The social media strategy aims to engage younger audiences and move them into becoming donors by informing, inspiring, and amusing followers across different platforms. The tactics include optimizing content for specific audiences and platforms, engaging in conversations, and targeting journalists. The strategy identifies key target audiences such as millennials, Gen X, boomers, and educators. For each audience, it recommends messaging, primary platforms, suggested content, calls to action, and advertising priorities to effectively engage them.

1. Social Media Strategy
By Chrystal Houston

2. Goals
 Engage younger audiences in a global dialog about
the importance of trees and move them into the
donor pipeline.
 Increase and support donations, memberships, and
sales of Arbor Day Foundation merchandise
 Serve corporate partnerships.
 Become the one-stop-shop for easy ways to ‘green
your brand’ for individuals and corporations.
 Position ADF to be the expert in all things trees and
on related environmental topics.

3. Strategy
To inform, delight, inspire,
amuse, and ultimately engage
followers at a deeper level and
motivate them with calls to
action so that they enter the
donor pipeline.

4. Tactics
 Optimize all internally created content (blog posts,
graphics, etc), across social channels, tailoring posts
to specific audiences and platforms. Engage in
ongoing conversations on environmental topics.
 Repin/Repost/Retweet content that boosts our
brand by affiliation with other brands or that have
amazing content or are brands/individuals/outlets
we want to collaborate with.

5. Tactics
 Target journalists and outlets via Twitter that we want to
have cover our work/news. Offer environmental
experts.
 Target social ‘news’ sources that Millennials frequent
(Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Mashable) with news and
fun, social content like
 Quiz: What kind of tree are you?
 21 of the Most Amazing Trees on the Planet
 11 Simple Ways to Make the World a Greener Place
 Tree Facts that Will Blow Your Mind
 10 Trees More Hipster than You

6. Target Audiences &
Strategies

7. Millennials (20-35)
Messaging
Save the Trees, Save the World
Experience a Tree
Tone
Playful
Inspirational

8. Millennials (20-35)
Primary Platforms
 Twitter
 Instagram
 Snapchat
 Pinterest
 Spotify
 LinkedIn
 Podcasting platforms

9. Millennials (20-35)
Suggested Content
 Tie into conversations about natural disasters, climate
change, environmental threats
 Heavily visual (memes/ gifs / photos)
 Fun lists, polls and contests (send us your #treeselfie to
win…/Best indoor trees for your urban jungle
 Short videos about global impact/ photo slideshow videos
 ‘Did you know?’ fun facts about trees
 No content about improving your home or property with
trees or tree care (as is currently on Twitter)
 LinkedIn: Working in non-profit, environmental

10. Millennials (20-35)
Calls to Action
 Attend events
 Check out our corporate partners
 Give (small amounts for specific causes—necessitates
a change in existent web giving platform)
 Buy (coffee, apparel)

11. Millennials (20-35)
Advertising Priorities
 Twitter: ads targeted to college campuses
 Spotify: branded playlist
 Snapchat: filters specific to events
 Instagram: boosted posts
 LinkedIn: boosted posts

12. Gen X (35-55)
Messaging
 Trees to improve your home, community, and world
 Trees to solve problems (lowering crime/energy costs
and improving health) and problem solving for trees
 Tree Care Experts
 Family Fun with Trees
Tone
Informative

13. Gen X (35-55)
Primary Platforms
 Facebook
 Instagram
 YouTube
 Pinterest
 LinkedIn

14. Gen X (35-55)
Suggested Content
 How-to videos
 Infographics
 Informative long format blog posts
 Image heavy tutorials on how to get started or have
success with improving your property with trees
 Recipes (fruit trees)
 Video: tell the story of the impact of trees/ Arbor Day
Foundation

15. Gen X (35-55)
Calls to Action
 Become a member
 Buy trees
 Buy merchandise
 Attend Events
 (Local/Regional) Use Lied Lodge and Conference
Center for weddings, corporate events, etc; Visit
Arbor Day Farms (promote events)

16. Gen X (35-55)
Advertising Priorities
 Facebook: boosted posts
 LinkedIn: promote facilities

17. Boomers and Beyond
Messaging
 Leave a Legacy
 Make the World a Better Place for Generations Yet to
Come
Tone
Emotional/Nostalgic
Informative

18. Boomers and Beyond
Primary Platform
 Facebook
 YouTube
 Pinterest

19. Boomers and Beyond
Suggested Content
 Longer format video on impact of trees and success of
ADF initiatives
 Longer format blogs on different kinds of trees
 Inspirational tree related images/ memes featuring
older people
 Livestreaming of events/speakers
 Interviews with experts
 News about trees and the environment

20. Boomers and Beyond
Calls to Action
 Donate
 Give Trees
 Planned Giving
 Attend Events

21. Boomers and Beyond
Advertising Priorities
 Facebook: boosted posts

22. Educators
Messaging
 Trees as a gateway to exploring environmental
topics with students of all ages
 Trees are kids’ best hope for a greener future
Tone
Informative
Kid-friendly
Fun

23. Educators
Primary Platforms
 Teachers Pay Teachers
 Pinterest
 Google+
 YouTube

24. Educators
Suggested Content
 Lesson plans
 Coloring Sheets / Worksheets (branded)
 Tree ID bingo
 Amazing trees of the world
 Fantastic tree facts
 Infographics
 Videos specifically for classroom use or for kids

25. Educators
Calls to Action
 Use our content in your classroom
 Encourage kids to love nature
 Use trees as a gateway to exploring environmental
issues