Lessons Learned in Small Town Social Media Management

I have something to talk to you about. I moved two months ago. I know what you’re thinking, “You moved again? Didn’t you just buy a starter home out in the country two and a half years ago?”. Yup, that’s correct.  I moved again despite just buying a home two and a half years. 

That’s not the story though or what this blog post is about. (Though if you want to buy housewarming gifts, you can send them here: colewatts.com/send-gifts/.)

What I want to talk to you about is online community. The online community what comes with social media, in particular.  For those unaware, I just moved from Four Oaks, NC where I managed the town’s local Facebook group (which you can find here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fouroaksncinfo). I know we all talk about managing social media groups and how our companies should be more social, but how many of us manage non-work related accounts in our free time? Well this guy does, or did as of three months ago.

Now social media is not for the faint of heart and is not something that is for everyone. I think it is more common than ever before, people will respond if they’re on social media with a, “I’m not on social media” or “I’m on said platform but i’m not active these days”. Safe to say, more people are lurkers than posters in today’s digital world.  No matter how you use it, social media is not the same fad it was 10 years ago or even last year, but that doesn’t mean that these platforms have gone away completely. Many of us still doomscroll late at night, looking for shopping deals on Marketplace or seeing what’s going on in the groups we’re involved in. We as a society might not be as active on these platforms as we once were, but we’re still on them.

Social Media is more niche now than ever before. 

What’s changed, is that social media has gone niche. Social media platforms are niche platforms now, more than ever before. Those virtual town halls that people thought our social media platforms were before, have begun more and more narrower in the forms of niche groups and niche pages, or even niche platforms.  This is why,  when I moved to Four Oaks, NC I was shocked to find out that they didn’t have a local Facebook page.  Using Facebook groups as opportunities for locals in local communities to engage with each other is bigger than ever before. More and more people are using social media to promote their local businesses, or to find a much needed service. I mean, how else is someone like me supposed to stay connected with local happenings or be able to ask”what the best restaurant is in town?”.

It should not surprise you, that when I got to Four Oaks and found that their was no local group, I did what any other digital marketer would do. I created one. The Four Oaks, NC Facebook group had 4500 people when I handed off and is still growing today. The reason why? Because of community and the the purpose that these platforms serve today, in connecting people.

Now what did I learn managing this Facebook Page

Now as a Digital Marketer, it’s important to look at my actions and look for lessons. You are only as good as your next digital marketing campaign.

So what did running a local Facebook group show me:

• Build it and they will come. If your niche is not already on a social media platform, create it. Yes, it may take some time but more often than not people will eventually find you. Whether that’s through the organic search results or through the social platform’s search, if it is a relevant group that provides value people will eventually find it. With the Four Oaks, NC page I was shocked by how quickly it grew. There were a few imitators that popped up during my management of the page, but it continued to grow. As pages grow, it will be important to…
• Learn how to handle the trolls and arguments. There’s going to be a time, when the language used on the page is not what you expected or wanted. Learning how to handle people whether speaking as the page or as yourself, you are going to have to make decisions on what is right or wrong. Not everyone is going to share your opinion about a situation, especially in a town hall such as a community group or community page. Learning how to manage people and to make decisions that someone will potentially disagree with is an important part of managing a page. With being a leader, there also comes…
• Put yourself out there. If you’re managing a social media group, chances are people will find you and message you a question about the group. Learning how to handle others respectfully and politely is an important part of putting yourself out there, especially if you are providing a platform to people. At some point, your page will become a part of your brand. Not all of your brand so people will question you, but by putting yourself out there you can help gain trust. Trust is gained and comes with attention, but…
• Watch out for the Spam. Last but not least, whether it’s an AI bot or someone posting four to five times a day it’s important that you create a spam policy to help protect your group and your pages from being abused. Yes, marketing ruins everything. So make sure that people don’t ruin your page, with their own marketing and spamming of their own content.

So there’s my Four Oaks, NC Facebook story. One of the many things I will remember about that small town. Hopefully these thoughts and tips will help you out managing your own Facebook group in the future.

Want to chat more about digital marketing or social media? Shoot me an email at ColinWWatts@gmail.com or connect with me on the social media platform of your choice.