Sunday, October 20, 2013

A month in the role of Disney's Animal Kingdom social media manager

In this week's post, I plan a month's worth of Facebook and Twitter posts for Disney World's Animal Kingdom. I pulled items from Disney's events calendar as much as I could, but beyond a few recurring shows and their holiday parade that runs from November to January, they don't seem to have a lot of special events on the calendar yet.

I tried to share a photo on almost every Facebook post to increase its Edgerank score, and I included links where appropriate to provide the users with easy access to more information about the event or attraction that the post describes. I also tried to ask lots of questions and occasionally directly ask for a like (to wish this elephant happy birthday or something similar) on Facebook to drive audience interaction. Of course, interaction is fun, but it is also valuable because a user who comments or likes one of our posts is more likely to see our updates in their Newsfeed next time.

With Twitter, I often invite our followers to utilize hashtags to get their thoughts and photos in front of us. When we're asking the user to share a photo or an answer to our questions, we would be spending some time afterward replying to, retweeting and/or favoriting the best tweets from our users. Every Monday is #DisneyQuiz day on Twitter, when we ask our followers a question based on animal fun facts.

Overall, I attempt to balance event/attraction promotion with fun prompts and questions that will lead to user interaction. So here's the month of December for the Animal Kingdom's Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Sunday, December 1

Facebook:
Mickey loves the holidays. Join our favorite mouse at the Jingle Jungle Parade every day until Jan. 2 to celebrate the season, Animal Kingdom style!



Twitter:
Join Mickey at the Jingle Jungle Parade every day until Jan. 2 to celebrate the holidays, Animal Kingdom style! [Share parade photo]

Monday, December 2

Facebook:
How does Disney take care of more than 1,500 animals in the Animal Kingdom? Make your reservations for the Backstage Safari to take a look behind the scenes! http://bit.ly/1cI7Io5



Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: Besides the Animal Kingdom, where do cotton-top tamarin monkeys live? [Share image of monkey]

After about an hour of taking responses, tweet the answer:
#DisneyQuiz answer: Cotton-top tamarin monkeys, one of the most endangered primates, live in Colombia, S. America -- and the Animal Kingdom.

Tuesday, December 3

Facebook: Simba just can't wait to put on a show for you! Come on down to the Animal Kingdom for the Festival of the #LionKing: http://bit.ly/19UGVCM



Twitter:
Simba just can't wait to put on a show for you! Come on down to the Animal Kingdom for the Festival of the #LionKing: http://bit.ly/19UGVCM

Wednesday, December 4

Facebook:
Like if you love the Animal Kingdom, and tell us which attraction is your favorite in the comments!



Twitter:
Love the Animal Kingdom? Share a photo of your #DisneyFamFun at your favorite attraction!

Thursday, December 5

Facebook:
Have you ever eaten in the middle of a rainforest? Satisfy all your critters' appetites in the Animal Kingdom's Rainforest Cafe. http://bit.ly/H870WX


Twitter:
It's #lunchtime! If you were in Disney's Animal Kingdom right now, where would you go to fuel up for your adventures? http://bit.ly/1i5uZAU

Friday, December 6

Facebook: What's your child's favorite animal? Send us a photo of him or her dressed up like that animal for a chance to win a trip to the Animal Kingdom! [Link to more details and contest rules]


Twitter: Send us a photo of your child dressed up like their fav animal for a chance to win a trip to the Animal Kingdom! How to enter: [Link to more details and contest rules]

Saturday, December 7


Facebook: We think we have the greatest cast in the world at Disney. Tell us how our cast members have made your trip to the park special!

Twitter: We love our Disney Cast! Tell us how our cast members have made your trip to the park special. #DisneyCastProps

[Note: If we get negative feedback, respond with this: We hope everyone's trip is a fairy tale, but if something goes wrong we want to know! Email us at complaints@disney.com]

Sunday, December 8

Facebook: We're craving something sweet today! What's your favorite dessert in the Animal Kingdom? [Share dessert photo]

Twitter: We're craving something sweet today! What's your favorite dessert in the Animal Kingdom? #AKsweets

Monday, December 9

Facebook:
These exotic birds will take your breath away: http://bit.ly/HaOPPk



Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: How much weight can an ant carry? [Share image of an ant]

#DisneyQuiz answer: Ants can carry up to 50 times their body weight with their mandibles, or ant "jaws."

Tuesday, December 10

Facebook:
What's your favorite animal living in Disney's Animal Kingdom? http://bit.ly/1gu9yhk


Twitter:
Make friends with goats and sheep at the Animal Kingdom's Affection Section: http://bit.ly/15T9sJe Tweet us your #AKfurryfriend photos!

Wednesday, December 11

Facebook:
Your favorite fish are onstage! Nemo, Dory and company are stealing hearts with "Finding Nemo, the Musical" in the Animal Kingdom. When are you going? http://bit.ly/19ZBWVb


Twitter:
You're halfway through the week! #JustKeepSwimming [Share the following photo]


Thursday, December 12

Facebook: What's your favorite memory of your trip to the Animal Kingdom?

Twitter:
Show us your favorite Animal Kingdom souvenir! #AKgoodies

Friday, December 13

Facebook:
The Tree of Life is the icon of the Animal Kingdom, and we bet you have some beautiful photos. Share them using #AKtreeoflife



Twitter:
The Tree of Life is the icon of the Animal Kingdom, and we bet you have some beautiful photos. Share them using #AKtreeoflife

Saturday, December 14

Facebook:
It's Animal Kingdom caption time! If this tiger cub could talk, what would he be saying when this photo was taken?



