The Many Faces of REC

“At Rappahannock Electric Cooperative we have used social media to connect with our members, our employees and their families, and people

We have created an who share a common interest with our industry. actively engaged online community that invests in the real-world communities we serve and the people within them. As we continue to use social media to communicate, we will continue to enhance the opportunities we have to engage with people in a real way in this

interactive environment made available to us with technology.”

- Kent D. Farmer REC’s President and CEO

www.facebook.com/RappahannockElectricCooperative

Over 7,600 likes and growing

www.youtube.com/recchannel1

Over 40,000 views and growing

www.instagram.com/RappElecCoop

Over 240 followers and growing

www.twitter.com/RappElecCoop

Over 900 followers and growing

REC Social Media Sites

REC creates a monthly social media plan. Daily posts are scheduled up to

one week in advance with the flexibility to add or change posts as needed. A team of four employees manages REC social media content. Monitoring and posting rotates weekly.

Real members, employees and places in REC’s service territory are used in daily social media posts.

Not only do followers interact with REC’s social media management team, but also they interact with each other because the environment has fostered an engaged community.

REC has successfully created an online community on its social media

channels through well-thought and intentional posts that connect with followers.

The followers on REC’s social media channels are engaged with REC through comments, direct posts, and consistent and timely interaction with the social media management team.

One of the key elements that make REC’s use of social media so successful is the monthly social media plan. In 2015, REC developed campaigns used to increase engagement on social media and further enhance its online community. The theme that represented REC’s social media presence overall was, “The Many Faces of REC.” “The Many Faces of REC” concept was used to share content about REC’s involvement in the local community, to generate recognition of National Lineman Appreciation Day, to promote National Co-op Month, and to share general content each month. Using the social media plan and scheduling tools through Facebook, Hootsuite and Latergramme, REC schedules all posts in advance. This frees up the employee responsible for social media monitoring to continue to focus on other responsibilities. REC’s social media plan is flexible. If situations arise or circumstances change, social media posts are rescheduled or additional posts are made with new information.

Team of 4 Rotates Weekly Monday-Sunday Posts scheduled Monday-Friday Daily monitoring 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Real people, places and employees represent REC in the posts made on its social media channels.

REC members engage on Facebook with weekly posts every Friday that tell members to have a great weekend. The feel-good messages resonate and strike a positive chord with REC’s members and online community.

The linemen at REC are often the face of the Co-op. National Lineman Appreciation Day was April 13, 2015, however REC designated the entire month of April to recognizing the linemen of REC. Linemen were recognized on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Linemen are not the only faces of the Co-op. There are many employees working behind the scenes for members at REC. During National Co-op Month, REC recognized a variety of employees who work to provide members with outstanding service. Employees were recognized on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

One of REC’s goals is to merge social media and the real world. One way this is accomplished is with REC’s photo booth. At community events throughout the 22-county service area, members stop by the photo booth, have a photo taken that is then shared on social media. These photos are popular among members and generate a lot of positive interaction.

REC member-owners are also an important face of the Co-op. Members are frequently represented on REC’s social media channels with pictures from print ads that are shared, as well as pictures from REC’s involvement at local community events.

Sharing “The Many Faces of REC” has further enhanced the Co-op’s online community. Social media engagement at REC continues to rise and over the past year has been effective with no paid advertising or boosting of posts on social media.

How does REC measure effectiveness?

Analytics – Post engagement on REC’s social media pages is organic. REC’s most active social media page is Facebook. Posts have organically reached over 3,000 people.

Engagement – REC’s members/followers comment, like, share and engage with the posts on social media. REC monitors engagement and changes tactics when necessary.

Interaction – REC’s pages are not just a place for REC to broadcast information online. They are an interactive space on social media where REC members know and trust they will receive a response from REC.

Conversations about REC may be taking place on social media, but the Cooperative is engaged, interactive and involved in the conversation.

We help shape members’ perceptions and develop an online community that fosters the Cooperative Principles. We care about our members and it’s evident in our online presence.

- Kent D. Farmer REC’s President and CEO

The Many Faces of REC

#381Spotlight on Excellence Entry Form

NRECA Voting Member Classification * Distribution Cooperative: more than 90,001 meters

Category * 9. Best Use of Social Media

Entry Title * The Many Faces of REC Campaign

I wish to receive Judges' comments onthis entry

Yes

Contact's Name * Ann Lewis

Cooperative * Rappahannock Electric Cooperative

Mailing Address 247 Industrial Ct Fredercksburg, VA 22404

Contact's Email * ann.lewis@myrec.coop

Contact's Phone Number * (540) 891-5921

Name of entrant as it should appear onthe award (if given)

Rappahannock Electric Cooperative's Communications and PublicRelations Department

Is this the first time you've entered the No

Spotlight competition?

Entrant's Email ann.lewis@myrec.coop

Names of others (freelancers ororganizations) involved in the project, ifapplicable

Describe your/the co-op's role in the project *

REC's communication and public relations department creates a monthly social media communication plan andschedules posts. As a part of this plan, REC created its Many Faces of REC theme to highlight Cooperative employeesand members through REC's social media channels over the past year. The theme recognized Linemen AppreciationDay, REC's community photo booth, Friday employee videos, and Cooperative Month as a means to highlight RECemployees and its members on the Cooperative's social media sites. The theme also allowed REC to focus on itsmembers and the role they play as representatives of the electric cooperative.

Describe others’ role in the project(Reference outside sources of material,including templates; pre-existing Webtools and apps; information from outsidegroups, such as Straight Talk orTouchstone Energy; stock photos andmusic, etc.) *

Public events were scheduled to use REC's photo booth to capturemember involvement at events outside of REC. The NationalCooperative Month logo was used.

Circulation or Number of People Reached * REC's 2015 Facebook Reach was 269,276. REC has 914 followers onTwitter, 241 followers on Instagram and a total of over 41,000YouTube video views.

Number of Attendees *

Project’s Budget * $0

Target Audience(s) * REC members, the media and the general public

Project's Objective * To build an online community, deliver timely information about RECand create a more interactive online community for REC.

Restrictions/Limitations * None

Describe why you chose this type of social media and how you used it *

REC chose Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube for this campaign because it has built a following on thesechannels, which is continuing to grow. These channels also allow interaction between the Cooperative and members,as well as employees. As they create more user reach and engagement, it was decided to use videos and images ofemployees.

REC created templates to insert employee and linemen pictures into, branded them for the campaign and thenscheduled them to be posted. This process ensured all employees of the Cooperative had their picture used in thecampaign. REC also leveraged its community events calendar to identify public events where it could interact with itsmembers on social media, by using its interactive photo booth.

This campaign allowed created engagement as employees viewed their own images and videos and shared them withtheir friends and neighbors, who were also members of REC and the general public. REC's photo booth drewmembers to its Facebook and Instagram, who might not have visited them otherwise.