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Facebook Is Limiting Links: Here’s How Libraries Are Responding

**Alt text:** A black-and-white historic photo of a library reading room with long tables, chairs, desk lamps, and bookshelves lining the walls. A translucent gray text box at the top reads, “Libraries Respond to FACEBOOK LINK RESTRICTIONS,” with “FACEBOOK LINK RESTRICTIONS” in large coral-pink letters.
Photo courtesy Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library

Here’s how libraries are trying to adapt their Facebook strategy, prioritize valuable content, and reach their communities without relying on external links.

Some library marketers recently opened Facebook and found an unwelcome surprise message: Meta will now let them publish only two posts with external links each month unless they pay for a Meta One subscription.

The restriction isn’t affecting every Facebook Page yet. But reports indicate that Meta has expanded a test it began in December 2025, and more Page managers are encountering the limit following the launch of Meta One for Business. You can read the reporting from Social Media Today.

For libraries, this is more than an annoying platform adjustment. We use links to help people register for programs, find books, access databases, get library cards, locate community resources, and take action on advocacy issues.

So, I asked library marketers how they are responding. Their answers show that there is no perfect workaround. But libraries are already testing new approaches, adjusting workflows, and reconsidering the role Facebook plays in their marketing.

Strategy #1: Moving links into the bio

The most common immediate response is to direct followers to a collection of links in the Facebook Page bio.

Robin Johnsen, who is Webmaster and Technology Marketing Specialist at Lake County Public Library in Indiana, said their library added its Linktree link to its bio and plans to use “link in bio” language in new posts.

But she is not convinced that this will produce the same results.

“We’re not particularly satisfied with this approach,” says Robin. “We know from Instagram that people don’t really like going to a link in the bio and those links aren’t going to get a lot of traffic.”

Robin is especially concerned about the extra step required of users.

“We’re going to get less traffic to our resources and events. People just don’t like being redirected elsewhere to click something else. If it’s not as convenient as possible, they bounce.”

Robin Johnsen

That concern is particularly relevant for any library that is trying to get people to do something more consequential than simply read a post. Robin pointed to a recent advocacy campaign about the Federal Communications Commission’s comment period surrounding eRate. The campaign depended on the library’s ability to connect people directly with the resources they needed.

Ashley Littleton is also moving toward a “link in bio” model in her role as Programming and Outreach Coordinator at the Charles County Public Library in Maryland.

Ashley decided to standardize the library’s Facebook and Instagram links and is using Linktree to highlight campaigns, programs, and other priorities.

She is also creating a one-page guide to help the social media team use this approach consistently.

It reads, in part, “Routine posts should use the links in our bio. To keep CCPL’s Facebook and Instagram posts consistent and make it easy for patrons to find information, do not include direct URLs in social media posts. Instead, direct patrons to the appropriate permanent link in the CCPL bio.”

Her guide gives staff specific calls to action based on the type of post:

  • Program promotions send people to the events calendar. 
  • Materials lead to the catalog. 
  • Service and digital-resource posts point people toward the library website.

The guide also makes an important distinction: Not every social media post needs a link. Staff spotlights, displays, celebrations, behind-the-scenes content, reading recommendations, and entertaining posts can stand on their own.

Strategy #2: Creating a permanent Facebook link post

Heather Baker, Public Relations and Marketing Manager at Troy-Miami County Public Library in Ohio, is taking a slightly different approach. She created a post called “Need a Library Link?” and pinned it to the top of the library’s Facebook Page.

“I figured it would be an ongoing list,” says Heather. “Interestingly enough, there was no limit to the number of ‘links’ I could put in the post.”

I thought this was a great approach, and I’ve asked my social media specialist to do the same. We’ll be monitoring our metrics to see if it works.

Heather says her library’s Facebook Pages were restricted while it was promoting a large Dolly Parton-themed event. She used the free month of Meta One to get through that immediate campaign and then canceled the subscription.

Going forward, she plans to reserve links for priorities.