Twitter:
If you could grant one type of animal the ability to talk to humans, what animal would it be? #IfAnimalsCouldTalk

Sunday, December 15

Facebook: We know a special mommy lion who's going to have three new cubs any day now. We're taking nominations for the cub names! [Share photo of the pregnant lion]

Twitter: We should have three new lion cubs any day now. What should they be named? #AKlioncubs

Monday, December 16

Facebook:
Know any young paleontologists? Let your dino-fascinated kiddos unearth prehistoric remains in the Boneyard! http://bit.ly/17Wj1DW


Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: What has short arms, more than 50 teeth, a killer sense of smell and can run up to 20 miles per hour?

#DisneyQuiz answer: Tyrannosaurus rex had 50-60 teeth and ran up to 20 mph. This plus a sensitive nose made T-rex a formidable predator.

Tuesday, December 17


Facebook: Help us welcome the newest additions to the Animal Kingdom -- 3 lion cubs! [Share photo of the new cubs]

Twitter: Help us welcome the newest additions to the Animal Kingdom -- 3 lion cubs! [Share photo of the new cubs]

Wednesday, December 18

Facebook: Today's the last day to get your "Little Animals" photos in for a chance to win a trip to the Animal Kingdom! [Link to details/rules again.]

Twitter: Today's the last day to get your "Little Animals" photos in for a chance to win a trip to the Animal Kingdom! [Link to details/rules again.]


Thursday, December 19

Facebook:
Remember this baby girl? Nadirah turns 8 today! Like to wish her a happy birthday!


Twitter:
Guess who turned 8 today? African bush elephant Nadirah! #TBT to Nadirah's first weeks in Disney's Animal Kingdom. [Share above photo]

Friday, December 20

Facebook: Congrats to our "Little Animals" photo contest winner! The Green family won a trip to the Animal Kingdom in January.



Twitter: Congrats, Green family -- winner of our "Little Animals" photo contest and a trip to the Animal Kingdom in January! [Share photo]

Saturday, December 21


Facebook: Watch Jeff playing with the Animal Kingdom's new lion cubs. [Share video of the jungle cat guy playing with cubs]

Twitter:
Our jungle cat expert is taking your questions from 2-3 p.m. Eastern. Tell Jeff what you want to know using #JungleCatQ

[Have Jeff answer as many people's questions as he can within an hour.]
Sunday, December 22

Facebook:
White Christmas is overrated. Join us in sunny Orlando this week to celebrate the holidays; no snowsuit required. [Share a screenshot of the 10-day forecast]

Twitter:
White Christmas is overrated. Visit the Animal Kingdom in sunny Orlando to celebrate the holidays; no snowsuit required. [Share a screenshot of the 10-day forecast]

Monday, December 23

Facebook:
What's it like to be a bug? Find out at Disney's Animal Kingdom! http://bit.ly/19XjzML


Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: How many ants does a giant anteater consume in one day? [Share image of giant anteater]

#DisneyQuiz answer: A giant anteater can eat up to 30,000 ants in one day. They also may eat fruit if they find it on the ground.

Tuesday, December 24

Facebook:
What better way to spend Christmas than at Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade?



Twitter:
Merry Christmas! Goofy wants to see you at the Jingle Jungle Parade -- and how can you resist this face? [Share above photo]
Wednesday, December 25

Facebook:
Did Santa leave any Disney magic under your tree?

Twitter:
Did Santa leave any Disney magic under your tree? Tweet photos of your family with their #DisneyGifts
Thursday, December 26

Facebook:
We're still in the holiday spirit at the Animal Kingdom! And there's still time for a Disney trip before the kids head back to school...
[Share photo of holiday decorations at the park]

Twitter:
There's still time for a #DisneyTrip before school starts back...

Friday, December 27

Facebook:
What Disney characters and Animal Kingdom critters are on your must-photograph list?

Twitter:
What Disney characters and Animal Kingdom critters are on your must-photograph list? #MustPhotoDisney
Saturday, December 28

Facebook:
Have you met Dino-Sue? Stand beneath a replica of the largest and most complete T-Rex skeleton ever found in Disney's Animal Kingdom!


Twitter:
Do you know Dino-Sue? Show us your photos with the giant T-rex skeleton! #DinoSue [Share above photo so people know what I'm talking about]

Sunday, December 29

Facebook:
What do your kids want to do when they grow up? Bring your little animal lovers to the Animal Kingdom's Conservation Station to shadow our veterinary staff. http://bit.ly/19VuHaO


Twitter:
Bring your little animal lovers to the Animal Kingdom's Conservation Station to shadow our veterinary staff for a day http://bit.ly/19VuHaO

Monday, December 30

Facebook:
If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?

Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: What's the largest lizard?

#DisneyQuiz answer: Komodo dragons are the largest living lizards, topping out at lengths of more than 10 feet and weights over 300 pounds.

Tuesday, December 31

Facebook:
It's been a great year in the Animal Kingdom. These furballs hope to see you in 2014! [Share photo of new lion cubs]

Twitter: 
It's been a great year in the Animal Kingdom. These guys hope to see you in 2014! [Share photo of new lion cubs]

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