Meet the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s social media team

Meet the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s social media team! Their names are Patrick, Emily and Anne-Marie. They are the people behind the aquarium’s popular social media pages.

It’s safe to say that even though the aquarium is physically located on Cannery Row, in an age ruled by social media, the aquarium also has a huge home on the internet. “People respond, especially on twitter with the memes and stuff,” says team member Anne-Marie Alden.

For the aquarium, social media isn’t just about getting likes. It’s to continue the same mission they’ve had for the past 35 years. That’s to inspire conservation of the ocean.

“A lot of people come and visit and want to stay connected, but some people will never come to the aquarium. This gives them a chance to learn about the animals,” says Alden.

They’ve racked up nearly 200,000 followers on Twitter, 60 thousand subscribers on YouTube, and almost a million followers on Facebook. While creating daily content is hard work, it helps that everyone on the team has a marine biology background. They also have the personalities to make science fun for all ages. “We are just big ol’ nerds ourselves,” says Emily Simpson.

As technology continues to change, the recipe to sell fans on the aquarium will as well. But, the aquarium’s mission to “inspire conservation of the ocean” will stay the same.