Behind the Social Scene

like to think of it like I’m fishing, and the bait is always a cute bat,” says Rachel Harper, Bat Conservation International’s (BCI’s) Digital Marketing Manager, and the force behind BCI’s social media accounts. “Once I’ve got you following, we’re going to dig into the good stuff; we’re going to get into some of the weird stuff.”

What exactly is the good and weird stuff? The social media posts showcase everything from BCI’s global work to preserve bat habitats and foster community engagement, to photos and videos depicting some of the less overtly photogenic—but no less lovable—bat species. A scroll through BCI’s Instagram photo grid reveals a stunning side angle of the Brazilian funnel-eared bat (Natalus macrourus) next to a post celebrating BCI Student Scholar Amra Vuçitërna’s work studying the impacts of wind farms on bats in Kosovo. Alongside these posts is a cheeky update featuring a Hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) entreating scrollers to “Honk if you’re Hoary.”

Clearly, this eclectic approach is working. Social analytics firm RivalIQ ranked BCI No. 1 on their list of the Top Nonprofits on Social Media for the second year in a row.

Harper suspects part of her success comes from the fact that while she always knew she loved animals and wanted to work in conservation, she didn’t always understand how cool bats were. She says many social media followers don’t initially realize how incredible bats are, but “hopefully, I can help change that,” she says. “Once you put a bat in front of a person, how can you not love it? Bats are just so charismatic up close.”

In a social media ecosystem consumed by fads that rise as quickly as they fall, helping foster love for bats means being strategic about what kinds of trends BCI follows.

“I learned a long time ago that you have to pick and choose your trends because they come and go so fast,” Harper says. “We make space for the trendy stuff, but we also make space to be a voice for bats and for BCI’s conservationists, scientists, and partners.”

One of the account’s top-performing posts gives bats a literal voice: It’s a clip of Geoffroy’s horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus clivosus) making a call that commenters have gleefully compared to everything from a stud finder to a dial-up modem circa 1998.

“It’s literally just a video of this bat making sounds,” Harper says. “But I think that goes to show that when you’re actually exposed to bats, they’re fascinating—which kind of makes my job easy.”

Harper collaborates with members of BCI’s field teams to gather photos, videos, and stories she can share on BCI’s Instagram and blog, showcasing that unique, batty charisma.

“It’s important to recognize that all the people behind the scenes doing conservation work are literally out there every day,” she says. “They might not always get awards for their work, but they really deserve it.”