“My plan is to be strategic about using the registration links in my events. I added those to my post instead of the website links, since they don’t appear to be limited yet. I also added links to more of my website pages to my bio on my Facebook main page.”

Heather Baker

This approach gives followers a consistent place to look for frequently requested destinations without requiring each individual post to contain a link.

Strategy #3: Testing action buttons and links in comments

Veronica Potenza, who is Head of Technology and Reference at Wyckoff Free Library in New Jersey, is exploring several options. Her library is adding Linktree to its “About” section, but she is also investigating Facebook’s Page action button.

“You can only have one at a time for a page, but it can be changed any time,” she explains. “It could be to send a message or set as a direct link to a site. However, depending on what you set the action to be, it can’t always be ‘applied’ to a post. I still have to look into it some more.”

She has also seen libraries place links in a comment rather than in the original post. But the results are inconsistent.

“A few people suggested adding links in a comment on the post, which seems to be working for now, but one commenter said they got cut off from doing it,” adds Veronica.

I heard from other libraries who also said they were blocked from adding links in a post comment. The application of that rule appears to be inconsistent.

So, links in comments may be worth testing. But libraries should not build their entire strategy around a workaround that Meta could restrict or that may already work differently from one Page to another.

Strategy #4: Looking at third-party scheduling tools

Third-party scheduling tools are another possible workaround, but they raise their own questions.

Robin Johnsen said she had seen reports that scheduling tools allowed some libraries to continue posting links.   

“We have a pro Canva account that includes this service, but have discovered it does not allow for the inclusion of alt text in scheduled posts,” says Robin. “So it’s back to the drawing board on that one since it doesn’t meet our accessibility standards.” 

Ashley Littleton said her team relies heavily on Buffer. However, when she responded, Buffer was still determining how the Facebook change would affect its platform.  

Paying may not be an option for most libraries

The obvious question is whether libraries should simply pay for Meta One. That decision may be more complicated than its cost.

Robin Johnsen said government entities are listed as ineligible for Meta One, which means her library cannot purchase the subscription even if it wants to. She is working to have the library recognized as a government organization on Facebook and is also pursuing official nonprofit recognition on the platform in hopes of receiving better customer support.

“Theoretically, if we are recognized on Facebook as a government org, the link restriction could be lifted,” says Robin. “However, I’ve had no luck convincing Facebook that we are one, so I have a support ticket in about that.”

Rethinking Facebook’s role

The most important response may not be a technical workaround at all.

Robin Johnsen said her library will run tests and may eventually explain the change publicly, ask patrons how they prefer to receive resources, and shift more attention to other platforms.

“Facebook will become a much less effective platform for us,” says Robin. “After I run a few tests, depending on the results, we will likely make a public post explaining to our patrons why our posting has changed and asking if they have any feedback on a better way to get them the resources they’re accustomed to.”

“Of course, we’re also looking into shifting our focus to other social media sites. I hear LinkedIn is hopping.” 

Ashley Littleton views the restriction as another example of a platform creating inconvenience and then charging organizations to remove it. But she said the lack of communication was the most frustrating part:

“I’m not even surprised or irritated by the change. I feel like this is just the subscription model streaming services use, where intentional inconvenience becomes a revenue stream. But their absolute lack of transparency and communication is what really annoys me.”

Ashley Littleton

So now what?

None of these approaches is a guaranteed solution. Meta’s restrictions may continue to change, and libraries are reporting different experiences across Pages and publishing tools.

For now, the best response may be to test carefully, document what happens, monitor referral traffic, and avoid building a new strategy around a loophole that could disappear tomorrow.

In my next post, which I’ll publish on Monday, Oct. 12, I’ll share seven practical steps library marketers can take to prioritize essential links, build stronger posts without them, and reduce their dependence on platforms they do not control.

Want more help?

The “Grandma Hobby” Trend Is a HUGE Opportunity for Libraries!

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Circulation Trends Every Library Marketer Should Know

Watch this video now

#LibraryMarketingShow, episode 331

Library circulation isn’t what it used to be — and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

A viewer recently asked about these changes, so I dug into the data. In this episode of The Library Marketing Show, I walk through five circulation trends and what they mean for how libraries should market their collections moving forward.

