Social media

The first step to take is to create a clear, memorable ‘brand’ for your social media campaign.

• Use a short, consistent name for your campaign (e.g. Find Alex) that is memorable and easy to search.
• Use the name for all online tools you create (e.g. [email protected]), Facebook (e.g. www.facebook.com/findalex) etc.
• Having a brand is critical for social media because it promotes consistency, and means that your efforts will all be linked, maximising the impact.
• Be mindful of the photos you share: choose clear, up-to-date images that focus on the missing person and don’t reveal private details (house numbers, minors, licence plates). Crop or edit photos if needed before posting.

• Consider whether your missing loved one would be comfortable with the information (including photos and videos) about/of them
• Be consistent (with the naming of your account/s, the information being shared, and the style/tone of the content)
• Share clear, accurate information about your loved one, including a photo, basic description, and last seen location
• Consider having 1-3 trusted people help manage the page or account
• Use platform features (hashtags, stories, reels, video) to reach more people
• Take breaks when needed; managing social media can be emotionally taxing
• Encourage your followers to share your posts
• Try to use photos that only show the missing person (crop out others where needed)
• If you see inaccurate information about your case, correct it quickly and calmly by posting verified facts or asking a trusted helper to contact the page admin
• Keep your audience engaged by sharing progress of your efforts
• Consider QR codes on visuals linking directly to your page or website
• Set up an auto-reply in Messenger or Instagram DMs so people know their message has been received.
• Don’t share personal details you are not ready to make public
• Don’t respond to unkind comments or trolls (delete or hide them instead)
• Don’t feel pressure to post constantly

Ideas

• Before creating a page, consider contacting Nicole Morris from Australian Missing Persons Register. She volunteers her time to the cause and has thousands of followers who share missing persons information and posters. See: Australian Missing Persons Register Facebook Page
• Create a page with a title consistent with your brand (e.g. ‘Missing Person – _____’ or ‘Help us find _____’) and include a brief physical description, where the person was last seen, and what they were wearing in the bio (update details as time passes)
• Ask friends to use your poster as their profile picture or cover photo for a week
• Update your status or page selectively when new information comes to light
• Link to any media coverage that the case attracts
• Organise events to raise awareness
• Link to any media coverage and share snippets of what’s going on behind the scenes to keep your followers engaged
• Pin a post with the most important details at the top of your page

Do’s and don’ts

• Include a brief physical description of the person and where they were last seen
• Keep posts positive – audiences respond to positivity and it promotes action
• Communicate clearly and concisely so your message is easy to digest
• Post at times when people are likely to see your message (e.g. not at 3am)
• Share your page with community groups where the person is believed to have gone missing (e.g. Balmain Living)
• Do include video updates to keep followers informed.
• Don’t bombard followers with too much information. A maximum of four posts a week is recommended, although you can update more often if you have new information
• Don’t feel obliged to respond to any comment or message, including from journalists
• Don’t respond to trolls – it’s generally best to remove or hide negative comments

Example page

Missed – Daniel James O’Keeffe

Instagram is highly visual and effective for connecting with younger, active audiences.

Do’s and don’ts

• Set up an account with a clear, consistent name (e.g. ‘Find _____’ or ‘Help Locate _____’). If you have a Facebook page, use the same name
• Share real-time updates and urgent information via Stories
• Leverage relevant hashtags (e.g. #MissingPerson, #Find_____) to increase visibility
• Encourage your followers to share posts and tag others
• Connect Instagram to Facebook to allow automatic resharing
• Use Canva for social media templates
• Use Instagram’s ‘Highlight’ feature to save and organise media coverage, key updates, and public appeals
• Share short video clips, Stories, or reels for higher engagement
• Don’t use links in the caption of a post (followers can’t click them). Instead, put links in Stories or Bio.
• Don’t share information unrelated to the account’s specific purpose

Example page

Looking For Théo Hayez

TikTok is an impactful platform for spreading awareness quickly through short, engaging videos. It’s effective for reaching a broad and diverse audience, including younger demographics.

Do

• Use TikTok’s short video format to share quick, focused updates, highlighting crucial information like the missing person’s name, last known location, and a call to action
• Use hashtags (e.g. #MissingPerson, #Find_____) and trending sounds to increase reach
• Add text overlays or captions to ensure key details are understood even without sound
• Share appeals or updates 

YouTube is less commonly used for missing person cases than others, but it can be useful for longer videos and archiving content.

Do

• Upload full appeal videos or media coverage clips
• Embed YouTube videos in Facebook, Instagram, or Bluesky posts for wider reach
• Optimise video titles and descriptions with the missing person’s name and location for searchability
• Add as many relevant Tags as possible (e.g. their name, the location/city/state/country they were last seen in, and terms: missing person, urgent, missing, disappearance, ambiguous loss etc.)
• Include a short caption or call to action in the description
• Moderate comments to filter inappropriate content
• Consider uploading footage of your missing loved one that captures distinctive information about them (their voice, the way they walk etc.)

Example video

Find Mickey Now!

Search social media for posts tagged with relevant locations, hashtags, or dates to see if there are any online images of the missing person (e.g. for Atlantic Beach or #atlanticbeach on 6 November 2025). Social media followers can assist with this task, so consider putting out a call on any Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok accounts you have created.