Facebook as a tool to support the BCSS

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D^L
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Facebook as a tool to support the BCSS

Post by D^L »

HI all,
I tried to post this before but it seems not to have worked - apologies if it appears twice!
I'll start with saying I'm not a great user of Facebook, twitter etc. However, these are places people who are starting an interest in the hobby often go, so there is a huge untapped source of branch attendees and new members there. This has been recognised by the society and the hard work done by people in building up the BCSS presence and pages has resulted in an excellent and popular page - well done to them.
I'd just like to encourage people who use these Social media to post about coming society events in their localities: shows, branch meetings etc. Numerous people already do, but the more the better. A post needn't be much, even
"Looking forward to the Luton Branch meeting this Tuesday :grin: ".
Even if someone already has posted something about it, there is value in adding more, even as little as
"Me too :grin: ".
This repeat adds a sense that it is a real "happening" and is a way that many events drum up support these days.
There are data about the society and events available there (well done to the providers)and some excellent posters of fabulous pictures (great stuff"). I think more posts for branch meetings, as an example, would encourage new, wavering attendees. I saw one at the last meeting in Melksham and you can see discussions about it on Facebook.
You may be aware that there is a "like" button on Facebook. It is very easy to "like" something and the post displays how many people have "liked" it. I don't want to go into the controversy of whether this is good or not but I think adding a few words as a comment is a more directly visible way of showing support, even if it is just "Me too". Perhaps that just shows my age :sad: !
Cheers
David Lambie
Bristol
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Phil_SK
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Re: Facebook as a tool to support the BCSS

Post by Phil_SK »

The BCSS facebook group page (as opposed to the less useful BCSS facebook page) is https://www.facebook.com/groups/434020283466998/ for anybody who wants to see it. I'm more familiar with this than I am the twitter https://twitter.com/cactussucculent or instagram https://www.instagram.com/bcss_cactusworld/ .
I joined many C&S-themed fb groups in the past and ended up leaving most of them as they seem to be used by a small band of energetic people who post the same content to multiple pages, often just mediocre pictures of mundane plants that they are trying to sell or that they're using to entice others to their own website with. Up to a point, the BCSS's group page hasn't succumbed to this too much so far, and does have a healthy contingent of genuine users, particularly beginners. But is it doing us any good?
Without careful curation, any social media function of an organisation like the BCSS is unlikely to be successful in what I think it should be doing, namely, recruiting new members.
I feel the Society is only at the very early stages on this one. It has been persuaded that it should 'do social media'. I'm not convinced that there is widespread enthusiasm for it. There may be a hazy hope that it can, somehow, become a recruiting tool but, beyond a few individuals here and there, there seems little evidence that there is sufficient drive to make it happen or the appreciation of how much time and effort would need to go in to it every day of every week. It isn't a job that can be farmed off to one or two people, it needs to become part of everyday life for, I'd argue, many scores of members and these need to have at the back of their mind that at least some of what they post should be about selling the BCSS by singing its praises. Only when a sizable chunk of members, and especially branch committee and BoT members, can describe what effective social media might look like then there's much hope of it being more than what it is already.
Phil Crewe, BCSS 38143. Mostly S. American cacti, esp. Lobivia, Sulcorebutia and little Opuntia
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Geoff Lovell
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Re: Facebook as a tool to support the BCSS

Post by Geoff Lovell »

Phil.
There is a danger in embracing Facebook et al (and I don't mean cybercrime) although it still exists and is a real danger!
There is a danger that Facebook will replace the very thing you are trying to improve.
I have first hand knowledge of that happening, destroying a perfectly happy gardening web site.
Fashion is a great magnet but there is a price to pay and we have been warned.
I am not a Luddite earning a good living in the Flight Simulation industry but I will not entertain social media.
Founder member BCSS # 32426,
Growing Cacti and Succulents for over 40 years,
mixed collection but prefer succulents particularly caudiciforms.
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D^L
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Re: Facebook as a tool to support the BCSS

Post by D^L »

Thanks for that more informed perspective, Phil. I agree the whole future of these online activities is unclear and the effort involved unappreciated. I suppose I'm just keen to encourage people to sing the society's praises when they can.
Cheers
David Lambie
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Re: Facebook as a tool to support the BCSS

Post by Liz M »

