If your small staff association set a goal to become more involved in social media in 2012, you’ve come to the right place! We share lots of great info daily for small staff associations, and a lot of these resources have to do with social media.  Iyou’re involved in managing your organization’s online social presence using a tool such as Facebook or the MemberClicks Social Community, you’ve probably asked yourself questions such as:

• When should we post? And how often?
• Are there certain words or content that will generate more responses?
• When are members engaging with our content?

That’s why we’ve researched the issue and compiled these tips to help your posting efforts.

1. Post Length: Short And Sweet
Research shows that there is a strong negative correlation between post length and engagement, indicating that the longer the post length, the less engaging readers find it. This supports the traditional best practice that concise copy increases readability and comprehension. Consider this – posts that are between one and eighty characters in length have, on average, a 27% higher engagement rate!

2. Don’t Use URL Shorteners
Though a necessity on a service like Twitter, URL shorteners actually lead to less engagement. Research reveals that engagement rates are three times higher for posts that use a full-length URL. Why is this? It’s because URLs often give people valuable insights into the nature of the link. For instance, the link http://www.memberclicks.com/ security will lead a reader to think that the destination site is owned by MemberClicks and it’s probably related to security, whereas http://tinyurl.com/aBcD tells them nothing. Readers find that context valuable.

3. Best Time To Post: Earlier or later
Most posts are made during business hours – between 10 AM and 4 PM. But research indicates that if you post outside of business hours, either early in the morning or later in the afternoon and evening, you’ll have a 20% higher engagement rate. That’s because posts made during those hours appear near the top of readers’ news feeds and activity streams at times when they are more likely to be browsing. Don’t post during the day just because that’s when you’re at work – write posts beforehand and schedule a time to post them later for maximum impact.

4. Best Day To Post: Thursday and Friday
Generally speaking, people are more likely to be reading your posts when they don’t want to be working. Studies indicate that posts made on Thursday and Friday lead to engagement rates that are 18% higher than other days of the week for this very reason. This varies a little by industry, but in general those two days lead to the highest level of engagement. The next best day to post is Sunday, likely due to readers picking up content first thing Monday morning. But be careful about posting on the weekend – Saturday posts lead to the lowest level of engagement. Stick to the very beginning and end of the work week, with perhaps one midweek post to keep readers engaged.

5. Tell Them What You Want
Finally, if you’re trying to increase engagement, be upfront about it. Ask people to “like” you on Facebook. Request feedback to your posts. Ask them to “post” or “comment” or “tell” you something. Research indicates that outright requests like this are the most effective means of soliciting participation. And if you are asking them to do something, be sure to ask the question at the end of the post instead of leading with it. Posts that end with a question have a 15% higher engagement rate than those that have one in the beginning or middle.

As social networks increasingly become key components for communication between organizations and their members, it’s vital that you understand what drives engagement. These tips should help you maximize your posts and increase member engagement.

Although I feel like much of the country (especially the East Coast) is experiencing warmer-than-usual temperatures for this time of year, it’s still easy to become affected by shorter days – especially after the holiday season winds down.Although the lights are still twinkling right now, in just a few days, it’ll be January. The letdown can often be a pretty big bummer, leading to Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Even if you don’t have full-blown Seasonal Affective Disorder, it’s pretty common to experience some of these symptoms during the winter months:

- Increased feelings of lethargy
- Difficulty waking up in the mornings
- Difficulty concentrating and thinking creatively in comparison to the summer months
- Incorrectly blaming oneself for things that go wrong
- Difficulty performing tasks that normally seem to be easy/enjoyable

(Source)

It makes sense that the winter blues can affect your work performance. If you or your fellow association staffers are experiencing a bit of a winter slump, here are some ideas.

- Once every few hours, drop everything and do some push-ups. Exercise has been proven to reduce stress and improve your mood. (If you’re pressed for time and can’t get a 30-minute aerobic workout in, at least do some push-ups or crunches!)

- Eat an apple. An apple a day really can keep the doctor away! It’s natural to crave more carbohydrates during the winter months, and fruit is a good source of natural carbohydrates.

- If I’m having lots of difficulty focusing on what I need to get done, I like to use Online Stopwatch to make sure I work diligently for a set amount of time. I also turn off Tweetdeck notifications and hide my iPhone.

- Get your DIY on. Clean the closet that’s exploding with never-used linens. Re-paint your guest bedroom. Working on a project at home can give you a great sense of accomplishment.

- Read a novel. It’ll get your mind off the blah weather. I’m currently obsessed with “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” trilogy. As in, I didn’t want my flight to end yesterday because I just wanted to keep reading.

