workshop: using the internet and social media to “gain and retain” vfc convention april 13, 2015...

Workshop: Using the Internet and Social Media to

“Gain and Retain”

VFC ConventionApril 13, 2015

By BJ Thomas McMillanVFC Membership Chair

WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?

• A platform to build social networks among people who share interests, activities, backgrounds or real-life connections.

• A means of SHARING – thoughts, news, photos, etc.

• A means of CONNECTING (or RE-CONNECTING) with family, friends, family and friends of your family and friends, strangers – and members of a group.

A social media site may be:

• Individual-centered -- the social action starts with one person and his/her profile – then fans out to his/her family and friends – and possibly their family and friends.

• Group/community centered -- individual taps into a pre-set group of like-minded persons (similar to what was called bulletin boards, listserv’s, or forums).

Social Media Sites May Allow Users To:

• Use tools to find people – or let people find you.• Share thoughts and news• Post photos/videos• Post articles/photos/videos from websites you

visit• Comment on the posts of others• Send private emails/messages• Engage in chats/IM (some w/live video)

So HOW Can Social Media Be Used to “Gain and Retain” Members?

• Post news of your Chapter, links to newsletter.• Alert members and potential members to

Chapter meetings and activities.• Post photos/videos of Chapter activities.• Post “clipped” articles – from NARFE HQ,

newspapers, other websites – of interest to Federal workers and retirees.

• Alert people when advocacy actions are needed.• Members and potential members can write

comments, ask questions – start a conversation.

Social Media Sites of Potential Interest for NARFE Chapters

• Networking:– Facebook – 1 billion users– Google Plus – 300 million users

• Visual bulletin board– Pinterest – 250 million users

• Short Messages– Twitter – 500 million users

Social Media Sites (cont.)

• Video: YouTube – 800 million users

• Blog: Blogger (owned by Google)

• Schedule Events: MeetUp

• Photo-mail: Instagram – 300 million users

Facebook

Can be set up as a Page or a Group• Page – One to many and many to one

– Can be set up as Regular, Community, or Non-profit/Organization

– Postings can be visible to public OR limited to members of an organization

– Regular Page – postings distributed to those the Chapter has approved as “friends”. Friends are shown on Chapter’s Page.

– Community/Organization Page - postings go to individuals who “like” your page.

Facebook (cont.)

• Group – Many to many

– Can be public, Secret (known only to members), or Closed (existence is public, but must be approved to view postings)

– Group members can submit comments, hold chats, collaborate on docs, issue invites to group events

Facebook Examples

• Regular Page: Las Cruces, NM Chapter

• Community Page: Colonial Beach; Peninsula

• Non-profit Page: NARFE Region X; Strawberry Chapter 1224 Plant City, FL

• Public Group: MD Chap 1888 White Oak

• Closed Group: MO Chap 1457 Lees Summit

Google Plus

• Google’s answer to Facebook – you receive the posts of people you “add” to your Circles. – Unlike Facebook, where you can

approve/decline “friend requests”, people can add you to their Circles without any approval.

• Examples:– Chapter 65 San Francisco– Federal Employee Benefits Coordinator

Best Uses: Facebook/ Google Plus

• Updating Chapter Members about Chapter meetings/activities – past and upcoming.

• Sharing photos of Chapter activities

• Republishing – and sharing with your “friends” -- info of importance to members – and potential members.

• Encouraging short comments – in response to postings.

Pinterest

• “Pin” good stuff you find on the Internet to boards. Can have separate boards with different themes/categories for each.– Ex: Create one board for Congressional actions,

another for your Chapters activities, etc.

• DEMO: YouTube video on Pinterest.• Linda McMillan’s site – her boards.• DEMO: How to “pin” an item.• Must find people to “follow” your boards.

Pinterest – Best Uses for NARFE Chapters

• “Pinning” and then “sharing” articles found on the Internet of interest to Federal employees and retirees. Ex: Articles from Washington Post, from Causey, from NARFE Hotlines, etc.

• Can also share photos/news of your Chapter

Twitter

• 140 character messages called “tweets”. (Can also embed photos, videos, and links to articles)

• Designed primarily for smart phones.• A substitute for email blasts.• Each new user is assigned an @name.

– In basic search, can find people only by their email addresses OR their Twitter @name.

• Tweets from users you follow will show up on your home page. Conversely, your tweets will show up at your followers’ home pages.

Twitter – How It Works

• You can follow people, companies, news entities, your Chapter, NARFE HQ, etc.– You may get emails for each Tweet you receive.

• Interesting tweets you receive can be re-tweeted to your followers.

• Tweets can be assigned a “#hashtag” – which is then used to collect together tweets – from anyone – on that same topic.

Twitter Examples

• NARFE HQ -- @narfehq

• NARFE NY Federation -- @narfeny

• Hashtag Federal Employee -- #federalemployee

Twitter – Best Uses for NARFE Chapters

• Quickly distribute info – via smart phones.

• Create hashtags for topics of importance to NARFE – and start a virtual discussion.

• Re-tweets: Chapter members following your tweets may “retweet” your info to potential NARFE members that you aren’t even aware of.

Blogs

• Blogger.com (Google) – others

• Can post extensive comments/thoughts about a topic – and encourage others to respond with their thoughts.

• Example: eChapter blog

Apps for Smart Phones/Tablets

• Many Social Media sites have versions designed for use with Smart Phones/Tablets

• Examples: Facebook, Twitter.

The UPSIDES of Using Social Media

• Reach younger members and potential members

• Better means of reaching out to unknown, potential members – than posting flyers.

• Can share important information:– more frequently -- than via a Chapter

newsletter– more easily – than blasting an email out to

individual members

The DOWNSIDES of Using Social Media

• Must find someone to create your Chapter’s “presence” on a site.

• Must create awareness of your site – and entice people to “friend”, “like”, “follow” your presence.– Can be difficult to FIND persons to invite to follow you.

• Need to update and refresh your Chapter’s presence. • May need to assign someone to respond to

comments/messages left by others.• May need to monitor for “undesirable” or embarrassing

content.• May get bombarded with emails – from sites you’ve

registered on.

TIPS

• When registering, think twice about providing accurate info – e.g., birthdate.

• Create a separate email account – and password -- for use in registering/creating social media accounts/profiles.

• May want to limit who can SEE or MAKE posts/comments.

• May want to limit who has “management” rights.• Use a “Dummies” or similar book as a manual. (Most

sites have skimpy/no manual.)• Ask for help/share advice – via the VANARFE

Membership Google group.

Cautions

• Can be huge privacy issues.– In who can find you or see your info– In what the site does with your info

• Can lead to spamming and phishing• May need to monitor your Chapter’s

“presence” for undesirable content (e.g. comments posted by others)

• Research the social media site before you join (news articles, Wikipedia, etc.)

Final Thought

• You can also use Google Sites to design and post a Website for your Chapter– Chapter 92 Montgomery, AL– sites.google.com/site/narfe92/

• Can also design and maintain a website through NARFE.org– BUT this website might not be found by

Search Engines