Benefits:
• A large portion of PDX Contemporary Art’s audience is currently on Facebook.
• Allows for interaction from not only those who have like the page but from those individual’s friends.
• Doesn’t require much editing of material to make it fit on the page.
• Provides links to other pages for further information, ticket purchasing, etc.
Drawbacks:
• Facebook is losing popularity and is no longer the primary social media site.
• Needs to be updated regularly so old events aren’t continuously advertised.
• Incorporate more than simple text and a quick photo; make the page enticing to go to.
Organizational Use:
• PDX Contemporary Art currently uses Facebook to advertise which artist they are showcasing and any other pertinent information. But they need to be more active about their postings; they need to post about an event before it happens, not after the fact. By making a Facebook page that promotes more events or calls for people to see their physical space will draw more people in.
Instagram
Benefits:
• A well taken shot of a captivating or interesting piece of art can capture someone’s attention.
• Instagram allows the user to share photos, thus increasing the audience.
• This social media site has increased in popularity and reaches a diverse age range.
• Doesn’t require a lot of time to produce a new photo for their account.
• Can include links in description.
Drawbacks:
• Need to be producing a new post frequently that needs to be captivating, which can be a difficult task.
• Difficult to constantly update.
• Even when updating daily, the photo doesn’t remain easy for the audience to find after they’ve seen it.
• Cannot include much text for description.
• Not much interaction for the audience, besides liking the photo.
Organizational Use:
• PDX Contemporary Art’s does not currently use Instagram so they will need to link their other accounts together. PDX will need to create a plan for a timeline of how many photos they will be uploading in a given week, and if the photos will be edited or remain ‘original’ to let the featured art speak for itself.
Website
Benefits:
• The website can house all of the information that the smaller social media sites don’t have the capacity to hold.
• It’s the go to page/search when people want to learn more about the organization.
• A well-working website is typically where the first impression comes from.
• Can be mobile friendly.
Drawbacks:
• If the website is sub par than viewers might close the page.
• Social media sites tend to get looked at more frequently.
• Might not reach a wide audience.
Organizations Use:
• PDX Contemporary Art currently has a working website but it is very minimal. The information is sparse and there’s nothing to engage the viewers.
• The website needs to be stronger in design, how it presents its information, it needs to include more information about upcoming events and history.