The International Pacific Halibut Commission and Social Media: Lessons Learned from the First 3 Years on Facebook and Twitter

The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) has utilized social media for three years. After over 280 Facebook posts and six live-tweeted public meetings, many lessons have been learned, including how often to post, what content our audience prefers, and the proper formatting for each platform. Our digital footprint has grown through increases in subscription base, post impressions, content interactions, and link clicks. Using social media analytics and qualitative information, we measure the IPHC’s success in social media through rate of posting, number of followers, post interactions, and general feedback from our audience. Facebook posts during the IPHC’s 2016 Annual Meeting reached 21 times that of the physical audience. Comparisons between new and traditional media platforms show that social media received 15% more views than our website in 2015. Using this experience and analysis, the IPHC can maximize its social media presence, targeting strategies that effectively communicate our decision-making processes, fisheries science, and significant events with a larger audience.