Social media is a great way to let people know about your support group.
To encourage people to attend, you can post information about your support groups’ time and location. It can also be a helpful way to stay in touch with those more likely to spend time at home.
The best networks to post on are Facebook and Instagram, as these are the most popular. If you choose to post on social media, it’s important to remember to:
- Include the date and time of your meeting
- Post in advance of your meeting – we recommend up to a month
- Post more than once – once a week for a month before your meeting is a good idea
- Check your posts after publishing for any comments or question
Below are some examples of how to make the most of your social media posts. You are free to use these
when promoting your group or you can use them as inspiration to write your own.
The best way to talk about your support group on Facebook is by creating an event page. This feature means you can show key information, and lets users comment and interact in a specific area. You can also see how many people will come, and easily share it on other social media platforms.
Here’s a link to Facebook’s tutorial on setting up an event page.
Once you have your page you can share this on your own profile with others. They in turn can share your event page meaning it can reach lots of people in the community. It’s useful when sharing your page to include a message in your post. This will appear above your event link.
This platform is driven by images and so you need to have either a photo or a graphic in order to upload a post. You can use our sample graphics, create your own, or use photos. If you use photos of people at your support group, it’s important to get their permission first.
Once you have your image you can write up to 2,200 characters in the description box below. This is about 300 words. It’s good to include a brief explanation the top of your message about what’s going on in your image.
Using hashtags
Hashtags are effective on all platforms, especially on Instagram. Users can search for content with hashtags and the platform will direct them to your content.
Try to choose a hashtag that doesn’t have much use or set up your own. #HereToSupportYou,
#TimeToTalkSarcoma, and ones specific to your support group #[Location]SarcomaSupport are good examples for you to use.
To keep things consistent, use a maximum of 3 hashtags in each post about your event.
Tagging other users
To mention particular users in your message, use the @ symbol followed by their name on that platform.
For an extra boost you can tag the Sarcoma UK accounts in your posts.
Tag us using: Twitter – @Sarcoma_UK Facebook – @uk.sarcoma Instagram – @sarcoma_uk
Private or Direct Messages
Some users may choose to message you in a private conversation which is not available for the public to see. They usually ask you to confirm details of the support group, but they might also include sensitive personal information about themselves.
If someone sends you a message and they seem upset or talk a lot about their personal life, or if you think they need help right away, you can tell them about the Sarcoma UK Support Line. Our trained specialists will be able to speak to them and address their specific needs.
If you’re getting too many messages, it’s okay to take a break and reach out to us for assistance.
Last reviewed: 30 November 2023 | Next review due: 30 November 2026
