Big Impact, Small Budget: Platform-by-Platform Social Media Best Practices & LIVE Account Audits

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Every platform has its strengths, quirks, and pitfalls, especially when you're operating under the constraints common to first responder agencies: limited staffing, limited budget, and high stakes where every hour counts.  In this workshop, we dig deep into which platforms make sense (and when), what to watch out for, and what “good” really looks like – all through the lens of real, attending-agency accounts.  Participants will leave with not just ideas, but personalized corrections, optimizations, and clarity on where to invest limited resources for maximum effect. 

What we’ll cover:

• Comparison and overview of the major social platforms: pros, cons, hidden costs, and engagement patterns.
• How platform algorithms, audience expectations, content types, and risk differ across platforms.
• What low-cost/budget-friendly efforts tend to yield the most traction (and what drains resources)
• Live audits of real agency social media accounts submitted in advance (or selected from attendees) to identify quick wins and pitfalls.

TRAINING AGENDA & ACTIVITIES

Part 1: Platform Landscape & Strategic Selection

Objective: Where each platform shines, where it fails, and how to choose wisely

• Overview of today’s most relevant platforms for first responders
• Pros, cons, and hidden costs of each platform
• Audience expectations
• Matching platforms to communication goals
• Platform risk factors
• How to decide where time and resources should go
• Kick off live audits

Part 2: Best Practices on a Small Budget

Objective: How to manage accounts effectively without overspending

• Continue live audits
• Core best practices for each platform
• Time-saving strategies
• Building trust
• Engaging your community
• Pitfalls to avoid

Part 3: LIVE Social Media Account Audits, Recommendations, and Q&A

• Attendees will be able to submit their social media accounts ahead of time for a live audit!