15 Steps to Social Media Success

Background: For some immunization educators, the idea of using social media as part of one’s communications arsenal is scary. To help ease them through their fears, PKIDs has been compiling an in-depth database of over 70 eTools and more than 60 hosted webinars in its CDC-funded program Communications Made Easy (CME). This compilation gives educators the hands-on knowledge needed to implement social media and marketing communications tactics from the simplest outreach to the most advanced strategies and is an invaluable benefit for the vaccine community.

Setting: Various public health and immunization coalition member venues, such as clinics, nonprofit settings, health departments, and schools.

Population: Those members of the public served by immunization educators, including seniors, adults, teens and children.

Project Description: Immunization educators are provided with the 15 most successful social media steps to becoming effective users of social media, all culled from the Communications Made Easy (CME) materials and webinars. Attendees will know how to implement actionable steps to engage in positive social media messaging with and for all populations, where to go to learn more advanced levels of interaction, how to keep in-house data private and secure while using social media, how to judge ROI, and how to stay engaged in a positive and time-saving manner.

Results/Lessons Learned: Immunization educators who are able to easily and quickly share information with their target populations are better able to effect the behavioral change they seek. With the transparency and inclusive discussion platform that is the hallmark of social media, the public is brought into the conversation and has ownership of the decision-making process. This unique level of interaction leads to vaccination as a reliable method of disease prevention, thereby increasing vaccination rates in communities where social media interaction is taking place.