iERA Marketing Workshop 1.0

Summary
The iERA Marketing Workshop focuses on social media guidelines, emphasizing professionalism, authenticity, and effective storytelling

Highlights
 Social Media Guidelines: Essential for effective engagement.
 Respect & Courtesy: Treat others online as you would in person.
 Authenticity: Capture genuine moments to showcase the beauty of Islam.
 Storytelling: Highlight transformative faith narratives.
 Media Output: Focused content categories for consistent production.
 Technical Quality: Importance of high-quality visuals and sound.
 Global Reach: Tailor content to different regional audiences.
Key Insights
 Intention Matters: Purifying intentions is vital in Dawah work to avoid distractions like fame and reputation. Keeping a clear purpose ensures authenticity in message delivery.
 Engagement Principles: Respect and courtesy online foster a positive environment. Avoiding negativity and bullying enhances the organization’s reputation and effectiveness.
 Visual Storytelling: High-quality visuals paired with authentic storytelling resonate more with audiences. Genuine moments create a deeper connection than staged ones.
 Open Dialogue: Encouraging open-ended questions during new Muslim interviews leads to richer narratives and insights, enhancing the authenticity of their experiences.
 Guidelines for Content Creation: Specific guidelines for filming and capturing content are essential. Understanding cultural sensitivities ensures respectful representation, especially regarding modesty.
 Technical Proficiency: Mastering technical aspects like the rule of thirds and lighting is crucial for producing engaging visual content. These skills enhance the overall quality of media output.
 Diverse Audiences: Recognizing various target audiences informs the messaging strategy. Tailoring content to non-Muslims, new Muslims, and donors helps optimize outreach effectiveness.

The presentation focused on social media guidelines for iERA, addressing professionalism, maintaining the organization’s reputation, and effectively engaging on social platforms. Key highlights included:

1. Objectives and Target Audiences

• Target Audiences: Non-Muslims, new Muslims, donors, and da’wah enthusiasts.
• Emphasis on the need for an **elevator pitch** to explain iERA’s mission concisely to diverse audiences.

2. Social Media Principles

• Core Values: Intention, respect and courtesy, and accuracy.
• Respect for Privacy: Avoid sharing sensitive information or specific details, especially in high-stakes regions like Africa.
• Professionalism: Upholding modesty, avoiding debates, and ensuring authenticity in posts.

3. Content Creation Guidelines

• Focus on capturing:
    – Authenticity: Genuine moments showcasing Islam’s beauty.
    – Storytelling: Narratives emphasizing the transformative power of faith.
    – High-Quality Media: Visually appealing and technically sound images and videos.
• Key Content Needs:
    – Shahada events, new Muslim support, conversations, materials in use, and da’wah vehicles.
    – Capture candid, natural moments instead of staged content.

4. Technical Guidelines

• Rule of Thirds: Ensure well-composed shots to enhance visual appeal.
• Filming Protocols:
    – Wide shots for large events.
    – Explicit consent for filming children or individuals.
    – Sensitivity to cultural and regional contexts.
    – High-quality audio is prioritized over video.

• 5. Regional and Cultural Sensitivities
• Adapting guidelines to local norms (e.g., blurring arms in images if uncovered in specific regions).
• Avoiding close-ups of women unless necessary, respecting individual privacy.

6. Tools and Processes

• Use structured processes for capturing and storing content:
    – A global drive for high-quality pictures and videos.
    – Notification to marketing teams once uploads are complete.

7. Future Directions

• Emphasis on training media personnel globally to ensure consistency and adherence to guidelines.
• A push for capturing content that showcases the significance of da’wah work worldwide.

8. Action Items

• Capture authentic and impactful content aligned with iERA’s objectives.
• Share materials in the global drive and notify relevant teams for dissemination.
• Train local teams on the outlined guidelines to enhance output quality.