It’s crucial to take care of yourself during the winter months. No one wants to end up bedridden with the flu! It should go without saying, but the better your health, the more productive you’ll be at work and the happier you – and your colleagues and members – will be.

(Image source: Flickr)

Hi everyone, and happy Wednesday! I’m headed home to my parents’ house today, and will (hopefully) not have to endure the craziness of trying to catch a cab in rush hour, endless security lines and overall headaches caused my traveling this time of year.

I’ve done a lot of traveling recently, so here a few of my favorite tips.

1. Wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off, and keep the heavy jewelry and belt buckles to a minimum.

2. While I’m in the security line, I mentally calculate how many bins I will need. (Remember – the laptop gets its own!)

3. To save money, I bring my own food (usually fruit and instant oatmeal if it’s the morning) to the airport. (You can bring food through security – just not liquids, of course.)

4. If you’re checking a bag, always pack at least one change of clothes in your carry-on. It’s never a given that your bag will end up in the same city as you.

5. If your checked suitcase if basic black, tie a colorful scarf or ribbon around the handle to easily identify it on the carousel.

6. Check in online the day before and print your boarding pass to avoid having to deal with the lines at the airport.

7. I’m originally from Atlanta (home of the world’s busiest airport), so as a result, I always get to the airport at least 2 hours early. I’m paranoid. But I’d rather read or work while waiting for my flight than have to rush through security in shambles.

8. Don’t buy books or magazines at the airport. They will always be more expensive.

9. If you have a window seat, try to refrain from getting up multiple times. Your seatmates will appreciate it.

10. When the plane lands and the “fasten seatbelt” light is turned off, you don’t need to stand up immediately. Unless you’re in business class, you probably won’t be getting off the plane for 10 more minutes. (At least.)

Safe travels and happy holidays to all our readers!

What’s your biggest tip for traveling?

Are you going to ASAE’s Technology Conference this week? MemberClicks is!

The Technology Conference is a great chance for association and nonprofit professionals to get equipped with the tools they need – especially as technology changes so quickly!

Expos and big conferences can be exhausting, so here are some tips!

1. Have a schedule, but be flexible.

2. Introduce yourself to as many people as possible. Everyone is friendly!

3. If possible, go with a purpose. Whether it’s to meet new people and network or find a new technology solution, have a goal in mind.

4. Go to a variety of sessions, but don’t feel obligated to stay in one if you’re not learning much. Use your time wisely.

5. Meet exhibitors! (We’re friendly, we promise!) Go to the parties and receptions and enjoy yourself!

6. Bring snacks. You’ll be really really (really) busy, and if you have an apple or a meal replacement-type bar handy, you’ll be thankful.

At the Technology Conference, we’ll be at Booth 428 during all the expo time slots, and we’re sponsoring the annual YAPStar Game Day Event for association professionals at the expo. The Technology Conference takes place Dec. 6-8!

MemberClicks will also be at the California Society of Association Executives’ Seasonal Spectacular on Dec. 7. We’re excited to meet small staff association professionals on the West Coast!

It’s tough, it’s scary, it’s intimidating … but we’ve all got to speak in public at least once in our lives. And whether you’re in front of five people or 500, it can still be extremely nerve-wracking. It’s not for nothing that public speaking is the number one fear of Americans.

Here are some tips for keeping your cool while speaking in public:

1. Use appropriate body language. Make eye contact, walk around the room if possible. Use visual aids if you can. Don’t simply read from a script. I know this seems like common sense but it’s easy to fall into this trap when you’re nervous.

2. Be prepared to adjust your speech based on your audiences’ needs and questions. If your audience becomes visibly bored, you may have to switch up your game a bit. Don’t be intimidated.

3. Take pauses. Don’t obliviously keep talking without pausing for air. Natural pauses allow your audience time to absorb information. And they allow you, the speaker, some time to mentally collect yourself.

4. Use humor (if appropriate). Humor and lighthearted jokes interject a sense of human-ness to your presentation and lightens the mood just a bit.

5. Visualize yourself giving the speech. Be clear, be loud (but not too loud), be confident.

6. Remember – the audience doesn’t want you to fail. They want you to succeed. They want to be informed, they want to learn. No one wants to see you stutter, get sick or whatever your greatest fear of public speaking is. Everyone’s got your back.

7. Practice, practice, practice. Practice may not always make perfect, but the only way you’ll ever improve at public speaking is if you continue to practice it.

8. Know when to stop talking. No one likes a long-winded presentation.