Plus, we’ll give kudos to a library whose promotion helped some unhoused people move into a safer situation!

Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.

Thanks for watching! 

P.S.: If you wish, you may download a transcript of this episode.

Miss the last episode? No worries! Watch it now.

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How Libraries Can Promote Their Collections in the Age of AI

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#LibraryMarketingShow, episode 330

AI can generate quick answers, but that doesn’t mean it replaces the value of a library collection.

A viewer recently asked how libraries can promote their collections as an alternative to AI, and I thought it was a fascinating question.

In this episode of The Library Marketing Show, we explore ways to position the library’s collection as something deeper, richer, and more trustworthy than an AI summary.

Plus, find out why a project that involves the whole of the United States is getting kudos!

Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.

Thanks for watching! 

P.S.: If you wish, you may download a transcript of this episode.

Miss the last episode? No worries! Watch it now.

Subscribe to this blog, and you’ll receive an email whenever I post. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:

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Opt-In vs Opt-Out Email Marketing: What Should Libraries Do?

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#LibraryMarketingShow, episode 329

Should libraries stick with traditional opt-in email marketing or consider moving to an opt-out model?

A viewer recently asked this question, and it opens up an important conversation about reach, engagement, and email reputation.

In this episode of The Library Marketing Show, I share my perspective on this sometimes controversial topic and offer guidance for libraries that might be considering a change.

Plus, we’ll award kudos to a library using social proof to promote its value across its whole community.

Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.

Thanks for watching! 

P.S.: If you wish, you may download a transcript of this episode.

Miss the last episode? No worries! Watch it now.

Subscribe to this blog, and you’ll receive an email whenever I post. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:

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Is Format Placement to Blame For Low Circulation? How to Tell and What To Do About It!

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#LibraryMarketingShow, episode 328

What do you do when one format in your library collection just isn’t circulating the way it used to?

A viewer of The Library Marketing Show is facing exactly that challenge and reached out for advice. In this episode, I share a few marketing ideas that could help revive interest and invite you to contribute your own suggestions as well.

Plus, we’re giving kudos to a library that is handing out VERY special, limited edition library cards!

Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.

Thanks for watching! 

P.S.: If you wish, you may download a transcript of this episode.

Miss the last episode? No worries! Watch it now.

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Stop Promoting Randomly: 5 Questions That Improve Library Marketing

Photo courtesy Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library.
Photo courtesy of the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

Library marketing looks different everywhere.

At some libraries, it’s one person doing promotions part-time. At others, it’s a small communications team. Sometimes it’s staff at different branches or departments all creating their own flyers, emails, and social posts.

Many of you who are tasked with that work don’t have a marketing background. You may be librarians, programmers, or outreach staff who were asked to “help promote things.”

Library promotion often starts the same way: A program or service is planned, and then everyone rushes to create the promotional materials.

But effective marketing doesn’t start with tactics. It starts with a strategy.

Before you create the flyer, schedule social media posts, or draft the email, take a few minutes to answer five simple questions that will shape your promotional approach and set your library up for marketing success.

What are your library’s goals and priorities?

Start by writing down your library’s goals and priorities for the next 6-12 months. This step helps you define your promotional focus.

For example, let’s say your library wants to bridge the learning gap for children in kindergarten through third grade. To do that, the library plans to increase participation in early reader services by 5 percent and boost the circulation of children’s books by 10 percent. With this defined priority, a large percentage of your promotions should primarily target parents, caregivers, and teachers.

Goal setting and prioritization matter because library marketing is often very activity-driven. We promote every program, every service, every resource equally.

But success requires strategy, and strategy requires prioritization. When you know the library’s big goals, you can decide what deserves the most promotional attention and what might get lighter promotion.

Write those goals down and keep them visible. Every promotion should connect back to them in some way.

If this step is daunting, this video might help.

What is your library’s current situation?

