HOW EFFECTIVELY DOES THE BRITISH ARMY MAKE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS IN REGARD TO PUBLICITY, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION?
​To evaluate the effectiveness of The British Army’s social media platforms. This involves investigating three main groups that the social media influences: serving soldiers, recruits and civilians. Then, to use the information gathered to create a social media strategy for local Army Units to increase engagement and reach on their social media platforms.
PROJECT AIMS
To identify the current strategies in place on The British Army’s social media platforms, focusing in particular on 3PWRR.
To identify how effective The British Army’s use of social media is at promoting and engaging potential, current and ex-soldiers, as well as civilians.
To explore opinions of The British Army’s social media, focusing in particular on 3PWRR.
To produce a social media strategy for 3PWRR to assist in increasing engagement on the Unit’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
WHY THIS PROJECT?
I am focusing on this project as I personally have considerable interest in The British Army’s social media presence. This is from having studied social media marketing and the changing nature of the Internet and social platforms throughout my degree. Furthermore, I am currently a Reserve Private soldier in the RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corps), attached to 3PWRR (The 3rd Battalion The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment), giving me a degree of inside insight into the area.
As well as my personal interest in the area, another reason I have chosen this project is because there has been little academic research done into the area, which had led to a significant degree of alienation for many serving soldiers in the army when considering the British Army’s current use of social media.
Furthermore, The British Army’s main demographic are the age ranges most active groups on social media sites, meaning that these platforms are a highly valuable asset for the military to reach out and communicate with audiences that they need positive relationships with.
Social media has also proven to be a great tool for recruitment, therefore The British Army must begin to investigate social media strategy in more detail, in an effort to drive recruitment and retention.
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