SWOTA Social Media Report

SWOTA: SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY REPORT

Southwestern Ontario Transportation Alliance

Social Media & Communications Strategy

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Prepared by: Chris Ryan

Contents

Title Page…………………………………….…………………………………….………………………………………………………1

Table of Contents…………………………………………….………………………………………………………….…………….2

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Social Media Strategy: Why Bother?..…………………….……………………………………………..………………..…3

i. Overviewii. SWOTA’s Tribesiii. Content Themesiv. Sample Posts

Facebook……………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………..……………………7

i. Overviewii. Current Participation Effectivenessiii. Meaningful Interpretationiv. Improving the Metrics v. 3 Strategies to Improve Page Likes

Email Marketing…………………………………….……………………………………………………..……………………..….10

i. Benefits of Email Marketingii. Strategies to Build the List iii. Canadian Anti-Spam Legislationiv. Sample Email [Please Find PDF Attached]

Content Calendar…………………………………….……………………………..……………………………………………….11

i. Importance of Showing Meaningful Datesii. List of Important Dates

Sample Facebook Posts

Animated Story Board……………………………………….…………………………………………………………………….14

i. Overviewii. Story Script & Screen Shots

SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY: WHY BOTHER?

I. Overview

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The purpose of a social media strategy is multifaceted. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other communication mediums provide an organization with invaluable information about their respective audiences.

There are a few important things to consider when establishing an online strategy: Determining which social media channel(s) to use, defining and researching target tribe(s), determining optimal content themes and types (videos, infographics, news stories, etc.), optimal posting times, and methods to measuring success.

Targeting specific tribes with shared common interests is more manageable than trying to appeal to everyone. By learning and understanding your organization’s tribes, you can establish a strong user base, enjoy better organic growth, get more people talking and help build a stronger online community.

II. SWOTA’s Tribes

SWOTA has identified two equally important tribes: Youth, ages 18-34 and Seniors ages 55+. The Youth tribe shares a few dominant qualities as related to SWOTA’s online strategy. (1) Environmentally conscious: Posts relevant to environmental responsibility and sustainable travel will likely grab the attention of this group. (2) Indebtedness. As most youth are unable to afford a personal vehicle, they are often reliant on public transportation. SWOTA can use its mandate to relate to young people and increase support in this area. (3) Busy. In addition to financial dependence and an appeal towards environmentalism, this tribe faces a deadline-focused, busy schedule. This means SWOTA may also post content promoting the convenience of an improved transport network.

The Senior audience is SWOTA’s other primary tribe. This group carries two dominant characteristics relevant to social media concerns. The first is a desire for all things (4) Relaxed/Laid back. While many seniors live a very busy lifestyle, the promotion of improved public transportation, free of technical barriers, will help promote more engagement. Content ranging from comfortable travel gear to relaxing getaways and so forth are likely to appeal to this audience. The other characteristic is (5) Luxurious/Elegant. The idea of a well-maintained and luxurious public transport network is a reality that SWOTA may want to portray. This tribe has an affinity with elegance and class, which can be used to garnish support and engagement online.

III. General Content Themes (Extended)

(1) Environmental Necessity. Students and young professionals are generally environmentally conscious and thus likely willing to join a political battle for an improved

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transport network. However, to hold and maintain their interest it is important to expand content types and explore ideas outside the public transportation rhetoric. There are a variety of topics under the umbrella of environmentalism that ought to be explored, such as daily tips on ‘green’ living, eating, shopping, or international/local affairs. Fortifying a community of environmentally conscious people means creating a variety of engaging conversations under SWOTA’s brand.

(2) Affordability. With most students and young professionals indebted from post-secondary education there is a shared reality of narrow budgeting and unique lifestyle choices that SWOTA can capitalize on. Promoting a better public transportation network will be effective as many students cannot afford to own a car. However, SWOTA can expand content by looking at other areas under affordability. Budgeting tips related to the home, food, travel, gift ideas and so forth can supplement content related to public transport to hold user attention.