Next, take a few minutes to write down what you know about your community and your current users. This might sound silly, but it is crucial. The more clearly you understand your audience, the easier it becomes to create promotions that speak to their needs and interests.

Ask yourself:

  • Who are your cardholders?
  • What do they typically use the library for?
  • Where do they live?
  • What groups of people in your community are not using the library yet?

You should also think about what competes for your audience’s attention. That might include bookstores, streaming services, after-school programs, and Google or AI.

Next, do some analysis of the data you have at hand, including:

  • Circulation trends
  • Foot traffic to your branches
  • Database usage
  • Program attendance
  • Email engagement
  • Social media engagement
  • Website traffic
  • Any survey data you may have from patrons or community members

You may think you know the current state of your library. But once you’ve done this analysis, you’ll likely make some interesting discoveries that will make it clear exactly what you need to do to be more successful in your library marketing.

What things can you use to promote your library?

Take inventory of your promotional tools. Write down every communication channel your library uses. This might include:

  • Your library website
  • E-newsletters
  • Social media platforms
  • Digital signage
  • Flyers and posters
  • Press releases and media outreach
  • In-library displays
  • Staff recommendations and readers’ advisory
  • Partnerships with schools or community groups

Many libraries discover during this exercise that they’re using more channels than they can realistically manage well. (Raise your hand if you suspect that’s you!)

That’s okay. The goal here isn’t to use everything. The goal is to understand what tools are available so you can choose the right ones for each promotion.

Ask yourself: How can you put your library’s promotional tools to work?

This is where strategy starts to take shape.

Consider your goals and your audience, then decide which promotional tools will work best to reach them.

For example, you may know from past experience that most people register for summer reading after clicking links in your e-newsletter. If that’s the case, the newsletter should be a major part of your summer reading promotion. Or, if you know that the majority of attendees at your author events are also members of a book club, you can partner with book clubs hosted by other organizations, like bookstores or community groups, to reach your target audience.

You don’t need to promote everything everywhere. Instead, focus your energy on the channels that are most likely to reach the people you want to serve. This step is really about matching the right message to the right audience in the right place.

If that sounds complicated, I created this guide to help you use AI to match audiences with channels.

How will you measure your success (or failure)? 

Too often, libraries judge marketing success based on vague feelings like “that seemed popular” or “we saw a lot of people talking about it.”

Feelings aren’t facts. You must measure the effectiveness of your promotions so you can replicate successes and stop doing the things that don’t work.

This part of library marketing success does not need to be complicated. Write down a few clear success measures. For example, with summer reading, you might track:

  • Clicks on the registration link in your e-newsletter
  • Weekly registration totals
  • Program attendance
  • Circulation of summer reading titles

Not every promotion will succeed. That’s okay! The important thing is learning from what happens.

When something works, try to understand why. When something doesn’t work, resist the temptation to repeat it out of habit.

Need help with metrics? I created a mini-metric toolkit. And here are 4 metrics that will evaluate your library marketing success in 30 minutes or less. Easy peasy!

Want more help?

Rethinking Your Library Email Strategy: The Surprising Truth About First of the Month Sends!

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The Real Difference Between Marketing and Promotion and Why It Matters for Your Library’s Success

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#LibraryMarketingShow, episode 325

Are “marketing” and “promotion” the same thing? We say they are… but should we?

One of my readers challenged me to think more intentionally about our terminology, and it sent me down a fascinating rabbit hole.

In this episode of The Library Marketing Show, I’m making the case for why these words matter more than we think, and how rethinking them can change the way your library connects with your community.

Plus, I’m giving kudos to a library staff member who had a recent brush with fame for their work outside the library!

Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.

Thanks for watching! 

P.S.: If you wish, you may download a transcript of this episode.

Miss the last episode? No worries! Watch it now.

Subscribe to this blog, and you’ll receive an email whenever I post. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:

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How Storytelling Is Revolutionizing One Library’s Video Strategy

Photo courtesy of Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

It’s not surprising that Tina Walker Davis and her communications team at Deschutes Public Library in Bend, Oregon, have a robust and interesting video strategy for YouTube. Tina, who grew up in the San Francisco Bay area and graduated from Washington State University, has a previous career as a television anchor and reporter.

