions begin to use hashtags in their social accounts, posts and stories. A multitude of them now request from their followers to make a post with a hashtag on Twitter and Instagram (we will examine them in detail below)! These initiatives can act as hubs for people of various cultural backgrounds to come together and learn from each other’s experiences with a particular exhibition or museum.

Another example of cultural activities are those that imply the creation of objects by the audience. These initiatives aim at spreading knowledge on the issue and consequently, strengthening public engagement. Similarly, the theory of Constructionism, known as “learning- by- making”, proposed by Harel and Papert in 1991 deals with the idea of generating understanding and knowledge by producing things to be shared with others. Therefore, combining the “learning- by- making” theory with the use of social media, can increase the value of engagement built between our institution and our audiences.

Harel & Papert, 1991, Learning by constructing knowledge through the art of making something shareable, Image of Alex Flowers via https://www.slideshare.net/AlexFlowers10/digital-learning-in-museums-new-technologies-for-art-design-and-making

According to Flowers (2018), digital engagement is more than your online presence, more than your social media and more than your memes. He gives another notion to this practice and perceives it not just as a lifeless tool. Digital engagement is a process, and as such it necessitates time and commitment by both parties interacting with each other. Undoubtedly, social media has already become part of this interactive relationship.

Flowers, A., Bridging the Virtual and Physical. Image via https://aflowers.co.uk/digital-participation-in-museums-and-galleries

Finally, the use of social media platforms is already universal and statistics now inform us about how young people from different socio-demographic backgrounds engage differently with digital media. The use of social media by GLAMs offers all young people the opportunity to access meaningful art and cultural life which will consequently impact learning, creativity, and the fostering of civic engagement in cultural organisations.

2.2. Social media

Let’s have a look now at the most popular social media platforms and what added value they can bring to a cultural institution. Social media presented here, have been selected as the most popular and widely used, especially among young people. Similarly, as social media like Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok are probably the most effective means of communication and contact with young people, several cultural institutions have based the promotion of campaigns, exhibitions and the creation of a community of followers on these social media, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis. In this context, the Zourou K., & Pellegrini E. study (2021), carried out within the framework of The GLAMers project, investigated actions undertaken by GLAMs in which social media were used either as channels for promoting cultural activities or as means of transmitting knowledge and expanding their audience.

YOUTUBE

In quantitative terms, YouTube comes third after Snapchat and Instagram as the most popular digital platforms, according to the Young People’s Cultural Journeys Report (Arts Connect, June 2018). YouTube allows users to create effective videos of lectures with minimal video equipment, thus reaching an important audience of young people. Besides, YouTube is highly optimised for mobile devices and the majority of students already know how to access the platform, making it an even more familiar digital space within which to interact with other people.

Consequently, YouTube has become a widely used digital platform that GLAMs should embrace as an effective means to increase their audience reach as well as inclusively share their events and actions.

FACEBOOK

Facebook is considered a popular digital and communication platform that allows GLAMs to interact with their audience. Other than being a digital tool for advertising and communicating actions, news and information with people, Facebook offers additional opportunities to reach even the most marginalised social groups. Specifically, thanks to Facebook Live, museums can bring together art with people who can’t access museums in times of pandemics, and also make collections more accessible to Deaf Art lovers. Find out more here.

Watch a concrete example of using Facebook by the Museum of Contemporary Art (S.M.A.K.), in Ghent, Belgium, The GLAMers event, (2021a),(time 22:22 - 29:31)


INSTAGRAM

Instagram may combine quick and friendly follower engagement, but this doesn’t automatically translate into the formation of a deep engagement between followers and the content shared on the platform. However, Instagram is undeniably so far one of the most popular social media in the world and it works also as an influence multiplier machine thanks to its advertisement policy and the followers someone can attract via the platform. Even though cultural content isn’t extensively spread on it, Instagram is a tool that Museums, Galleries and Libraries should develop in order to increase the percentage of their young audience.

Making stories, posts and live streaming, the GLAMs can grasp the opportunity to display their collections and special content. Not only the GLAMs but several art enthusiasts love to share art features, photos of museum exhibitions and talk about their experience to their followers.

In Section 3.1.1, you will see a concrete example of using Instagram by Giacometti Foundation, in Paris.

Learn more about Instagram and the opportunities it creates for the GLAMs sector here:

Video: From Likes to Love (Heart if Insta) to Building a Community

https://pro.europeana.eu/event/from-likes-to-loves-to-collaborations-using-social-media-for-advocacy-to-build-a-community

TWITTER

Twitter is a digital platform that can maximise the reach of your Institution to an unlimited number of people, especially youth. Millions of tweets are being produced and spread on a daily basis, covering a broad range of news and stories. This real-time interaction among Twitter users can stimulate the interest of the audience towards your Institution’s activity. Overall, when it comes to the dissemination of collection material, Twitter can be used as a dynamic tool thanks to its #hashtag mechanism that helps you create popular trends, thus preserving users interest and receiving valuable insights from your followers.

GLAMs maintain a regular presence on Twitter, while it is of great importance to regularly generate new posts and content in order to nurture and keep the interest of their followers alive.

Get more insight about GLAMs posting their content on Twitter here

In Section 3.3.2. you will see a concrete example of using Twitter by Ireland War Memorial Museum, (NIWM) Belfast, UK

TIK TOK

Since 2017, Tik Tok has won the attention of the public. It's a platform designed to attract all kinds of audiences (youth, elder, tech-savvy etc) but it is definitely widespread among young people. In France, several Cultural Institutions have already developed their own account on Tik Tok. There, they introduce their collections, share their events and news aiming to attract youth’s attention and enhance their participation. By following Cultural Institutions’ accounts, Tik Tok users have the opportunity to learn more about culture and sharpen their critical thinking by confronting different forms of truth - artistic, scientific, philosophical.

Find out more here.

In Section 3.3.4. you will see a concrete example of using TikTok by Museum of Contemporary Art (S.M.A.K.), Ghent, Belgium

Quiz 2

Watch the video (24:50-45:22) and answer the following questions.