Social Media Strategy(initial assessment of current digital presence)

Renee’ LeBouefCommunications Graduate Assistant

October 2012

Presence (as of 09/12)

Facebook: 230 followers● Inconsistent, bi-weekly posts of our events, occasional

mentions of community partners’ activities, first-person voice

Twitter: 195 followers● Extreme inconsistency (again), occasional retweets of

community eventsYouTube: 2 subscribers● features only one video created by a student on “What

Sustainable Carolina is,” funded by Magellan grant○ excellent content - just need more of it.

Facebook Strategy

Insights● Because we often have multiple, small-scale events

(garden workshops, guest speakers) in one week, posting reminders about these activities doesn’t leave much time for audience interaction.

● We lose followers when we post multiple times daily about upcoming events. Students don’t want their news feeds cluttered with event promotion - but they do want:

○ helpful tips on easy ways to live sustainably○ fun, interesting facts about Green Quad (anything

that gives that “wow” factor)○ Info on green resources within the university and

greater Columbia community○ Insight into our projects and our teams to

understand exactly who we are, what we do and why we care

Solutions● Make us relatable by featuring staff spotlights, “behind

the scenes” candids and other consistent programs● Schedule weekly “Did You Know?” posts about Green

Quad’s offerings and history● Female students far more engaged than male students -

leverage this strength by featuring sustainability-related “pins” from Pinterest

TwitterInsights

● Focus group results: students are more likely to attend on-campus events they read about in real time on their feeds; too much advanced notice deters interest

● Use this medium for live tweeting, featuring action shots from events and encouraging followers to use specific hashtags during biggest events

○ #SustainabilityWeek, #EarthWeek, #ReclaimedRunway

● Engagement is KEY - must maintain an existing link to our brand in memory

● Continual re-tweeting from partner organizations (EcoReps, Green Quad)

Instagram● We have a unique advantage in our community gardens - perfect content

for a purely visual medium that’s trending among our target● Platform will be used to:

○ Feature what’s growing in the garden○ Post best shots from our most successful events, such as Reclaimed

Runway and Grassroots Yoga○ Engage with current #UofSC Instagram initiatives (“photo a day”

challenge, No Limits campaign)

Pinterest● Through a series of intercept interviews with female Green Quad

residents, 100% of respondents reported having a Pinterest account they actively use

● Creation of a Pinterest account allows for recycling of content posted to Facebook and Twitter○ Easy to follow other “green” boards and repin on a regular

basis; takes no more than 1 hour/day to maintain pins○ crafts, recipes, health tips + stress relief all excellent for a

female dominant audience

Organic Follower Increase:09/12-10/12

Medium September 2012 October 2012 Increase

Facebook 230 followers 770 followers 234.8%

Twitter 195 followers 540 followers 176.9%

Instagram n/a 100 followers

Pinterest n/a 100 followers

Continuing to evaluate success● Facebook insights: provides virtually all engagement metrics necessary to

determine message reach○ Page “Likes,” number of comments, shares and post reach over time

● Twitter: HootSuite analytics

Source: Facebook Insights

Future ImprovementsYouTube

● Post recordings of leadership workshops so staff members who are unable to attend may view at a later date (“private” setting, giving interns access to content)

● Feature comprehensive wrap-up videos of week-long student engagement opportunities (Earth Week, Sustainability Week)

○ Create a video manager position for a marketing team intern; responsible for editing raw video and combining with student interviews at events to craft compelling stories