How to get in touch with a new online heritage audience - a guide.
With the rapid rise of the tablet and smartphone, heritage institutions have gained even more opportunities to present themselves. Where to start and where to focus?
Finding your way in the digital woods....
This research studied online resources that even smaller museums with a limited budget and without much ICT knowledge can effectively employ to reach a new heritage public.
By meeting a number of preconditions, it seems that a simple, preferably mobile, website with visitor information (such as opening times and route directions) can be a sufficient basis to reach new target groups. The most important condition for success is that time must be made available for social media activities. The research has produced guidelines on the ways for museums to exploit online opportunities.
On the basis of successful examples from museum practice, the reader is guided through the available options for joining in on the online developments that enable contact with a new public. First of all attention is paid to the definition of the target group and plotting a strategy. Then the use of social media and specialized networks are discussed, as well as basic applications for mobile devices. Also addressed is how the attention of the engaged online public can remain stimulated or be increased by adding serious games and tools, which for example could virtually simulate restorations.
An analysis can be made of which applications work and which do not perform so well through monitoring their use and impact online. It is also possible to compare the success of social media manifestations launched by different museums by using MuseumAnalytics for example. Regular analysis of successful actions makes it possible to refine the strategy and increase effectiveness.