fundamentals of social media

Melanie Parlette-Stewart

Blended Learning Librarian, University of Guelph

@melanie_sarah_ /melanieparlettestewart.com

Today’s Conversation

• Why social media?

• The numbers

• Building a brand

• Tools: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, Blogging

• Analytics: Measuring your success

• Best Practices

• Risk Management

• Strategy

• Privacy

• Accessibility

VIDEO: The Social Media

Revolution 2015

Recognition

Online Identity

Increase Traffic

Social Listening

Deeper Experiences

top tips

• Have a website? Create posts with links to drive traffic to your website.

• Videos and photos get more attention.

• Try sharing images of your product or images of your customers engaging with your product.

• Shorter is better. Posts should be a maximum of 250 characters.

• Aim for conversation. Ask for feedback and listen.

• Be timely. Think about holidays or current events.

• Make sure to include the link in your post (try using a link shortener like bitly)

challenges + opportunities

• Facebook is beginning to use Search Engine Optimization.

• People don’t want to see posts that just promote a product or service.

• Cross post to other social media networks (i.e. Instagram)

• Pay Per Click

top tips

• Make sure your profile photo clearly associates you with your brand or the online persona you want to develop

• Include a bio

• Post a couple of tweets before you start to follow people

• Follow people

• People Search (search for specific people)

• Use a directory (wefollow, twello)

• Browse who other people follow

• Try not to use more than 2 hashtags per tweet

• #It #Can #Be #Annoying #When #Your #Tweet #Looks #Like #This

challenges + opportunities

• Engage with people

• Help others

• Tweetup (meet up / conversation on Twitter)

• Twitter can be overwhelming

top tips

• Engage with commenters

• Optimize images

• Name images strategically

• Promote your boards on other social media sites

• Use keywords for board titles

• Think seasonally / thematically

challenges + opportunities

• Brand authority

• Expand your reach

• Drive traffic to your site

top tips

• Customize your channel

• Subtitles

• Engage with users

• Be organized

• Tags

• Cross promote / Build mini-campaigns

challenges + opportunities

• YouTube Analytics

• Get feedback / demo

• Share knowledge / skills

• Budget / Skills

• Viral Videos

top tips

• You need a mobile device (smart phone, tablet) to upload to Instagram. The desktop site is only for browsing

• Tell a story

• Take advantage of both video (up to 9 seconds) and photos

• Connect with people’s emotions

• Images an make people happy and sad, etc.

• Share with other networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

• Follow other users

• Respond to comments

• Use hashtags (#)

• Check out complementary apps (Photo collages, etc.)

challenges + opportunities

• Hashtags

• Develop a brand identity

• Building community

top tips

• Have a voice

• Inspire conversation

• Don’t be a promotion pretending to be a post

• Use a variety of content types

• Text, interviews, podcasts, videos, infographics

• Choose a blogging tool that works for you

• WordPress.com, WordPress.org, Typepad, Blogger, etc.

challenges + opportunities

• Needs to be built into your content strategy / schedule

• Interlinking content

• Gain influence

• Drive more traffic to your website

• Take control of your online identity

• The Internet lives forever

BEST PRACTICES

FOR ENGAGEMENT

Methods for Engagement

Focus on your

audienceBe visual

Share interesting

contentBe current

Be human Shout-outsAsk

questionsCrowd source

HashtagsBe ready to

react

Best Practices

Don’t be one-sided

Follow back

Consistent voice / tone

Respond to both

negative and

positive feedback

CONTENT

MANAGEMENT

& ANALYTICS

Embedded Tools

• Likes and Shares

• Comparison to other Pages / Profiles

• Reputation

• Content

• Reporting

• Understanding value

DEVELOPING

A STRATEGY

Who is your audience?

Content Calendar

Schedule

your posts

Exposure

Visits

Views

Followers / Fans

Mentions

Influence

Share of conversation

Engagement

Clicks

Retweets / Shares

@Replies

Comments

Action

Downloads

Attendees

Leads

Sales

Interactions / General Interest

80%

Promotion20%

Be authentic.

Recite This

Pinwords

Someecards

Quozio

PicMonkey

Share as image

Optimize Content

• Image size

• Optimize your profile photo, header/cover photos, shared images and more

• Try: Always Up-to-Date Guide to Social Media Image Sizes

• Character count

• Media Length

RISK

MANAGEMENT

Uh oh…

• Damage to reputation

• Confidential information

• Identity theft / hacking

• Policies and procedures

• Be open and honest

• Be timely

PRIVACY

Privacy for You / Others

• Policies

• Too Much Information (TMI)

• Customize your privacy options

• Plug-ins and applications

ACCESSIBILITY

Accessibility Best Practices

• Complete detailed profiles including other ways of contacting you to provide easy access to more information

• Provide captions for any photos you post

• Provide access to full video transcripts and use captioning

• Aim for good colour contrast

• Put hashtags and @mentions at the end of posts to make it easier on screen readers

Douglas Coupland, Slogans for the Twenty-First Century

Further Reading / Sources

• The Top 10 Benefits Of Social Media Marketing (Forbes)

• Canadian Digital, Social and Mobile Statistics on a Global Scale 2014

• Facebook Terminology

• 10 tips to creating engaging Page posts

• Create your Twitter Content Strategy

• 26 Creative Ways to Publish Social Media Updates

• All About Pinterest

• Infographic: The optimal length for social media updates and more

• Canadian Internet Registration Authority: The Canadian Internet Fact Book

• YouTube Glossary

• Douglas Coupland, Slogans for the Twenty-First Century

• Golden Rules of Social Media Accessibility

• Top 10 Social Media Blogs

• 7 Tips for Upping Your Social Media Game in 2015 (Time Magazine)

• The Minimalist Guide to Personal Branding on Social Media

• Conversation Prism

Photo/Video Credits

• hipster office desktop 3.0 - Photo: Markus Spiske / raumrot.com

• Lights - Photo: Markus Spiske / raumrot.com

• Video: The Social Media Revolution 2015

• Facebook

• Twitter

• Pinterest

• YouTube

• Instagram

• Blogging Gideon Burton Blogging Street Cred

• Office desk - Photo: Markus Spiske / raumrot.com

• polaroid 635 supercolor - Photo: Markus Spiske / raumrot.com

• Closed doors - Photo: Markus Spiske / raumrot.com

• Conversation Prism

Editorial Calendars

• Scraps of My Geek Life - 2015 Editorial Calendar Template Download

• Early Bird Strategy: 2015 EDITORIAL CALENDAR TEMPLATE

• CoSchedule (online/paid)