Talk to BSA online

BSA is now on Facebook and Twitter. Steven Halliday, our Social Media Officer, writes about his new role.

New Social Media Officer: Steven Halliday

Being a socially awkward and fairly private individual, I wondered whether I was the right person for the newly created job of 'Social Media Officer' at the BSA. I was already a member of the social network site Facebook, but I used to look down on people who habitually feel the need to use it and another site, Twitter, to divulge mundane details of their existences such as what colour socks they decided to put on that morning. So when asked if I could use these sites as a new way to interact with BSA members I was initially quite sceptical.

For those of you new to 'social networks', who have heard teenagers on the train mentioning 'Twitter' and wondered what on earth they were talking about; they are websites that allow users to interact socially via computers or mobile phones. On Twitter you can write, in 140 characters or less, a status update - a description of what you're doing at that moment, or a short sentence to vent your opinion about something. The most used social network, Facebook, has exploded in popularity thanks to the way it allows users to seek out and keep in touch with old and existing friends. My role is to set up and maintain a BSA presence on these sites.

Social networks have grown in importance, and as I learned more about them, their opportunities became apparent. According to Wikipedia there are over 350 million Facebook users, 10 million of which are UK-based. One BSA member, when asked if he had attended our conference last September, said no he wasn't aware it had happened. Had he seen it advertised in Speaking Out? No, said the member, he usually threw the magazine away without reading it. This led us to wonder how many other paid-up BSA members do the same thing. Clearly there is a section of the membership that needs to be reached by other methods.

I realised that social networks offer a new way of keeping us connected with our members, allowing us to communicate in a direct and immediate way to inform you of news, and of our activities and upcoming events. It establishes a two-way dialogue, meaning that you as members can have more of a say - you can comment on anything we write, pose questions or send messages to other members. My aim is to best convey the personality of the BSA, to give members a sense of human interaction (even though it?s via a computer), to show the person behind the curtain, so to speak, and for the BSA to be your organisation. We don't intend to replace Speaking Out or the BSA website with social networking; it's just another outlet through which we can not only give information, but also interact and engage with each other.

Your stories, thoughts and tips

Since setting up the groups, my previous opinion of social networks has changed as I discover their benefits more and more. For instance I regularly pose questions and set up discussion topics. In the run up to Christmas, I asked how people cope with stammering at parties. People responded with personal stories, thoughts, techniques, tips, advice, and really positive words of encouragement, which I took on board and successfully used for myself at a New Year?s Eve party, helping me to increase my confidence. I have learnt that social networks let us share information and learn from one another, and yes, I (begrudgingly) admit that I actually enjoy the interaction.

To increase awareness I have set about going into other stammering groups on Facebook, letting our presence be known, and coaxing their members to come and join us. Figures are growing slowly but surely. I have also set up profiles on MySpace and Bebo but both have been overtaken in popularity by Facebook, and only musicians and bands seem to have befriended us on MySpace (my particular favourite calling themselves 'The Chicken Thieves').

You can visit our Facebook page even if you are not a member of it; just follow the link from our social networking page. However, to post messages you need to be signed up to Facebook. After you've logged in, search for 'British Stammering Association' and click on the 'become a fan' icon. I'll also be posting updates on Twitter, so if you want to 'follow' us, go to twitter.com/stammer. I look forward to seeing you there!

From the Spring 2010 issue of Speaking Out, page 6.

BSA on Facebook and Twitter