When I first began writing for our school news magazine, I did not anticipate that I would be most heavily engaged and involved with the social media section of the publication. However, towards the end of my first year as a staffer, I was temporarily became social media manager for one of our junior issues, a turning point for my interest in digital media and promotion. The process of curating content, reviewing captions and finding innovative ways to share our content with the student body is something I became increasingly devoted to. This year, being the social media manager, I've experienced first-hand how significant platforms such as Instagram are to engaging our audience and our publication's image. During a time in which attention spans are decreasing at a staggering rate, social media remains our most immediate and potent instrument - not just to inform, but to engage. 

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My role goes beyond posting content. It requires a thorough understanding of who our audience is, being strategic and developing a consistent voice that articulates the values of our publication. I aim to manage our Instagram presence carefully by posting consistently and in a timely manner, using trends in a way that's relevant and being attuned to what will resonate with our audience. Every story, video or image is an opportunity to develop our brand and keep people engaged with the events and developments in our community.

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For the majority of students, our Instagram account is the first — and often the main — way they ever interact with The Prospector. That in itself makes it imperative that we be visually appealing, current and representative of student life, highlighting those who may often be a second thought . Whether we're posting about a sports game we're covering, a color guard show or promoting a new article or issue release, I consider every post a chance to build trust and expand our reach to new readers. We've found time and time again that when individuals see themselves or their friends in our content, they stay more engaged.

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​Timing, I’ve learned, is probably the most significant factor of the success of our content. I’ve made it a point for myself to coordinate with photographers, reporters and fellow editors to plan out content in advance, particularly under tight deadlines. As social media manager, I have emphasized proactvitity in my role, through consistent reminders for staffers to sign up for events when the calendar is updated, and reaching out to individuals when uploading of photos and captions are delayed. This workflow allows us to post when it’s most relevant, and in a few instances, just hours after events occur, to capitalize on the excitement while the moment still feels present. A great post can be rendered useless if it’s posted too late. Consequently, our postings have gained more visibility, engagement and meant that more students get featured and, in turn, more students feel seen. Optimized engagement also provides better opportunities to lead our audience to longer form content such as podcast episodes or online articles. 

This position has shown me how to think like a marketer: to value consistency, monitor data and speak clearly and creatively. It has shown me the strength of online presence and how, even in a school environment, social media strategy can propel a publication's brand and visibility.

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Most of all, I am proud of the way our social media has turned into a powerful, compelling source of information for students to stay connected to their community. To be part of the leaders of that growth, and to lead it has been among the biggest rewards.