NOVEMBER 29, 2017
Who follows International Standards on Facebook?!
By Maria Lazarte, @MariaLazarte, Social Media Manager, International Organization for Standardization @ISOStandards
On social we work hard to change the old perception that standards are technical and dusty, by emphasizing the role they play in our daily lives. Because the truth is that standards are everywhere and they are fascinating. They are the cogs and wheels that drive technology and the base on which we build, literally, everything. Standards are in your toothbrush, coffee, smartphone, car. Wherever you look, a standard has left its print. And if it hasn’t, you are in serious trouble.
Our social strategy covers four main platforms. On Facebook, we talk to the wider public. We take out technicalities and tell stories, using visuals like cartoons and infographics. We tailor our messages to be as accessible as possible. And although you may think that people don’t want to learn about standards when browsing through their friends’ weekend photos, that’s where we have our biggest audience with over 212,000 followers.
On Twitter, we deliver the news as it happens, and connect and collaborate with key partners, like international organisations. We announce progress of popular standards, carry out campaigns around common hashtags and share interesting links and stories. Our Secretary-General has a dedicated account @ISOSecGen.
On LinkedIn, we think of the standards’ user. We target technical content to relevant industries, and highlight the benefits of our standards.
Our YouTube channel has encouraged us to make shorter and more accessible videos, often using only graphics. One of my favorites features sock puppets that explain how ISO develop standards.
We believe that engagement results in stronger connections, so we hold contests, Tweetchats and Facebook Live events to bring our followers closer to the people behind the standards.
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We love to experiment and are early adopters whenever we can. So far, our social media has been 100% organic. We have never paid to promote a post.
This worked well because we aimed for quality over quantity, targeting audiences who were truly interested in our content. However, as algorithms evolve to favour promoted posts, we may need to reconsider. If only a small percentage of our total followers see our content, this is a missed opportunity.
Global campaigns are key to our strategy. Our organization is spread out geographically, with a diverse membership of national standards bodies. Social provides a unique opportunity for all of us to speak with one voice about the issues that matter to us.
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What’s next for ISO? Most likely, Instagram. We are always looking for new ideas and initiatives. We recently launched an experimental account @myisolife for inspiration before we tackle @isostandards. So stay tuned, and follow us!