(3) Busy. Finding content that appeals to the deadline savvy nature of the youth tribe will help make SWOTA more relatable in the online world. Traveling from work, school and home while meeting important dates and deadlines creates a demand for all things quick and convenient. Creating discussion around different ways to make life more convenient, or DIY tips will help increase engagement. When time is a major factor, affordability and environmentally sound travel are best supplemented by convenience.

(4) Laid-back/Easy. This theme targets SWOTA’s other primary tribe, Ontarians ages 55+. It is important to communicate the notion that improving public travel in Ontario will create a more laid-back, stress-free, and easy to use system. In addition to public transport, SWOTA can extend the theme by sharing content geared towards removing barriers to easy-living. For instance, fears of technological barriers in every-day life or uncertainty of local travel destinations can be addressed by posting easy ‘life-hacks’ and travel reviews. Other ideas under this theme could stretch from easy Holiday activities to inspiring travel stories.

(5) Elegance. SWOTA may find success conveying the message that an improved transport network will be more elegant and luxurious for its passengers. Ontarians of the senior tribe have watched the quality of rail service decline and stations wither or disappear over the years. Promoting a sort of revitalization will increase engagement. At the same time, ideas of luxury and elegance can be extended to content ranging from city sites such as, ‘Things to Do’, new restaurant/shop openings, events in SW Ontario, new travel trends and so forth. This can generate more engagement and tie the notion of elegance to SWOTA’s brand.

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IV. Sample Posts

Environmental Necessity

“Buying bottled water for your health? Stop it. That $10 bottle could be worse for you than plain old city water”

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/236016836699860148/

Affordability

STUDENT DEBT IS REAL. WE KNOW AND WE WANT TO HELP.

http://higheredstrategy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/A-Closer-Look-at-Student-Debt-Postscript-1.png

Convenience

Tips to Make Your Busy Life More Convenient! Save Yourself Some Time.

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http://higheredstrategy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/A-Closer-Look-at-Student-Debt-Postscript-1.png







http://www.bakercommunications.com/CBS/Five-Best-Practices-for-Managing-Deadlines.htm

Laid-back/Easy Going

Comment: Let’s make Ontario’s public transport great again. No traffic, no parking, no problem. Sit back, relax and let public transport do the work for you. Laid-back, luxurious and at your disposal. See our Facebook Page and learn how SWOTA wants to make your traveling days even easier. www.networksouthwest.ca

Luxury/Elegance

Five Most Beautiful Hotels for Your Getaway to Niagara Falls

Comment: You deserve a trip. Elegant, easy, and right at your finger tips. Check out these beautiful hotels. Next question, how

will you get there?

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotels-g154998-zff12-Niagara_Falls_Ontario-Hotels.html

FACEBOOK

I. Overview

Creating and maintaining a Facebook Page for a business provides a number of unique opportunities. If the overarching goal is to create an online space for sharing information,

fostering a community and building a particular tribe, a Facebook Pages includes features that

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https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotels-g154998-zff12-Niagara_Falls_Ontario-Hotels.html

http://www.networksouthwest.ca/

http://www.bakercommunications.com/CBS/Five-Best-Practices-for-Managing-Deadlines.htm


maximize efficiency and effectiveness. One of the benefits of a Page is the ability to communicate freely with other organizations, businesses, celebrities and brands who Like your Page. This is made easier by the fact that unlike a Profile, Pages are public, meaning they are indexed by Google and accessible to everyone. This enhances a company’s reach as well as it’s discoverability. Perhaps most importantly, Facebook Pages are equipped with analytic tools that help a company assess its online performance. There are a variety of metrics that provide feedback on demographic information, such as the number of engaged users, paid and organic reach, feedback and so forth. Without the analytic features of Facebook Insights, companies would need to spend thousands of dollars gathering data on their tribes and the effectiveness their modes of online communication.

Like anything else, using Facebook Pages comes with its own set of unique challenges. Operating a Facebook Page requires a deep understanding of how messages (Stories) are inputted into Facebook’s News Feed Algorithm. Each day, users are cascaded with more information than they can handle; Facebook mitigates this problem by controlling what each user sees and engages. There are a number of tools to help companies exploit this feature, but it also requires a level of practicality and expertise.

