Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI) expanded its presence on social media by joining Instagram for the first time. Now LSSI has the potential to reach two billion monthly active users, making Instagram the third-largest social media platform behind Facebook (3 billion) and YouTube (2.5 billion).
The @MeetLSSI account posts photos, stories, and video “reels” documenting LSSI’s wide range of social work across the state. It also includes a summary of relevant information from LSSI’s website in the form of “highlights” near the top of the page.
Instagram users in the US average more than 33 minutes a day on the platform according to Sprout Social, a leading social media management tool. Instagram also skews younger than Facebook with 32% of users between 18-29 years old.
“We’re sitting on an archive of incredible stories that deserve a wider audience,” said Nick Boyan, LSSI Communications Specialist, who created the site. Boyan is a 15-year veteran of WGN Morning News in Chicago. “The stories about our work are more relevant than ever, but we must evolve as people consume content differently. Joining Instagram is one more way to bring our mission to a platform where billions get information.”
Non-profits also perform well on Instagram, with an engagement rate 10 times higher than Facebook and 100 times greater than Twitter/X, according to social media analytics platform Rival IQ.
Help make our Instagram launch a success by following @MeetLSSI.
LSSI will continue to post specialized stories on existing social media platforms. The main Facebook page launched in 2009 and has amassed more than 6,400 followers. Foster Care, Prevention Services, and Wellness and Recovery also run their own pages. You can find LSSI on YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter/X as well.
