Social media is one of the most powerful tools we have to connect people to place. Through the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area, we’ve learned how to turn everyday posts into meaningful stories that celebrate our coastal culture, inspire pride, and spark action. 

This presentation will introduce beginners to using social media as a storytelling and outreach tool for heritage, preservation, and environmental education. I’ll share how our team works alongside local partners, museums, libraries, and community organizations has used digital platforms to highlight landmarks, history, and our natural landscape across the Mississippi Gulf Coast. 

The session will also provide an overview of tools available within popular social media platforms to help users grow their reach, set realistic goals, and track progress. I’ll share additional free and low-cost resources that have been helpful in building engagement and collaboration. This approach proves that social media success doesn’t have to be complicated, it just needs to be authentic, genuine, and connected to your mission. 
Attendees will leave with practical strategies, creative ideas, and real-world examples they can easily apply within their own communities, proving that digital storytelling can be one of the simplest and most effective ways to strengthen connections, inspire preservation, and build resilience along the Gulf Coast.