II. Current Participation Effectiveness

Using data exported from Facebook Insights [September 1, 2015 – February 15, 2016]

Lifetime total Likes: 138: Between the abovementioned date, 138 Facebook users Liked SWOTA’s Page.

Daily count of fans online: 118: An average of 118 Facebook users who have Liked SWOTA’s Page are online daily.

Weekly organic reach: 392: An average of 392 Facebook users are exposed to SWOTA’s content on a weekly basis, without boosting any posts.

Weekly paid reach: 772: An average of 772 Facebook users are exposed to SWOTA’s content as a result of boosting content.

Weekly Page engaged users: 52: An engagement includes any ‘Click’ or ‘Story’ created from SWOTA’s Facebook Page. On average, 52 users are engaged with SWOTA’s content per week.

Weekly negative feedback: 0.46: An average of less than 1 engagement per week includes negative feedback.

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Weekly ‘people talking about this’: 17: This number refers to the average number of people who share stories about SWOTA’s Page, comment, answer a question on the Page or share on their own profile.]

III. Interpreting the Metrics

Understanding this information is vital to the performance of the SWOTA Page. The data reveals areas that need improvement and areas of success as well as the Facebook habits of different Fans.

1) Lifetime Total Likes/Daily Count of Fans (Likers) Online:

Average Daily Online Users

Online (86%) Offline (14%)

2) Weekly Organic/Paid Reach: [See graph below] The average weekly reach of SWOTA’s Page is 1,164 users per week (Organic: 392; Paid: 772). SWOTA reaches 843% more Facebook users than its average fan base (138) when it boosts its posts. While this indicates strong reach, only 12% of users reached have actually Liked the Page. The relationship suggests that paid efforts are not translating into Likes on the Facebook Page.

Of SWOTA’s 138 fans, 118 are online daily, providing ample communication opportunities

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Paid v. Organic Reach

Reach v. Fans0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Organic v. Paid Reach / Reach v. Fanbase

IV. Diversifying Content Will Improve the Following Metrics

a) Weekly Reach of Youth Demographic: Only 14% of people reached that Liked the Page are in the Youth demographic. To increase reach in this area, young people must start Liking and Talking about the Page. Diversifying content types and themes should help SWOTA reach the newsfeeds of the Youth tribe. On a positive note, 42% of people reached that Like the Page

are in the targeted Senior demographic. b) Weekly Engaged Users: As mentioned above, changing the type of content posted may

attract and improve the engagement of younger users. Looking also at location, it may be useful to target more content towards Londoners. The greatest proportion of Fans reside in London (35), while only 7 (20%) of Londoners are engaged on a weekly basis. Posts that target particular areas tends to spark more engagement. On February 9, 2016, a post thanking Saint Catherine’s was boosted and enjoyed 6 Page Clicks and 75 Likes, Comments, and Shares.

V. Three Additional Strategies to Attract More Page Likes from Ideal Tribe Members

Strategy 1: Frame the occasional post as an ‘Urgent Message’, asking individuals to ‘join the effort’ and ‘make a difference’. Breaking news or special broadcasts about information on public meetings, legislative activity, or requests for action generates curiosity and gets people talking.

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Strategy 2: Update the look of the Facebook Page. Facebook users are flooded with visually stimulating content and often scroll mindlessly through their newsfeed. Enhancing the esthetics of the SWOTA brand will help attract more Likes.

Strategy 3: Incorporate local stories that Youth or Seniors can empathize with. These stories can be about up and coming small businesses, events, festivals, personal experience (inside or outside the public transport discourse) and so forth. Building a community of Fans means drawing on interests and emotions that bind people together.

EMAIL MARKETING

I. The Benefits of Email Marketing

There are several benefits of using email as a communication strategy to connect with target audiences. First, communicating via email provides the luxury of responding to questions, comments, or demands when it is convenient to do so; this provides time to structure an appropriate response. Second, emails are personalized; they are not composed to an entire audience but rather to an individual or a group of individuals. Third, emails are more permanent than a Facebook or Twitter post. An email is a piece of communication that remains in the recipients’ possession until they see it disposed. Fourth, emails are cost effective. It is one of the cheapest and most convenient ways to reach a large number of people in a matter of seconds. Lastly, email marketing is easy to use; there are almost no barriers to entry. Unlike some social media channels, communicating through email is one of the most ancient forms of online communication; meaning even grandma and grandpa can participate with ease.

