Social media - talk about their experience

“Today’s museums are re-examining their role and connection to communities in new ways. Our institutions’ long-term viability and financial sustainability is inextricably linked to our ability to be relevant, magnetic, and inclusive.” - American Alliance of Museums website

This quote from the American Alliance of Museums perfectly illustrates the challenges many institutions are facing. A common theme among the spaces we talk and work with is a deep need to be able to connect with different communities and have genuine interactions with visitors.

However, this remains a struggle for many institutions, even more so in our world that is constantly changing and offering new and exciting opportunities around every corner. And as the quote points out, the long-term viability and sustainability of museums and other cultural destinations is their ability to remain relevant.

So how then do we address this need?

At Encurate, we’ve taken something visitors are already using and turned it into a tool for cultural destinations. Social media has connected the world in ways we could have never imagined, and it has the ability to transform each museum and destination. This is why social sharing is integrated into all Encurate powered apps and allows visitors to take pictures and share them with friends and family immediately, in the moment.

Integrated social sharing lets you create a frame for a photo, turn your favorite artifact into a sticker, or make an augmented reality selfie for visitors to share. Being able to include pre-set hashtags and tagging makes it easy to see what visitors are posting, and follow along in the conversations.

We firmly believe that if museums want to adapt and stay relevant, they must embrace technology. Once they do, it will open up a new world of possibilities. With social media comes a better understanding of your audience, which makes connecting with visitors that much easier. Social media also has the ability to make cultural destinations and museums more accessible, and for that reason, it’s something museums can’t afford to not be a part of.

Visitors want to be able to share and talk about their visit with friends, and social media platforms are where they do this. Museums who have embraced technology and social media are in a unique position to reach more people than ever before, and grow visitor attendance through this large community of interconnected people.

And since museums are already competing against so many other activities, it’s necessary to engage with your audience on platforms where they’re spending their time. By doing this, you can gather valuable feedback such as who’s coming to your space, and what they’re sharing and saying. When you allow your visitors to share their experience and show their friends and family the all the awesome stuff you have to offer, you’ll become a destination they can't miss out on seeing and exploring.