+

Pin, Like, & Tweet: Find the Social Media Strategy Right for Your Office

Ellen Hatfield, University of MN DuluthMinnesota Career Development Association

April 26, 2013

+Overview

What is social media?

Questions to answer before starting to use social media

Different social media platforms to consider

Tips & best practices

+What is Social Media?

What does “social media” mean to you? Social Media Revolution (from Socialnomics)http

://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUCfFcchw1w

Reactions to video?

+What is Social Media?

Definition: “virtual places where people share; everybody and anybody can share anything anywhere anytime” (Joosten, 2012)

“Social media are a collection of Internet websites, services, and practices that support collaboration, community building, participation, and sharing.” (Junco, Heiberger, & Loken, 2011 in Joosten, 2012)

Social media is conversation, community, customer service, listening, contest/promotions, and information

User-centered and encourages interaction & collaboration

+Types of Social Media

Social Networking – Facebook, LinkedIn Blogging & Microblogging – WordPress, Twitter Video & Photo Sharing – YouTube, Instagram Social Bookmarking – Pinterest Other – FourSquare, StumbleUpon, and many more

+In-presentation Definitions

Social Media – all platforms that can be identified as social networking, microblogging, video sharing, and social bookmarking

Platform – individual social media

+Social Media in Higher Education Create important & meaningful ways for students to

connect with faculty & staff Make education & social resources of the institution

more accessible to students Supplement more traditional ways of communicating

information to students (email, website, posters, presentations)

Enable students to become more engaged & connected to their educational experience

+Why is a strategy important?

An implementation is never effective unless users know WHY they are using technology. (Joosten, 2012)

How does it fit with the mission of your office, division, and/or university?

Help justify human and financial resources invested To show how you can better connect with and serve

your “customer.”

+Strategy Questions to Answer

What is your goal/purpose/intended outcome? What is already happening on your campus or in

related offices? Who is your intended audience and what platforms are

they using already? Is there someone, or group of people, who can dedicate

time learning the platform and using it on a daily basis? What are you already doing and are you doing it well? How will you assess if you’ve achieved your goal(s)?

+What is your goal/purpose/intended outcome? Why do you want to use social media? Students come first, not the platform Have the office (and/or decision makers) on board –

share research or other tangible evidence Learn about the platforms and the impact each could

have

+What is already happening on your campus or in related offices? Existing social media policy Connect with others doing social media If there are certain platforms that are successful & fit

with your goals, make sure you have a presence.

+Who is your intended audience and what platforms are they using already? Intended audience examples: students/clients,

employers, community What platforms are they using? Start with these

platforms. Social media allows us to connect with students, staff,

faculty, and other audiences in new & engaging ways Takes time to build and engage with audience

+Is there someone, or group of people, who can dedicate time learning the platform and using it on a daily basis? Who will do it? Is it an extra duty on top of everything they are already

doing or is it being swapped out with something else? Are students who work for you delivering the

information? If so, make sure to train them! How often?

Each platform requires different timing and potentially different content (or the same content being presented in different ways)

May need to post weekly, daily, or multiple times a day

+What are you already doing and are you doing it well? Do current methods fit with your goal? Best to improve before adding more Ideas of how to assess current methods

Survey your audience – What do they want? Evaluate statistics such as followers, likes, clicks, or repins How active are you? What type of information is being shared? Are you interactive with audience? If so, how?

+How will you assess if you’ve achieved your goal(s)? What do you want to know? What metrics are supplied by the platforms in use?

Do they provide the information you’re wanting to know? If not, seek out other methods of assessment.

Your definition of success/goal achievement will be unique to your office/institution.

Review, tweak, implement, repeat

+Platform Example - Facebook

+Platform Example - LinkedIn

+Platform Example - Twitter

+Platform Examples - Pinterest

Other boards include: Words of Inspiration, Career/Internship Tips, Books Worth Reading, Internship programs, Dress for Success-Women, Dress for Success-Men, Infographics

+Platform Example - Blog

+Platform Example - YouTube

+Tips & Best Practices

Measure success in interactions and engagement Quality over quantity

Use your chosen platforms. Everyday. Connect with other offices on campus to cross-promote

and to learn from Also connect with like offices on different campuses

Designate a person (or team of people) to be responsible for the social media strategy Include students when possible

+Resources Dalton, J.C., & Crosby, P.C. (2013). Digital identity: How social media are

influencing student learning and development in college. Journal of College & Character, 14, 1-4. doi: 10.1515/jcc-2013-0001

Joosten, T. (2012). Social media for educators: Strategies and best practices. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

Joosten, T., Pasquini, L., & Harness, L. (2013). Guiding social media at our institutions. Planning for Higher Education, 41,(2), 1-11. Retrieved from http://techknowtools.wordpress.com/2013/02/20/guiding-social-media-at-our-institutions-article/

Kruger, K. (2013). The new normal: Social networking and student affairs. Journal of College & Character, 14, 31-38. doi: 10.1515/jcc-2013-0005

Paperclip Communications (2011). Student affairs strategic communications [video webcast]

Stoller, E. (2013). Our shared future: Social media, leadership, vulnerability, and digital identity. Journal of College & Character, 14, 5-10. doi: 10.1515/jcc-2013-0002

+Any Questions?