II. Strategies to Build the List

There are a variety of ways to build the email list. First, ask attendees at public speaking events or meetings to provide their email information. Second, provide email opt-ins on the SWOTA website, linked to the Facebook Page. Third, hold a contest for travel tickets (Greyhound, VIA, etc.) and require participants to provide an email address to enter the contest. Fourth, distribute SWOTA business cards with the email address provided to be displayed at college/university functions and at VIA Rail and Greyhound stations.

III. Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation

CASL rules outline three particular areas of legislation. The first is an ‘opt-in’ requirement, where contacts who agree to receive emails select an opt-in link. The second is that the sender clearly identifies themselves and provides a response link. The third is to offer an unsubscribe mechanism, where recipients can opt-out of emails without any barriers or cost.

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CONTENT CALENDAR

Importance of Sharing Meaningful Dates

I. Sharing meaningful dates with tribes is important for a variety of reasons. Every event an organization engages with says something about that organization. This provides an opportunity to make more personal connections with a tribe and can help form a stronger community of shared interests. Sharing important dates is an great way to stay active with target groups and maintain a presence in a particular market place. Sharing meaningful dates throughout the year also keeps organizations from disappearing in Facebook’s News Feed Algorithm. Staying connected through meaningful dates shows each tribe that its interests and ideas are recognized and shared by an organization. Additionally, it allows for tribe members to plan for/around a particular event that they may be interested in attending. Sharing important dates gets people talking about your organization or at least includes your organization in the conversation. Lastly, keeping a tribe engaged with important dates helps to create communication among tribe members, through Likes, Shares, and Comments, which further strengthens the community.

II. List of Important Dates (2016)

Holidays (National)

May 8 – Mother’s Day

May 23 – Victoria Day (Long Weekend)

June 19 – Father’s Day

June 21 – National Aboriginal Day

July 1 – Canada Day

September 5 – Labour Day (Long Weekend)

October 10 – Thanksgiving

October 31 – Halloween

November 11 – Remembrance Day

December 25 – Christmas

December 31 – New Year’s Eve

Special Events

Discount Tuesdays (VIA Rail): Discounted rates for 24 hours

Monthly SWOTA public meetings (various locations across SW Ontario, dates tbd)

Sun Fest London (July 7-10)

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III. Sample Facebook Posts

The following are examples of alternative posts relating to special occasions throughout the year. It is important to supplement transportation-driven content with appealing and relatable material.

i. Canada Day (July 1, 2016) (Ottawa, ON)

“This year, you and your friends deserve to celebrate Canada Day with a bang. Plan an easy trip to one of Ontario’s great cities for a day of celebration!”

http://www.viarail.ca/en/travel- info/booking/buy-train-ticket

https://www.greyhound.com/en

ii. SWOTA Public Meetings

[Sample]: ATTENTION! South Western Ontario Transportation Alliance and Transport Action Ontario present a PUBLIC FORUM at Fanshawe College. London could be the hub of a vibrant and affordable system. Our community and our students deserve it. Please share this event with your friends and join us for a one-hour discussion and Q&A. The campaign to bring better public transport to SW Ontario is picking up steam - Join us on March 23, 4pm at Fanshawe College!

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https://www.greyhound.com/en

http://www.viarail.ca/en/travel-%20%20info/booking/buy-train-ticket

http://www.viarail.ca/en/travel-%20%20info/booking/buy-train-ticket


iii. Mother’s Day

“Dear students, we know you want to make this Mother’s Day special. We also know you are on a budget. Here are some awesome tips to help you show

Mom how much she means to you.”

Link: http://www.savethestudent.org/shopping/gift-ideas/mothers-day-on-a-budget.html

iv. Christmas

Get Creative This Holiday!