“I left journalism to go into marketing and communications and owned my own marketing business for 10 years until I made the financially disastrous decision to open an independent bookstore,” explains Tina. “While the bookstore didn’t pan out, it did enmesh me in the literary community here, including the library system.”

Tina took a job at the library in 2012 in event planning and coordination. Now she’s Communications Manager for the library. She manages four people, including a Graphic Design Coordinator and Dana O’Connell, Keifer McCool, and Michael Rivera, who are all Digital Communications Coordinators.

“Michael almost exclusively does video work, and Dana and Kiefer both manage social media,” says Tina. “Dana also does all of our Spanish-language communications. I’ve told the team many times that I’ve never worked with such a collaborative group.”

“We have bi-weekly brainstorming sessions that are so fun. There’s no agenda. It’s just a time for us to come together and talk about what we’re seeing, what we’re excited about, and generally throw some spaghetti at the wall. A lot of our best content was conceptualized in those brainstorming meetings.”

Deschutes Public Library’s YouTube channel was already up and running when Tina began her job. At first, Tina’s team used it to share story time videos and videos of their marquee events, as well as a Why We Love the Library series in 2016 and 2017. At the end of 2019, they had 265 subscribers.

Then COVID hit. Like most libraries, Deschutes Public Library pivoted to online programs and saw its subscriber count grow to 14,500 at the time of this writing.

When Tina hired Michael in 2022, he “brought a wealth of professional video production experience—just phenomenal skills in shooting and editing, but also a fantastic eye and ear for storytelling,” exclaims Tina.

“The first video he did for us was promoting our Summer with the Library program, and I knew immediately that we were going places with our videos. He started another Why We Love the Library series, with this video being one of my absolute favorites.”

“I don’t know if it’s my background in journalism, but I’ve always believed in the power of stories to do the work that we can sometimes struggle to do in marketing.”

“We can run ads telling people how great the library is, but it’s so much more impactful when it comes from real people who truly believe in the power of libraries to change lives.”

-Tina Walker Davis

Dana says the library’s strategy, when it comes to producing videos for YouTube, is to strike a balance between the information the community needs to know about the library and fun or trending content.

“Everyone who comes into the library has a story,” explains Dana. “Some of our human-interest pieces come from referrals by our public services staff, in the form of kudos from our online web form, or a chance meeting while in one of our branches.”

“Staff, volunteers, and customers offer the chance to talk about the library in a unique voice where we aren’t necessarily promoting a product or service. For me, it’s about having a touch point with a customer and listening to what excites them about the library; no two answers are the same.”

“One thing we do every time someone is interviewed for a video, regardless of the topic, is to ask, ‘Why are libraries important?’” adds Tina. “The answer to that question is evergreen. We can pull the answer and use it along for a series of shorts, turn it into a graphic quote for social, or string together several answers for a stand-alone piece.”

Dana and Kiefer shoot and edit the short-form, vertical format for Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube shorts. Michael uses videography equipment to do the longer-form and documentary-style videos.

“But rarely do they work alone,” explains Tina. “They’re writing together, and often Dana or Kiefer will act as Michael’s grip during shoots and take care of the interview portions. Michael is definitely a dedicated videographer, but it’s truly a team effort between the three of them—and it’s magical.”

All videos from Deschutes Public Library have captions for accessibility and clarity. They also have video thumbnails featuring a branded, consistent look. That helps to capture the attention of scrollers while making sure viewers know this content comes from the library.

“When I choose the image(s), I’m looking for a visually pleasing frame that tells the viewer just enough to pique their interest without giving away too much of the story,” reveals Michael. “The best images will also have some clean space in the frame that the title will naturally fall into.”

“The title in the thumbnail usually doesn’t match the video title, and that’s on purpose. The main title is always clear and matter-of-fact, while the thumbnail title often uses one of the most impactful quotes in the story. The key here is to be concise to maximize the size of the text in the frame, so the titles are usually no more than six words.”

