Using Social Media in DX-peditioning Rich Holoch, KY6R

Using Social Media in DX-peditioning

Rich Holoch, KY6R

My Background - Career (My Clients)

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I currently work for GE designing a graph meta data databasethat tracks Locomotive, Aircraft, Oil and Gas Pipeline and MRI sensor

faults with the goal of enabling “predictive analytics” . . .

My Background - Ham Radio• Built first Heathkit - age 11 in

1971 (SW-717)• Licensed as WN2QHN on 13th

birthday in Newton, NJ• General 2 years later• Off air from 1977 - 2001, but

with two weak attempts to get back into the hobby

• Started DX-ing in 2001. Made Honor Roll in 11 1/2 years, am 5 away from Honor Roll #1

• More of a “maker” than anything

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My Blog

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Award Winning TX5K Blog

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I will cover how this blog helped virtually eliminate DQRM

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Internet Social Media Advertising

So many channels, so little time!

Crafting Your Media Plan

Driving Awareness Using FOAF

Micro Blog

I write one Micro Blogand it automatically posts to Twitter and Facebookand then Friend of a Friend kicks in!

Micro Blog Example

Many small press blurbs are better than fewer “official pressreleases”. Fits the mobile world we live in.

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The Power of Twitter and Facebook

• I received 33,000 hits on both my personal blog (“Klown Time is Over”) in one year

• I received 33,000 hits on the VK0EK blog - in only 8 months

• This means we have generated a following. I converted my Klown Time “cred” to VK0EK by cross posting from Klown Time to VK0EK on Twitter and Facebook. My personal followers were very kind indeed . . . FOAF works!

• I also Tweet other blogs - people like variety

Short Attention Span TheatreIf “all the worlds a stage” then today the show is taking

place at The Short Attention Span theatre . . .

Twitter Requires Some Work

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1. Follow 2. Tweet Stuff 3. Wait 4. Unfollow those not following you

March 16 - Australian Team Micro Blog

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A regular flow of good news instills confidence. Tweet this!

Micro Blog Reach - March 16

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Twitter Response

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Branding - Logo Very Important

We have Jeff, K1NSS on our team as the team artist

People Love These “Chotchski’s”

Photos and graphics fit the Short Attention Span Crowd best

Tweeps Map

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Tweeps Map - List

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Facebook Analytics - Reach

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Facebook - Engagement

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Key Findings from Metrics• Human interest stories - esp. with photos• Your plans - Team Vertical Mention was BIG• Give something away! • Your logo is more important than you think• The mobile world has short attention span. They will

respond to Tweets and Facebook posts, but might not read a long winded Press Release

• Forums such as eHam are pretty good - but beware• I am very surprised at how hams have taken to

Twitter . . . and how very powerful it is!

“Orthogonal” Results

• Cross posting from my personal blog on Arduino experiments attracted many “maker hams” on Twitter. Non DX-ers all of a sudden became interested in DXing. I call this the comerarderie factor.

• The Inquisitive Rock Hopper - where Team Member Bill - AE0EE who is a scientist and DX-er / Contester received very favorable response on Facebook and Twitter

• Our artist - Jeff, K1NSS constantly posts on behalf of us and this has driven a lot of traffic our way

• Its easy to make friends on social media and there is a camaraderie there that is desperately needed in DXlandia. The “Maker” crowd is much friendlier

Orthogonal Propagation

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Amateur Radio Newsline

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The audio report was so good it gave me goose bumps . . .

Think Outside The Box

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Exploit all media channels - audio, video, cartoons, etc . . .

Leverage Accomplishments

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Leverage Past Success

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We Are All in This Together

Romeo, S59M has opened my eyes to a world of Great Cooperation between DX-peditioners

I am in contact with several other DX-peditioners and am especially encouraged by the younger DX-peditioners and their willingness to understand that we are not competingbut are in this together

If DXers need an entity, they will come through . . . (If you make your case)

Conversion

• We know that we have “geometric reach”. We know our message is out there

• We have done very well with our fund raising• There is no way to know what the conversion

rate is, but its known that if you receive 5% conversion - that’s as good as it gets

• It costs nothing to run these campaigns - so its well worth the effort

• The more you work at this - the higher the probability people will convert

Subtle as a Hammer

Be careful about using scare tactics. You only get to do that once - the second time you look like you are crying wolf. I prefer to save this one shot until its really needed - (if at all) . . .

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Timing is Critical• Campaign management should be timed and

scheduled to concur with micro blogs and other timeline events

• For example, getting several very high profile clubs donations before you submit your NCDXF application helps - it at least shows you are working hard trying to raise funds

• Its an art to know when you should post a micro blog and then go after a market segment - its made much easier with social media than “traditional” press releases

Inquisitive Rock Hopper

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Be Assertive But Not Aggressive

• It takes practice to get this right

• One time I Tweeted the same thing way too much - Tweet and then sit back and watch what happens using the free analytics

• Have patience - news “propagates” in strange and wonderful ways . . .

How Do We Increase Conversion?

• Follow up with personal and well written email requests

• “Press The Flesh” at conferences and club meetings

• It’s a balance though - you are trying to raise funds while doing everything else to prepare for the DX-pedition

Gamification

• Create a game or contest

• Encourage impulse buys

• Offer souvenirs at the right place and time

DXA Will Be in Our Arsenal

Eliminates dupes, messaging allows team to communicate with DXers, giving instructions and greatly reducing DQRM!

NEVER Forget The Customer

• The customer is anyone interested in your DXpedition. Don’t disparage or shame them. Love them!

Other Possible Uses of Social Media

• The DX Code of Conduct is like an Official Press Release. It is easily ignored by the Short Attention Span Crowd

• Sermons, brow beating or shaming only make things worse. You invite a street fight. Instead “kill them with kindness”

• Social Media is the way to garner more attention, and in a way that appeals to many more than a sermon from the Bully Pulpit

• Positive messages trump the negative. ALWAYS.• There are MANY more hams on Twitter than you probably

realize

Spleet, Spleet - He’s Working Up!

Kind and thoughtful Elmering will trump any Bully Pulpit Sermons. Keep your messages short and sweet - but keep them coming!

Humor Will Always Work

“He’s working Spleeeeeet!

How To Work Us

Create a blog series on “How to Work Us” - especially in the months just before the DXpedition. Tweet andFacebook it. Ask the DX News Outlets to post your link

How to Work Us - Pilots• You will never have a more captive audience than in the

months right before a DX-pedition• This is when you capitalize on Elmering others. Review

everything in the DX Code of Conduct - but ONE topic at a time

• Add this to the DX Code of Conduct “I will provide financial support to DXpeditions. I have the power to make them happen!”

• Technologies like DXA could be the answer to lots of problems, but you could also use Twitter as a DXpedition to DX Community messaging system. Tweet to your pilots - and have them re-tweet. This engages FOAF!

TX5K Had VERY Little DQRM• I was excessive on providing the DX Community with every

bit of news of what was going on with the team• DX Coffee created the award based on this TX5K work.

This, great ops and DXA were a “coup”. We HAVE already solved the DQRM problem!

• This cannot be under - estimated!• People will DQRM less when they feel they have a chance

to work the DX• On air cops and off air bully pulpit preachers only add to

everyone’s frustration. This is why things have gotten worse - it’s a downward spiral. We need to COMMUNICATE more effectively