Ned Potter

There’s no better way to market your library than to have your users do it for you. Think about what it takes you personally to make a decision on trying out a new product or service—you’re bombarded with advertising messages 24/7, most of which you’ve probably learned to tune out and ignore, so when someone you trust and respect says to you ‘have you tried this specific example?’ you instantly value their recommendation above the white noise of traditional marketing. They are independent of any brand, they are speaking from their own experience—they are like you.

If you’re reading this, I’m sure you’re already aware how important Twitter is to libraries. 32 percent of Internet users are on the platform, but more importantly, they’re OUR type of Internet users! There is a strong overlap in the kinds of people who use libraries (or would do if they knew what we offered) and the kinds of people who tweet. And unlike some other social media, Twitter users are receptive to interacting with libraries on this platform.

If you make one small change to the way you contextualise your marketing efforts, it can yield big results. It’s subtle but important, and here’s how to go about it. Marketing libraries is a tough business, for all kinds of reasons. Lack of time, lack of funds, lack of other resources. The fact that public perception of what libraries actually do is about 15 years behind the reality in a lot of cases. But also the fact that there’s often a fundamental misunderstanding about what marketing should actually achieve.

Are you video-marketing your library yet? If you are, you probably already know how effective it can be; if you aren't, by the end of this column I hope to have convinced you that it's not just essential but infinitely achievable.