Since 2008, Grey Roots has been active on social media, specifically Facebook and Twitter. In those early years of social media, there were only a handful of Ontario museums with an active presence. As with many early adopters, organizations like Grey Roots who built a presence on social media had to answer questions like, “Is this really useful? What is the return on the investment of time and other resources?” Other considerations included which staff would represent Grey Roots on social media, the standards of use, and security issues.
Over the years, Grey Roots staff worked through these concerns and now we are at almost 4000 Likes on Facebook and over 1200 Twitter followers! Grey Roots also has developed an active presence on other social media platforms such as a YouTube, Pinterest (check out the wedding gowns and vintage shoes!) and our WordPress blog, now heading into its third year. This perseverance to develop and stay active in social media paid off when Grey Roots was recognized at the 2013 Ontario Museum Association Conference as the most active municipal museum in Ontario on social media.
Grey Roots Facebook page as of July 22, 2015
The real value of social media is the creation of amazing connections between Grey Roots and those who visit and engage with us via social media. We actively post pictures of events and exhibits, mini-videos of demonstrations, “Throwback Thursday” posts, links to articles of interest to Grey County history, and much more. Social media is also an accessible way that visitors can discover what is going on at Grey Roots and stay connected to Grey County’s heritage, even if they cannot travel to our facility on a regular basis. We often get family research requests and questions about Grey Roots via Facebook Messeger as a result of a post or picture. Sometimes, visitors and staff see themselves in a picture or post!
Moreston Heritage Village opening on June 28 – see anyone you know?
So what is the future for Grey Roots on social media? We want to continue to find ways to increase our engagement with the public, solicit and receive feedback, and present our heritage and history in new innovative ways. What would you like to see on social media from Grey Roots? We would love to hear from you. Connect with us via one of our social media channels, or the “ol’ fashioned” way…send an email to lara.javalyn@greyroots.com. 🙂
by Lara Javalyn, Community Relations Coordinator
Grey Roots Museum & Archives Blog 