Yjlc meeting

Creating Engagement: Best Practices in Social Media

March 22, 2011

1Rachel Levy Consulting T: @BostonMarketer E: [email protected],

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RLconsulting, W: www.rachel-levy.com

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Social Media Revolution

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8&feature=player_embedded#

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8&feature=player_embedded

Agenda1. Social media overview2. Major social media tools

– Facebook– Blog– Twitter– LinkedIn

3. Engaging people

3Rachel Levy Consulting T: @BostonMarketer E: [email protected], FB: www.facebook.com/RLconsulting, W: www.rachel-levy.com

Familiarity Level

• On a scale of 1-5 (1 = not at all, 5 = expert), how familiar are you with using:– Internet– Facebook– Twitter– Blogs (reading or creating)– LinkedIn


Social Media Overview

Rachel Levy Consulting T: @BostonMarketer E: [email protected], FB: www.facebook.com/RLconsulting, W: www.rachel-levy.com 5

What Is Social Media?

• Regular media = 1-way street– You can read a newspaper or listen to

a report on TV, but you have limited ability to give your thoughts on the matter.

• Social media= 2-way street– Gives you the ability to communicate

too.


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8Source: http://www.briansolis.com

Why Is Using Social Media Important?

• People are talking about you anyway• People expect more targeted, personal

messages• It’s an effective, lower cost way to market and

communicate• Builds stronger loyalty• Easy to become your own “media”


As Many People Are Using Social Media As Email!

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Rachel Levy Consulting T: @BostonMarketer E: [email protected], FB: www.facebook.com/RLconsulting, W: www.rachel-levy.com

Source: The Kbuzz

What Can Social Media Do for You?

1. Better understand what people want2. Strengthen your community3. 2-way communication4. Help establish you as a thought leader5. Help people feel heard6. Find new members7. Increase awareness


Benefits of Social Media(% of Execs)


How Does Social Media Do This?

• It’s viral• Fast way to communicate• Broader communication • Less intrusive• Less expensive


How Are Non-Profits Using Social Media?

• Creating causes on Facebook• Blogging about what their organization does• Creating videos• Leveraging their supporters to raise money• Creating relationships to find new donors• Creating alumni groups• Promoting events



• Blogging• Micro-blogging• Social

bookmarking/tagging• Photo sharing• Online communities• Interactive Webinars• Smaller social networks

that cater to business owners (Biznik and BizSugar)

• Video sharing• Event sharing• Commenting• Reviews• Crowd Sourcing/ Wikis• Foursquare/ location

based• Ratings and reviews

(your site or external sites)

• Podcasts

What are some types of social media?

Major Social Media Tools

Rachel Levy Consulting T: @BostonMarketer E: [email protected], FB: www.facebook.com/RLconsulting, W: www.rachel-levy.com16

Facebook• What is Facebook? People connecting with friends

and organizations• What can it do for you?

1. Strengthen your community2. 2-way communication3. Help people feel heard4. Find new members5. (Help establish you as a thought leader)6. Increase awareness

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Demographics


• Largest age group is 35-54• Fastest growing age group is 55+• 65% over 25 years --- not just kids!

Source: iStrategyLabs

http://www.istrategylabs.com/2010/01/facebook-demographics-and-statistics-report-2010-145-growth-in-1-year/

Benefits and Disadvantages• Benefits

– Viral– Create a community of fans– Growing– Widespread

• Disadvantages – Sometimes tough to engage people on fan pages– Privacy concerns

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Blogs• What is a blog? A blog (web + log) is a type of website

with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video.

• Over 150 millions blogs• What can it do for you?

1. 2-way communication2. Help establish you as a thought leader3. Find new members4. Increase awareness

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Benefits and Disadvantages

• Benefits– anyone can start a blog– easy to get started– great for SEO (Search Engine Optimization)– establishes you as expert– Blog content doesn’t just have to be writing

• Disadvantages – many blogs– takes effort to keep current– slower impact


Blogs, cont.10 ways you can use blogs…1. Report back from an event or conference2. Involve staff and take advantage of their knowledge3. Involve volunteers and document their work4. Provide resources and information to constituents5. Provide resources and information from constituents6. Give constituents a place to voice their opinion7. Give constituents support8. Create the media coverage constituents want9. Give constituents the power and tools to create change10.Reach potential donors

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Source: Netsquared.org

Example


http://newshulblog.blogspot.com/

Twitter• What is Twitter? A micro-blog where people connect

with people who have similar interests• What can it do for you?

1. Better understand what people want2. Strengthen your community3. 2-way communication4. Help establish you as a thought leader5. Help people feel heard6. Find new members7. Increase awareness

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Benefits and Disadvantages• Benefits

– Easy to use– Quick bursts of information– Robust search– Open following– Very viral– Powerful relationships– “Google Juice”

• Disadvantages– Hard to use effectively– Takes time to build relationships

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Demographics

• 45-54 year olds are more likely than average to use Twitter• 12-24 year olds are less likely to use Twitter


Demographics, cont.


Source: Social Media Today, Jan 2009

LinkedIn• A database of professionals

– But it’s so much more!• Discussions• Connections• News articles• Job postings• Events

• What can it do for you?1.2-way communication2.Help establish you as a thought leader


Demographics


Source: ePlan, Summer 2008

Benefits and Disadvantages

• Benefits– Great networking tool– Discussions can be robust– Can post events

• Disadvantages– Only way to officially communicate as a company

is with groups– Many people just use it as a database


How to Engage People


How to Engage People• Ask questions for people to answer• Post interesting content (not just your own)• Run a poll• Ask for people’s opinions (i.e. which name do

you like better)• Get them to share with their friends• Be personable• Comment as your page


How to Engage People• Give away prizes• Ask them to create content• Ask them to compete for a prize• Ask them to link to you• Provide useful tips (they’ll share)• Write good content They may be engaged by just “listening”!


How to Engage People (Twitter specific)

• Retweet their content• Respond to something they said• Ask a question about what’s in their bio• Say hello to new followers or people you

want to follow you• #FollowFriday• Ask for help!


Documents

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