Social media can help Master Gardeners promote their programs and activities. The best social media sites for Master Gardeners are Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube. Facebook allows users to create pages for counties and groups, promote events through ads. Twitter is for sharing short updates and finding followers. Pinterest is for sharing photos and how-to articles. YouTube is for uploading instructional videos.

1. Social Media Basics
2012 Master Gardener Leadership School
What is social media?
“Digital tools (e.g., websites, mobile applications) that allow and
facilitate interaction between users.” – eXtension.org
What are the best social media sites for MGs?
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
YouTube
Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/florida.mastergardeners
Pageshelp you getpublic exposure for your county’s programs and activities, and they’re easy
to set up (http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php). Plus, they allow for plenty of
customization (http://mashable.com/2012/07/13/facebook-pages-tips-tricks/#747871).
Groups help bring together people who share a common interest, e.g., MGs in a specific
county, and can be public or private (http://www.facebook.com/about/groups/).
Ads can help you promote your plant sales, recruit new members, etc.
(https://www.facebook.com/help/?page=175624025825871).
Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/FloridaMGs
Set up an account (https://support.twitter.com/articles/100990-how-to-sign-up-on-twitter).
Find followers (http://www.wikihow.com/Get-More-Followers-on-Twitter).
Tweet short, 140-character updates. This is a great way to promote your county’s activities or
share Florida-Friendly gardening information.
Retweet updates from other good sources and reply to users who mention your tweets.
Pinterest
http://pinterest.com/FloridaMGs
Pin and repin images to online visual pinboards, as well as interact with other users.
Popular with DIY and creative types, so it’s a great place to feature any how-to articles that
you may have written and taken pictures of.
Great site to get your photography buffs involved with.
YouTube
http://www.twitter.com/UFGardening
Shoot and upload how-to videos using a digital video camera.
Follow other UF/IFAS users like SolutionsForYourLife, YourFloridaLawn, and UFEntomology.
Respond to comments/questions that users post on your videos.
Watch and leave comments on other users’ videos.
Presented by Kim Kruse—Full presentation available online at www.slideshare.com/krtaylor