Social Media Boot CampPart I

Paula Guthat - Communications SpecialistShiba Palmer – Web Information Specialist

University of Detroit MercyMarketing & Public Affairs

Summary

• Why …• do social media?• pick the channels specifically for your institution?• plan before you start?• Develop a social media policy?

• How we did it

• What we now have• UDM Social Media Outlets / examples• UDM Social Media Policy

• Questions / Answers

Why … do social media?

• Choosing specific channels allows to target those who are the most interested in your offerings. • Traditional undergrads• Transfer/returning students• Specific programs

This includes joining & participating on a few social media sites yourself.

Why … pick the channels specifically for your institution?

Why … plan before you start?

• Avoid the wasted time and effort • useless content that does not draw followers• “scope creep” = unused/un-followed outlets • inconsistent designs/content incongruent with

marketing strategy• “cat herding” across your institution

• “Any publicity is NOT good publicity”• Social media can hurt your institution

• Example – “… you know how Detroit is …”

• Your audience and critics are watching – use your PR policy

Why … Develop a social media policy?

• Organizations in your institution will need a “cheat sheets” to work from for adding content/outlets• You can’t use your outlets for everything• Not every outlet developed at the institution is of the

institution• Your workforce will not be in your office at all times

• Situations will arise that need a written document to resolve

• Followers/outside entities will need to be addressed in a consistent manner

• Boards/Deans/Administrators will need justification for funding

Listening & research

What people are saying about:• Your institution• Specific topics• Prominent alumni• Community• Education in the region• The competition

How we did it … Twitter

• Listen first…then jump in!

• Short & sweet updates…140 characters

• Link to = more info, pictures, video

• Join and start conversations

• Re-tweet (RT) relevant or interesting info

How we did it … YouTube

• Opened account with a UDM specific email address (Gmail)

• Asked all organizations/schools/etc. to send videos to a central department • Initial plea and

throughout the year

• Reviewed all videos for content/policy/style standards

How we did it … YouTube

• Placed videos on the site in appropriate order and “playlists” (http://www.youtube.com/UDMDetroit)

• Placed embeds of videos around the UDM web site (http://www.udmercy.edu/slo/)

• Monitor views and comments

How we did it … Blogs

• Cleaned out all old/used blogs on the institution servers (under the .udmercy web site)

• Created templates specific to UDM

• Contacted organizations/schools/etc. to secure topics and workforce - Initial plea and throughout the year

How we did it … Blogs

• Allowed blog admin access to workforce on a case-by-case basis

• Trained workforce at a central location (even if they say “I already know what to do”)

• Monitor views and comments http://blogs.udmercy.edu• Delete blogs as needed

How we did it … Facebook

• Created a page for UDM with the style guide established by Marketing (branding)• FBML for custom pages

• Contacted specific organizations at UDM (colleges/schools, admissions, Ministry, etc) to inform them that MPA would be creating FB pages for them.

• Created pages specific to UDM standards (social media policy)

How we did it … Facebook

• Allowed page admin access to workforce on a case-by-case basis

• Trained workforce at a central location (even if they say “I already know what to do”)

• Monitor views and comments

• Assist organizations creating official UDM pages

What we have … UDM Social Media

What we have … UDM Social Media

Ad in student newspaper Page in UDM Media Guide

What we have … UDM Social Media

Web contact card Postcard

What we have … UDM Social Media

High school visit poster

What we have … Social Media Policy

• What constitutes an official UDM social media outlet

• Lists of all official outlets, sorted by type

• Standards for electronic communication • Posting (tweets, blogs,

FB, etc.), commenting to posts

• Image, video and audio content

• Administer responsibilities / MPA rights for posting on organization outlets

What we have … Social Media Policy

• Technical standards for content (videos, audio, images)

• Workforce responsibility examples

• Posting Frequency Requirements

• Posting Timing Recommendations

• Policy for deleting unused, un-followed, and non-compliant outlets

Questions

?

Social Media Boot CampPart II

Paula Guthat - Communication SpecialistShiba Palmer – Web Information Specialist

University of Detroit MercyMarketing & Public Affairs

Summary

• Consistency

• Content

• Relationship Building

• Social Media Tools

• Cross-marketing

Summary

• Follow-through

• Analytics

• Our Social Media Future

• Questions / Answers

Consistency ... Posting Frequency

• Blogs – Daily/weekly schedule of posts (based on topics & number in workforce), consistently around institution year

• Facebook – Weekly schedule of one post each 2-3 days (with the exception of emergencies and important PR announcements

• YouTube – all events of importance (if possible) should be taped and placed on the site (never too many videos!!). Best Practice – tape events on a yearly basis and create playlists

• Twitter – Post at least three times per day – with caveats

Consistency ... Post Timing

• You’ll get a better response if you post when more of your followers, friends and fans are online.

• Twitter - http://www.whentotweet.com/

• Facebook & Blogs – Set a time frame and observe when most of the comments are made.

Consistency ... Workforce

• Two types• Within your central location

• Institution main Facebook page, YouTube, Twitter, etc• Assure marketing messages and handle

emergency/PR events• Adhering to post timing and frequency• Monitor all institution-wide outlets, comment on

postings from follower, if PR is needed• Institution-wide

• Blogs, videos to submit to central, official Facebook/Twitter pages

• Adhering to post timing and frequency

Social Media Tools

Hootsuite

Be a reporter for your institution

Relationship Building – Approach 1

Relationship Building – Approach 1

Relationship building – Approach 2

Cross marketing

Word of mouth

Cross marketing

Cross marketing

Cross marketing

Follow-through

Analytics - Facebook

Analytics - Hootsuite

Analytics - Klout

Profile

Score

Analytics – GoogleExample: Engineering & Science

Our Social Media Future

Our Social Media Future

• http://stories.twitter.com/

• Google+

• foursquare

• Quora

Questions

?http://www.udmercy.edu/mpa/plan/social_media/