Navigating the World of

Online Communications

and Social Media

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Our Goals for This Session

• Overview of Online Communications

• Discuss Specific Strategies for Communicating with Key Audiences Using the Internet

• Discuss Key Platforms Websites Email Social Networking (Facebook) Microblog sites (Twitter) Multimedia sites Blogs and Online News

• Do’s and Don’ts

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Why Online Communications

It’s where people are:

• 79% of Americans receive information online.

• #1 source for information about local communities.

• 62% of young Americans get news about current events and politics online.

• 56% of Americans use the Internet to look for jobs.

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Why Online Communication

• Participate in online dialog/conversation

• Get out in front of and control the message

• Brand exposure

• Drive traffic to your website and other social media platforms

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What We Know

Strengths• Americans are increasingly turning

to the web for information.• Users will advocate for causes

they believe in and repeat messages that resonate.

• Users expect a genuine conversation between users and between organization & users.

Weaknesses• Users rarely leave some

platforms. • Short copy mean less nuance.

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Online Users: The Myth

Many people assume people 15-25 are theprimary online audiences.

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The Reality

• The fastest growing audiences online, including social media, are Americans over 35.

• These are often policy makers, business executives, potential donors, decision makers, voters, and opinion leaders.

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What We Know Works

Engage in Conversation & Storytelling

• Active participation key to movement-building

Set Realistic Expectations

• Cultivate supporters and build relationships

• Track participation

Embrace Empathy

• Integrate, don’t simply replicate

• Feature direct calls to action

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What Doesn’t Work

• Technical, jargon-heavy prose. • Focus on bureaucratic systems

rather than people.• Depressing themes that accentuate

“business as usual”.• Regurgitated information from press

releases, reports, or other proposals.

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Harnessing the Message

Like other communications, use frames and valuebased messaging to win over readers andaudiences.

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From Frames to Action

Online, it is particularly

important to:

• Links values to action

• Something to care about

• Ways to get involved

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The Core Platforms

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Websites

• Central platform for communicating your message.

• Can be a standalone website or pages within a larger site.

• Accessed through searches, URLs etc.

• Quick Stats (2011 Benchmarks for Higher Ed)• 6,107 – Average Unique

Visits• 6% - Average Growth per

Year

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Email

• Can include newsletters, advocacy blasts, donation appeals, etc.

• Best managed through an email service such as Constant Contact, Democracy in Action, MailChimp

• Quick Statistics (2011 Benchmark Data)

• 13% - Open Rate

• 1.9%- Clickthrough Rate

• 0.23% Unsubscribe Rate

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Social Media

Can include:• Social Networking

Websites• Blogs and Online

Journalism• Multimedia Platforms• Internet-based Discussion

Forums• Online Games

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Social Media Landscape

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Social Networking

• Facebook is the leading social networking website

• Great for brand exposure: More than 500 million users. Provides ways for users to

connect with causes. Not great for communicating

with policymakers and influentials

Low success (but rising) converting “friends” to advocates.

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Microblogging

• Led by Twitter – 13% of America uses.

• Users create 140 character updates known as “tweets.”

• Great for broadcasting messages.• Many policymakers, journalists

and leaders use Twitter and can engage in conversations on the platform.

• Also not great for conversions to advocates.

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Multimedia

• Can include video sharing like YouTube, photo sharing like Flickr.

• Great way to distribute powerful visuals, audio, etc.

• Media can be passed along and embedded in other websites.

• Very poor sense of community or advocacy.

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Blogs and Online News

• Vary from online journalism hubs to web-based journals.

• Gradually developed out of bulletin boards and email lists.

• Writers and bloggers approached like journalists.

• Can micro-target “higher education blogs in Wisconsin”.

• Built-in engaged audiences that can be converted to advocates in the correct circumstances.

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The Do’s

Align• Make sure all info sources connect to one another.• Consider applications that update across channels.• Ensure brand consistency across platforms.

Assess• Develop a calendar to guide online communications.• Be selective – play to the strengths of specific tools.• Review metrics and revisit tactics accordingly.

Act!• Make sure you develop concise, short messages.• Encourage multiple connections and points of entry.• Always have a means to get involved.

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The Don’ts

• Ever put something online you’d be uncomfortable seeing on the front page of the newspaper.

• Assume online readers are connected with your issue.

• Get bogged down in details and/or provide too much data.

• Engage in debates/arguments with detractors.

• Send press releases or generic documents to bloggers.

• Send unnecessarily long, confusing email newsletters.

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Questions??