Using Social Media to Reach College Students

Holly A. Foster

Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drug Education Coordinator

The Gordie Center for Substance Abuse Prevention

The University of Virginia

People spend an average of 55 minutes per day on Facebook

How-to-videos are fastest growing vertical market

80% of Google traffic goes to the top 5 sites

374 million people have smart phones and that number is expected to top 800 million by the end of 2012

35 hours of YouTube videos are uploaded every MINUTE

Background/Stats

How are we using Social Norms Marketing?

Our current focus includes poster campaigns, stall seat journal and various campaigns.• Looking forward, social media is a new trend that gets information to

students in a comfortable format.

Stall Seat Journal

Social MediaWho are we?

How are we interacting online?

Social Media

Overview• Facebook

• Twitter

• Millenials

Social Media

In Higher Education AOD Prevention• How we communicate

• Passive to Interactive

What is social media?How are students using social media?

Social Media is:• Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.

Social Media because:• As a listening tool to better understand your campus-community

• As a dialogue tool to better engage your community

• As a communication channel to build identity and send messages

Social NetworksFacebook v. Twitter v. YouTube

Facebook• Share, update, connect, comment

Twitter• Simple, flexible, fast

CONTAGION Concept

REMEMBER: PURPOSE IS KEY!

How we use FacebookGenerate enthusiasm for new campaign products being released.

Provide information about the campaign and when events and/or give-aways will occur.

Provide information about other events and opportunities on campus.

Support school pride and cultivate affiliation.

Publically recognize our social collaborators.

Expand social norms messaging.

Gordie Center Facebook Pagehttp://www.facebook.com/GordieFoundation

Where we struggle

Current thought process

Why Twitter?

How We Use Twitter

http://twitter.com/#!/GordieCenter

Gordie Center Twitter FeedWhere we are• Struggles

• When it is useful

Why YouTube?

How we use YouTube

YouTube Videos are very common

http://www.youtube.com/user/UVaGordieCASE

Gordie Center/ADAPT YouTube Account

Student Project

Peer Educators and Social Norms Marketing with Social Media

How can we use social media to reach students with social norms marketing information?

So what do we need to teach peer educators in terms of being able to actively use social media in a responsible and meaningful way?

Take the LEAP

LISTEN and learn

Where and how to ENGAGE

AND

Develop your PRESENCE

LISTEN and Learn

What am I listening for?• Attitudes (beliefs and values)

• Level of knowledge/misconceptions

• Popular language

• Groups of like-minded opinions

• Opposing opinions

• Trends

Making a Social Media Plan

Who is our target? Where do they live online?Where does social media fit into the overall communication plan?Who are our key spokespersons?What policies do we need to set?• Representation policy?• Civility policy?

How will we incorporate social media into other coalition activities?

Evaluation

Free: Tweet Deck

Low Cost: UberVu

Expensive: Lithium

Looking Ahead

I (imagine)

D (design)

E (engage)

A (act)

L (learn; what worked)

S (sustain)

Hindsights, Pitfalls, ChallengesLet them build it and they will come.Believe in what you are doing.Keep it organic – when working within social networks – and particularly social media – reactance and rejection of messages is high if people feel sold to. Be a knowledgeable advisor - not a salespersonBe responsible for what you writeSocial media only exists because the face-to-face world exists.Prepare well - and then let goAbove all else – have fun!

QUESTIONS?

RESOURCESAllen, Rebecca (2010). Social Media: Connecting with your Collaborators. HEC Webinar.CADCA: http://www.cadca.org/SoMeWikiCDC 2011 National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing & Media.Berkowitz, A.D. (2003). The Social Norms Approach: Theory, Research and Annotated Bibliography. Higher Education Center. www.higheredcenter.org.Hara, B. (2003). Think Before You Tweet (or Blog or Update a Status). The Chronicle of Higher Education. www.chronicle.com/blogsNational Social Norms Institute at the University of Virginia. www.socialnorm.org.Workman, Thomas. (2010). Employing Social Media for Coalition-based Prevention. HEC Webinar.

Develop your PRESENCEGo Alice - Columbia

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/Alice.CU

Gordie Centerhttp://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/GordieFoundation

YouTube – Foxfield Safety Videohttp://youtu.be/pImjokP49TQ

YouTube – Gordie Center/Haze Trailerhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFoAST6r_QM

Illinois Higher Education Centerhttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Illinois-Higher-Education-Center-for-AODV-Prevention/

105820379438139?sk=wall

http://youtu.be/pSm7BcQHWXk<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pSm7BcQHWXk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>