USLCA Social Media Mission, Strategy, and Guidelines

USLCA is using social media platforms to improve and facilitate communication with our membership, potential members, and the general public about our organizational mission.

We can meet our objectives by:

  • sharing original and outside content
  • sharing relevant new research
  • connecting members and chapters
  • identifying and engaging with new partners
  • driving traffic to our website so they can see and use our resources

Our mission aims to increase the value of the IBCLC credential, thereby increasing attention toward USLCA, what we offer, and how to get involved with us.

How Does Our Social Media Mission Serve Our Organizational Mission? 

The mission of USLCA is to advance the IBCLC within the United States through leadership, advocacy, professional development and research.

Our Core Brand Messages Are:

  • We are experts in clinical lactation care.
  • We are caring health professionals.
  • We are strong partners.
  • We are an exceptional standard.
  • We are the national standard in professional lactation care.

To serve our mission and promote our brand, we share content on our website and on social media platforms that has the potential to:

  • build understanding of and respect for the IBCLC credential
  • provide information that supports the IBCLC and aspiring IBCLC to accomplish their educational objectives
  • disseminate the evidence-based messages of our partner organizations
  • support our chapters
  • create better awareness of the importance of breastfeeding and the value of breastfeeding support
  • connect the IBCLC with other healthcare providers and the field of academics to promote multidisciplinary collaboration for the advancement of knowledge in the field of human lactation

When selecting content to share on our social media platforms, we ensure that the content serves our social media mission in a relevant and timely manner.  Because social media reaches an audience that includes professionals and families, the content we share on social media is carefully vetted to ensure that it creates better understanding of the body of knowledge surrounding human lactation and maternal, infant, and child health.  We abide by the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, the Innocenti Declaration, and we avoid advertising products, tools, or services on behalf of commercial enterprises.

USLCA’s social media representatives are members of the marketing committee and are authorized to post on social media on behalf of USLCA in fulfillment of our social media mission.  Per their agreement to participate in social media on behalf of USLCA, they have agreed to use discretion in determining what, when, and how to post content.  They are provided with contact information for the Director of Marketing and other Board members in order that they may contact a Board member in the event they discover a comment or question on a USLCA social media channel or anywhere on social media that they feel requires a formal response.

USLCA encourages discussion of diverse opinions and thought.  Engaging with USLCA via social media platforms is public conversation which is visible to all both within and outside of the lactation field.   Comments which are disrespectful to individuals or organizations, including USLCA, or which are discriminatory in tone or content will be deleted from public view.  Conversation and commentary on posts shall be monitored to ensure that it is both civil and constructive.  USLCA reserves the right to remove comments and posts that are in conflict with the mission, vision or values of the association.

This social media mission, strategy, and guidelines have been approved by the USLCA Board of Directors this 24th day of January, 2017.

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