Informing and Engaging Your Audience with Social …Informing and Engaging Your Audience with Social...

Informing and Engaging Your Audience with Social Media

Rob Ferrari, Director, Communication Strategies & Design Michigan Municipal League

Better Communities. Better Michigan.

Hi, I’m Rob! – 20+ years experience in IT – IT Director at the League for 7 years – Focusing on Digital Strategy and Communications – Increase social networking footprint and brand awareness


Defining Social Media – It’s a Conversation; Who’s Talking – Not Technology – Producers + Consumers = “Prosumers” – Connections


Social Media is Powered By: – Social Networks – Blogs – Websites – Videos – Photos


Web Presence – Where it ALL starts – Your website is your brand 24/7 – Blog – Social Media is an extension of your brand

The power to define and control a brand is shifting from corporations and institutions

to individuals and communities.


Blogs – Serves to establish your community as

transparent, relevant, active and an expert. – Can be your web presence

• WordPress • Blogger


Placemaking Blog


What is a Social User? – Key Demographics

• Facebook – 1.15 billion users • Google+ - 343 million users • Instagram – 150 million users • LinkedIn – 238 million users • Pinterest – 70 million users • Tumblr. – 216 million users • Twitter – 500 million users • YouTube – 1 billion users

– 72% of online adults are social networking users


Know Your Audience – Demographics important – Different channels


Social Networks – Social congestion? – Low cost / High time – How to pick the one for you?


Keys to Success – Clearly identify your community’s objectives – Opportunity to achieve goals – Experiment


Determine a Strategy – Discovery – people, search engines – Opportunities – Execution – applications, process – Maintenance – listen and adapt


Listen to the Conversation – Identify influencers – Read blogs – Google Alerts

• What is being said about YOUR community?


Share & Create Partnerships – Share information to get value – Is your content shareable?


Assess Your Resources – Social Media budget? – Staff time and fees – Launch & Maintain


• City Government Use – 2 most popular by cities – Twitter slightly more

popular by government offices


Facebook – Largest Social Network – Tools to engage audience

• Brand Pages • Applications • Advertising • Metrics


The League – https://www.facebook.com/MMLeague


Twitter – Fast-paced sharing – 140 characters or less – Hashtags #important


The League - @MMLeague


Paper.li – Automatically find & publish social media – The One Clear Voice Daily


LinkedIn – Professional Social Network

• Individuals • Profiles & resumes • Connect with colleagues • Share recommendations


Photo Sharing – “A picture says a 1000 words” – Provides inside look at your community – Link prominently from your website


Vimeo / YouTube – Upload videos and embed – Great repository

• Video blogs • Announcements • How-to’s


• ROI of Social Media – Return on Influence vs. Investment – Is it measurable?

• Difficult part of social media plan • Visits/views • Comments/Conversations • Brand Affinity

“What’s the ROI for putting on your pants every morning? But it’s still Important to your business.” -- Scott Monty, Digital Communications Manager at Ford


3 Take Away Messages 1. Word of mouth, peer-to-peer discussion are

more influential than the mass media. 2. Participate by enabling and feeding the

conversation. 3. Be transparent & honest.


Thank you!

Questions?

Informing and Engaging Your Audience with Social …Informing and Engaging Your Audience with Social...

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