“Really want to impress the grandkids this year? Wherever you’re going this Christmas, these delicious and easy recipes will have the whole family talking.”


v. Victoria Day (Long Weekend)

Onguiaahra: Thunder of Waves Sound and Light Show

“This Long Weekend, treat yourself and your loved one(s) to a night at Niagara Parks. Witness the stunning Sound and Light Show at the Falls, fireworks and live entertainment! You deserve a weekend getaway. All you have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy the show.”

http://www.niagaraparks.com/niagara-falls-events/sound-and-light-show.html

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http://www.niagaraparks.com/niagara-falls-events/sound-and-light-show.html


http://www.savethestudent.org/shopping/gift-ideas/mothers-day-on-a-budget.html


ANIMATED VIDEO STORYBOARD

The purpose of this storyboard is to demonstrate how quickly and effectively digital animation can convey key messages. The following storyboard is a collection of screenshots taken from an animated cartoon. The settings were chosen at random and are not intended to be taken literally.

I. OVERVIEWTheme Let’s Get Ontario Rolling. Improve Southwestern Ontario’s

public transportation system.

Characters John: John is an undergraduate student with big dreams and big ideas. John values sound environmental practices and sustainable living habits. However, John’s accumulating student debt has limited his purchasing power. John cannot afford a vehicle and relies on public transportation.

Mary: Mary is an elderly retiree living in rural Ontario who still loves to get around and keep busy. Mary values an active lifestyle and has always prefered traveling long distances by rail rather than by car. Over the last twenty years Mary has found it increasingly difficult to travel by rail. Uncomfortable driving long distances and unsatisfied with the current rail service, Mary is looking for improvement.

Setting(s) Setting 1: The first setting is an undisclosed VIA Station. It is Spring and the station is very busy. There are signs of confusion and anger and departures have been delayed.

Setting 2: The second setting is at a rural VIA Station somewhere in Southwestern Ontario. The building is clearly outdated and poorly maintained.

Setting 3: The third setting is at a metropolitan VIA station. Here, many passangers connect with local transit, however connections are poorly coordinated.

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Setting 4: The fourth setting is at City Hall, where advocacy members voice the demand for an improved transport system.

Setting 5: The final setting is on a newly constructed High-Performance Train

Plot John and Mary rely on rail transit but face challenges with the current services provided. Each character represents the two publics SWOTA seeks to reach. John is a young student burdened with loans and unable to afford a car. Mary represents the senior citizen who desires travel and an active lifestyle but dislikes driving long distances. Improvements to rail services are engaged at the political level. We see the benefits improving the system when John and Mary’s are using the new High-Speed Rail (HPR) system.

Conflict The conflict is a combination of ‘man v. society’ and ‘man v. government’. Society’s engrained preference of highways over railways makes John and Mary’s reliance on VIA a challenge. Each character is also in conflict with their governments to meet the demand for better alternative transportation services. On a daily level, John and Mary struggle with infrequent departure times, overcrowding, poorly maintained stations and uncoordination between rail systems and local transit.

Story Script & Screenshots

Scene i: Introduction

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Scene ii:

Narrator: “Meet John. John is a young student who is used to taking the train to get around. John is environmentally conscious, forward thinking and economical. Sure a car would be nice, but John has debts, and deadlines. “

Scene iii:

Narrator: “Exams are through and John is on his way home- almost. Here at the VIA Station things are overcrowding and departures are being delayed. People are not happy.”

Scene iv:

Narrator: “Meet Mary. Mary is a retired nurse living in rural Ontario. Mary values an active lifestyle and has always prefered traveling long distances by rail rather than by car. “

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Scene v:

Narrator: “Over the last twenty years Mary has found it increasingly difficult to travel by rail. Her town’s station is outdated and poorly maintained.”

Scene vi:

Narrator: “One-day John and Mary’s paths collide. As usual, transit buses are not working with train schedules and they are stuck waiting for a connection. John and Mary know something must be done.”

Scene vii:

Narrator: “John and Mary found SWOTA.”

Mary: “SWOTA understands our concerns. They want to connect Ontario and deliver real change at the political level.”

Narrator: “Together, John and Mary joined the fight to get Ontario rolling. “

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Scene viii. Narrator: “In a not so distant future- At last John and Mary are able to enjoy a new, lightening fast, and economically superior rail system that meets their needs. Let’s make this dream a reality. Join the fight and visit our Website and Like Us on Facebook.

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Documents

SWOTA Social Media Report