Social Media: “Who Do You Think You’re Talking To?”
- Paul Baker
- May 19
- 4 min read
Updated: May 25
Social media has been a tremendous asset to museums and heritage sites. I remember how substantial marketing budgets used to be—and how unreliable the outcomes often were—before social media allowed us to speak directly with our users and target new audiences with precision. But for such a relatively young tool, have we misunderstood its potential? This is Heritage Thinking Differently, going online.
To be clear: I don’t have a background in social media marketing. Much of what follows may be obvious to experienced professionals—or perhaps even slightly out of date. I’m writing for museum and heritage leaders who, like I was, find themselves responsible for effectively utilising social media without ever having had proper training. These are just my observations; informed by working alongside talented professionals, and the delivery of many successful campaigns; and they are offered to open a conversation and invite others to share their thoughts.
From Print to Posts – But Are We Getting It Right?
For the most part, social media has been a blessing. The rise of platforms like Facebook has dramatically reduced how much sites spend on advertising and leaflets—a clear financial win. However, many organisations have come to see social media as a direct replacement for print media. It isn’t. Too often, we focus on the word ‘media’ and overlook the ‘social’.
When used effectively, social media does far more than traditional marketing ever could. It helps shape your brand and build meaningful relationships with users. But this only works when it’s used strategically as a tool for engagement—not just promotion. All too often, the sites that use social media purely to advertise events and activities have the lowest follower numbers.
At its best, social media is a conversation. Promotion and income generation can flow from that, but if they are the sole purpose of your presence, it’s worth asking: what’s in this relationship for the other party? I touch on this in my blog about brand development (link below), but the key realisation is this: social media is not a cheaper version of print. It’s a completely different medium—and one that opens up a wealth of opportunity if used well.
Do you Know What Good Practice Looks Like?
Some organisations get this right. They strike a balance of humour, quirky facts, social storytelling, news, and information about their offer. Some even develop a distinctive institutional voice that builds genuine community. The most effective practitioners understand how best to utilise each platform. Which part of your audience is using Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), Tic Tok, You Tube, Bluesky, etc., and which content is best suited for each. How to best use visual content, which posts are most likely to be seen or shared, and who is the target audience.
One of the best examples is the Museum of English Rural Life in Reading. Around five years ago, I began seeing their irreverent and creative posts circulating widely—initially on Twitter and Facebook. They were especially impactful during the pandemic, and their profile grew dramatically as a result. Their use of Twitter (now X) was particularly effective; sector-wide challenges encouraged interaction from other museums and built visibility. Their approach appears both strategic and intentional. They now boast a sizeable following, with well-judged content tailored to each platform, and use that engagement to promote products and services in a way that feels authentic.
Strategy Before Posting
When I advise organisations on social media, one of the first things I ask is whether they know what their platforms are for. Many don’t. They often don’t know how many followers they have, haven’t explored who those followers are or what interests them, and have no target audience or strategy in place.
A good starting point is a comparative review. How does your engagement compare to similar sites in your region? How does it compare to sector peers? Understanding what others are doing well is essential. Ironically, the sites with the least engagement are often the least aware of what others are doing—and why it works.
The Elephant in the Room
Of course, we can’t talk about social media without addressing the complexities around X (formerly Twitter). I wrote a short blog about this some time ago, when museums first began abandoning the platform. That topic deserves a full re-evaluation, but this isn’t the place for it.
What’s more relevant here is what the shift tells us about the fundamental difference between digital and print media. In the past, we could avoid advertising in publications that didn’t align with our values. It was a crowded market, and avoiding one or two outlets rarely had consequences. Today, the landscape has changed. There are fewer dominant platforms—and some carry much stronger political or ideological baggage.
Your organisation needs a clear policy on values and platform alignment. Your audience may not want to associate with brands that stand against their beliefs. And you, in turn, may not want to endorse platforms whose conduct contradicts your values. But withdrawing from a platform has consequences, too—especially when it can still offer reach, audience growth, and income potential.
This is complicated territory. Navigating it demands clarity, consistency, and reflection—not just about what these platforms offer you, but what your use of them says to your audiences.
Social Media Demands More of Us
Social media is about relationships—both with your audience and the platforms themselves. That relationship requires active management. Sadly no platform today is free from controversy, and your use of them should be guided by a clear, regularly reviewed strategy.
Social media gives us remarkable opportunities. But in return, it asks us to think carefully, act with intention, and communicate with authenticity.
If you’re ready to take stock and build a meaningful strategy, I’d be happy to help.
Paul Baker
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