Deschutes Public Library doesn’t rely on pure chance to get views on its videos. They promote them!

“Our flagship eNewsletter has 55,000 subscribers, and we’ll sometimes link to videos from the newsletter,” says Tina. “We embed some videos on our website. In particular, we’ve used our videos on our website to help inform the public about our bond projects.”

“I also do some paid promotion of videos on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram if I can see that a monetary ad boost is needed and will help us really target our Deschutes County residents.”

“So, with all that said, our investment in YouTube as a platform was very organic. It started slowly, but we saw real growth. But nothing happens on YouTube alone in terms of storytelling. Anything that is shared there is also pushed out on Instagram and Facebook, and some also make their way to TikTok if they’re humorous or have that viral potential.”

Tina and her team say the videos help boost awareness of the library and its services, and they’ve received a wealth of positive community feedback.

“Our recent viral video — where our director, Todd Dunkelberg, is giving a Gen Z-inspired tour of the new Redmond Library — was a great community experience. Between Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, we are now close to 5 million views on that video. But what I loved seeing was locals commenting amongst folks from across the country and the world — the locals took so much pride in claiming the library as their own (‘That’s MY library!’).”

“And Todd became a little local celebrity after it, with folks coming up to him in the community and telling him how much they loved the video. We immediately jumped on the ‘Slay’ and ‘So Julia’ lines and created stickers with the characters Todd points to in the video, and those were really popular with our customers.”

For inspiration, Tina and her team often look inside and outside the library world.

“I’m guilty of being an Instagram reels scroller,” confesses Tina. “My brain often goes to, ‘Could we put a spin on that?’ Often in our brainstorming sessions, we’ll bring forward videos that we’ve seen over the past two weeks, share them with the team, and see if there’s something we can do along those lines.”

“Library systems are really growing into their own niche on social. They’re funny, sometimes irreverent. People really enjoy watching library folks, who are perhaps historically thought of as buttoned up, be funny.”

– Tina Walker Davis

Tina says the key factors in the success of the library’s video marketing strategy are her talented team and library leadership that believes in the power of communication.

“I know that for a lot of libraries across the county, being able to spend this kind of time on video work is an absolute luxury,” says. Tina. “I feel very fortunate to not only have the trust from our leadership to do that work, but also lucky to work with a team of communications professionals who are passionate about the work and the message.”

“The goal is to remind our customers, the taxpayers who make the library’s work possible, that the library is here for them, in whatever way they may need, from checking out a book to finding a job. We’re here to meet people where they are and make their lives better.”

Need more inspiration?

From Shelves to Screens: How an Academic Librarian Captures Student Narratives for Library Marketing

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8 Must-Know Library Marketing Tips To Kickstart Your Success for the Rest of the Year

Photo courtesy Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

We are now firmly in the second half of the calendar year. I don’t know about you, but when I worked in a library, this was the time I usually started to “drag” a little. I was tired and uninspired. (Hey, that rhymes!) I needed a little boost… someone to remind me to focus on what was important.

I’m here for you. These are the eight things I want you to focus on as you move into the next six months. This is also a great post to share with new hires who work on library promotions. The eight principles listed below are the most valuable tips I can offer to help you center your work and find direction.

And I’m curious… do you think I missed anything in this list? Add your guiding principles to the comments!

8 Tips to Focus Your Library Promotions

1.  Plan ahead — don’t just react.

This is my number one tenet because so many of the library staff members I work with say they feel like order takers! They are asked by different departments and branches to promote the things that are important to those people, which allows no time to create a strategic library marketing calendar or campaign that supports the library’s overall goals.

Effective marketing is proactive, not reactive. You want your promotions to be holistic, covering all the channels where your target audience is located (see item #4). List the goals you want to achieve over the next six months, and create holistic campaigns. Before you know it, you’ll have a full editorial calendar.