I post on the BCSS Facebook page, as well. It is a different experience from posting here, as people are often asking for identification or advice on cultivation. Generally you can tell that they are new to growing but these are just the sort of people we need to attract into the society. There are also more experienced people who respond to these cries for help and mostly give useful advice. There are plenty that just post pictures of their plants, unfortunately only too often without names, but these provide a service to others in letting them know the range of plants that come under the BCSS banner and letting them see how plants can look when older. Then there are a few that ask advice on problem plants and the advice is varied and mostly useful. You get a real feel that novice growers are very nervous about taking drastic steps, usually because they do not understand how to treat these plants.
Here, I find the discussions are in much greater depth and the knowledge of those who post is greater, too. This needs sharing in the greater world. It can only do good to post on the Facebook page as it provides a link to the BCSS site and hopefully membership. Ignoring social media is pointless as it is the way of the world these days and all that would happen is the world would pass the BCSS by. I would encourage people to post there, as it means that we are not too old to be bothered with what younger people are doing. They are our future, ignore them at your peril.
Obsessive Crassulaceae lover, especially Aeoniums but also grow, Aloes, Agaves, Haworthias and a select number of Cacti.
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Phil_SK
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Re: Facebook as a tool to support the BCSS

Post by Phil_SK »

I'm very clear that facebook could not replace any feature of the Society if it were used in the way I'm suggesting and that the differences between posting here and posting there kind of miss the point. If all it is is a bunch of helpful people answering beginners' questions and appreciating others' photos then I would agree that it is already replacing aspects of the society.
What it's really missing at the moment are visible signs of BCSS life. In the same way that your personal facebook might reflect what's going on in your life (you might post photos of a day out or update your status to say what you're doing or thinking - you don't just leave it empty waiting for someone who is interested in you to ask you a question) then so should the BCSS's social media. In a typical month there are 60-70 branch meetings and, through the summer, maybe a dozen shows. Where are the updates telling us that these events are about to happen? Where are the photos showing us how good they were and what we've missed? The discussions about the speakers and what we've learned? Where are the discussions about how we disagree with the judge's choice in the competition? Of how happy we are with the plant we bought? How fantastic it was to talk to the BoT at the AGM? How productive the branch committee meeting was? How fast the tickets are selling for the symposium/rally? How excited you are about planning what seed you'll buy from December's list? About how Bradleya's just landed on your doormat and how you recommend others to buy it? About how you can get 5 CactusWorlds for the price of 4 if you join between now and the end of November?
As I said before, no one person can do all this and until it's ingrained in the thinking of huge numbers of Society members, at every level, that you update your BCSS status like you might your personal status then our social media will not reach its potential as a recruiting tool. Yes, there will be beginners asking what their plant is and it's right that we should try to help them but anybody coming to our pages for that should be drowning in information (it doesn't need to be 'hard sell') about how fabulous the BCSS is.
Phil Crewe, BCSS 38143. Mostly S. American cacti, esp. Lobivia, Sulcorebutia and little Opuntia
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D^L
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Re: Facebook as a tool to support the BCSS

Post by D^L »

I think that was my original point and we agree, it would be great if more people posted more positive stuff about what is going on in the society on Facebook. A little more would be good. A lot more would be even better and necessary to maximise the impact.
I think the clear differences between what is posted here and what is posted on Facebook highlights the different communities and the difference in what the communities want/need. Offering reassurance on Facebook is important and a useful tool in addition to providing factual data.
Cheers
David Lambie
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Tony R
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Re: Facebook as a tool to support the BCSS

Post by Tony R »

Well said, Phil, thank you. That last paragraph is one of the most passionate I have read for a long time concerning the future of the BCSS. It should be in every Trustees' inbox tomorrow morning. In fact, I will send it to their Secretary now and ask him to distribute it. (tu)
Tony Roberts
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Chairman, Tephrocactus Study Group
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Kent
(Gasteria, Mammillaria, small Opuntia, Cleistocactus and Sempervivum are my current special interests)
Werewolf
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Re: Facebook as a tool to support the BCSS

Post by Werewolf »

Tony, you may want to include in your submission for distribution to the BoT that at last year's annual Zone Reps meeting it was agreed that each Zone should look to appoint a social media co-ordinator. Not one did - and even in Sussex we rely on the Society's marketing manager, who happens to be a committee member. Personally, I dislike social media and can understand some people's reluctance to get involved, but it cannot be denied that it is hugely influential and it is vital the Society embraces it.
KathyM
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Re: Facebook as a tool to support the BCSS

Post by KathyM »

I think an active Facebook page would be very useful. Groups and pages are very different things. A group is useful for members to talk to each other, but a page would be better for most of the other things suggested in this thread.

Facebook pages are also usually more popular than groups. Some people really hate groups!

I don't think social media should be thought of as being just for recruiting members; I think it would be useful for existing members to stay updated and find out what's coming up, etc. I find social media is often the best way to find out what's going on for many of my hobbies and interests, but it's pretty useless for this one.

Facebook also isn't a great site for directly selling something. It might be better to think of it in terms of letting more people know we exist or find out what we do, or showing that we're still active. We currently have a very dated website with a 2015-2016 seedlist on the front page; when faced with a bad website or simply an unfamiliar website, people often head to social media to try and find out more.
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