HOW TO USE GEOFENCING FOR SCOUT RECRUITMENT

Story contributed by Wendy Kurten, Northeast Region Team Lead/National Alliances Director

What if you could send parents an invitation to attend a Join Scouting event directly through Facebook? By creating an event on Facebook and ‘geofencing’ it, you can. It’s easy, affordable and it’s a great way to reach parents with a message to join.

Here’s how it works.

Geofencing allows you to set a geographic virtual boundary around a specific location or locations. Once the virtual barrier is established through a platform like Facebook, for instance, we can set up triggers that will send our chosen audience an ad when their mobile device enters the specified area.

Getting Started with Geofencing

Families have a higher interest in joining Scouting when they see information that is current, relevant, and easy to understand. Review and assess all of your social media interfaces (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Nextdoor, websites, etc.).

How would you answer the following questions:

• What type of information is presented on these pages?
• Is it for an internal or external audience?
• Is there information that non-Scouters will understand?
• Does the information look fun, exciting and welcoming?
• When was the last time the pages were updated?

Steps to Set Up a Geofence

1. Log into your council or unit Facebook page
2. Click Events
3. Create Event
4. Enter the information for the event (unit recruitment night or Cub Scout day camp, for example)
5. After your event is created, boost your event by clicking on the event-boost button
   • Audience – this is where you will edit
     1. MEN/WOMEN AGES (Pick an age range you want to target)
     2. LOCATION – push location and within 5 mile radius; Your strategy for geofencing will look different, depending on whether you’re located in an urban or rural area. Rural locations may have to broaden their geographic search.
     3. LIMIT ON DOLLARS – minimum $1.00 per day; and enter payment parameters

For more details, the BSA Brand Center has this step-by-step guide to geofencing.

TIPS:

• Make sure you are using the BSA Brand guidelines
• Use high resolution graphics for the event
• You can target any location and look for schools around that location
• Don’t forget the small details – for example, room location
• DO NOT change the event after it is posted
• AVOID co-hosted events

Facebook also has some great tools to see how effective your post was and how many people saw it. Keep track of all of your Facebook events so that you can see what works for you.

For additional information about leveraging geofencing, check out Add Facebook Geofencing to Reach More Families.

Scouting Wire would like to thank Wendy Kurten for contributing this story.