And I know this might sound scary, but be transparent. Share your calendar with the rest of your coworkers. Inform them of the overall goals and provide them with regular updates on the content you share and the results you are achieving. At the end of the year, let everyone know how you did.

This will help educate your coworkers about marketing! Many of them probably think marketing is reactive. They don’t know how much planning and coordination go into an effective campaign.

2. Promote the benefits, not the features.

Listen, I know this one is hard. But your community is looking for a solution to their problems.

So instead of saying, “Use our personalized reader recommendation service”, highlight how your service solves real problems, like helping readers to find the right books for them (because, let’s be honest, there are SO many good books out there!), or helping readers who feel like they’re stuck in a rut, reading the same things over and over again.

You want your readers to think of the library, not Google or Goodreads, as the best place to find a book.

3. Tell more stories of how the library impacts lives.

User-centered storytelling, like Loyola Marymount’s Library Fans video series, connects emotionally with users and shows the library’s impact on real lives. These stories are more memorable than stats or service lists.

Storytelling helps your community to see how others are using the library and imagine how they might use the library too!

4. Meet your audience where they are.

Use the channels your patrons prefer. And remember, you don’t have to be on every channel. You just need to be on the right ones.

The channels you choose should match the preferences of your primary audience segments.

  • Teens and college students? Think TikTok and YouTube Shorts.
  • Parents and caregivers? Facebook groups and email are the best way to reach this audience.
  • Adults over age 65? In-person outreach and local newspapers or printed newsletters can be most effective.

Most importantly, don’t try to build an audience on the channels your patrons don’t use. How do you know which channels your audience prefers? Use metrics (see #8) and surveys to pinpoint where your energy will be best spent.

5. Consistency builds brand recognition and affinity.

At the Fourth of July parade two weeks ago, I instantly recognized the library’s entry coming down the street, even without my glasses. How? The color scheme of their banner and vehicle! (As an aside, I was sitting right in front of one of the branches, and the cheering that rose from the crowd when the library drove by warmed my heart.)

You can have the same impact. Use your brand logos, color palettes, and tone across channels. Patrons should instantly recognize your library’s content, whether it’s on a digital sign, flyer, or Instagram Story.

I know this seems like a constraint to some of my more creative readers, but the discipline pays off with instant brand recognition.

Beyond your brand colors and logo, remember to name your services clearly and tie all services to your library (e.g., “Consumer Reports from Maple Tree Library”).

6. Empower your advocates.

Your best marketing tool might be your most loyal library users. Feature them in campaigns and encourage user-generated content. When your superfans talk about how much they love the library and how it impacts their lives, people will listen!

Encourage staff to promote programs on their own social media (with branded templates or messaging prompts).

And provide your Friends group or foundation with a marketing kit: shareable graphics, key talking points, and event blurbs.

7. Always be repurposing.

Library marketers are asked to create a lot of content! Just like you may do in your home, you can reuse and recycle some of that content to help ease your workload and ensure your best content is seen on multiple channels. You can do that by:

  • Repurposing blog posts, newsletters, and program guides into social media snippets, videos, or infographics. Share this content with local media and community partners.
  • Turning book displays into short videos for social media by adding trending audio and creative elements like stickers.
  • Clipping moments from author talks or storytimes for Instagram Stories, YouTube Shorts, or TikTok videos.
  • Breaking down long blog posts into carousel posts or pull quotes for your homepage, digital signs, or social media posts.

8. Measure what matters.

Your metrics are key to guiding your marketing strategy. And listen, I’m the first person to admit I can easily go down the rabbit hole of data and measure everything.

But my boss coaches me to only spend time measuring the things I need to help make the decisions that will guide my future library marketing actions. That means I don’t obsess over likes and followers.

Instead, I track engagement metrics like watch time on videos, shares of social media posts, and read time on blog articles. I also urge you to use UTM codes like Bit.ly and Google Analytics to track campaign sources, so you know which channels are driving traffic to your library and which pieces of content resonate most with your community.

Need more inspiration?

How Libraries Can Get Better Press Coverage: Real Tips From Former Journalists

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