Effective, Research-Based
Use of Social MediaEnhancing the Reach and Outcomes of
Child Welfare Programs
March 28, 2011
Presenters
AdoptUSKids
• Kathy Ledesma, National Project Director
• Stephanie Pettaway, National Recruitment Campaign Fulfillment Director
• Vanessa Casavant, Content Strategist for Electronic Media
Home Front Communications
• Carlos Roig, Senior Vice President, Digital Media
Who we are and what we do
Digital Media Strategy
Engaging audience and building community
Carlos Roig, Senior Vice President of Digital Media
What are social networks?
Main platforms
Why does this matter?
Huge audience
Conversations 24/7
Reach the target audience
Build a community of support
What you should do
Answer
Be a resource to families
Connect with the media
Be authentic
Learn and apply best practices
Ask
What you shouldn’t do
One-way monologue
Fail to respond to questions
Lack a pulse
Use only for campaign
Automate your content
Digital Media Strategy
Carlos RoigSVP, Digital Media Strategy
Home Front Communications
Twitter - @roigmedia
Using Social Media to
Engage and Support Families
What AdoptUSKids Has Learned
Kathy Ledesma, National Project Director
Stephanie Pettaway, National Recruitment Fulfillment Campaign Director
Vanessa Casavant, Content Strategist for Electronic Media
Where we started
Photolisting website• Launched in 2002
• More than 30,000 child registrations and
25,000 family registrations to date
• Active profiles at any given time are about
4,500 each for family and children
• Average of 5,000 people visit our site daily
• 15,500 previously photolisted children
now live with permanent families
How we grew
Expanding our tools to support our mission
This mission of AdoptUSKids is two-fold: to raise public awareness about the need for foster and
adoptive families for children in the public child welfare system; and to assist U.S. States, Territories
and Tribes to recruit and retain foster and adoptive families and connect them with children.
How we grew
Expanding our tools to support our mission
This mission of AdoptUSKids is two-fold: to raise public awareness about the need for foster and
adoptive families for children in the public child welfare system; and to assist U.S. States, Territories
and Tribes to recruit and retain foster and adoptive families and connect them with children.
How we grew
Expanding our tools to support our mission
This mission of AdoptUSKids is two-fold: to raise public awareness about the need for foster and
adoptive families for children in the public child welfare system; and to assist U.S. States, Territories
and Tribes to recruit and retain foster and adoptive families and connect them with children.
How we grew
Expanding our tools to support our mission
This mission of AdoptUSKids is two-fold: to raise public awareness about the need for foster and
adoptive families for children in the public child welfare system; and to assist U.S. States, Territories
and Tribes to recruit and retain foster and adoptive families and connect them with children.
How we grew
Expanding our tools to support our mission
This mission of AdoptUSKids is two-fold: to raise public awareness about the need for foster and
adoptive families for children in the public child welfare system; and to assist U.S. States, Territories
and Tribes to recruit and retain foster and adoptive families and connect them with children.
How we grew
Expanding our tools to support our mission
Television
Radio
Ad Council
PSA CampaignAdoptUSKids Website
How we grew
Expanding our tools to support our mission
Television
Radio
Online
Ad Council
PSA CampaignAdoptUSKids Website
How we grew
Expanding our tools to support our mission
Email Campaigns
Find a Family
• Goes to 10,205 child welfare
workers every month
• Purpose is to build
trust, awareness and usage
of our website by
highlighting home
studied, licensed families
How we grew
Expanding our tools to support our mission
Email Campaigns
Building Families
• Goes to 53,018 families
every month
• Purpose is to build
trust, awareness, and usage
of our website by sharing
success
stories, tips, photolisted
children, and information
about foster care and
adoption
How we grew
Expanding our tools to support our mission
Email Campaigns
E-Notes
• Goes to 450 child welfare
workers every month
• Purpose is to share policy
and practice tips related to
recruitment and retention
How we grew
Expanding our tools to support our mission
Email Campaigns
Monday Morning Memo
• Goes to 169 stakeholders of
AdoptUSKids every month
• Purpose is to share
initiatives and outcomes of
the project
How we grew
Expanding our tools to support our mission
AdoptUSKids Audience
How we grew
Expanding our tools to support our mission
AdoptUSKids Audience
Social Media
Outreach
+
Customer Service
Where do we start?
Where do we start?
What we learned
What we learned
Know your medium
• Blogs engage the public, but aren’t the best
choice for having a discussion with your audience
• The conversation is non-linear, fast and very
difficult to monitor
What we learned
1. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
2. Develop a clear communications strategy and the
goals you want to achieve.
3. Outline rules of engagement for using social
media to engage the public.
4. Pick the medium with tools that are right for you.
Key Lessons
What we learned
1. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
2. Develop a clear communications
strategy and the goals you want to
achieve.
3. Outline rules of engagement for using social
media to engage the public.
4. Pick the medium with tools that are right for you.
Key Lessons
Our social media tools
Engaging the public
Social media is a place to listen
Engaging the public
Social media is a place to listen
Engaging the public
Social media is a place to provide support
Twitter Facebook
Engaging the public
Social media is community building
Worker to FamilyFamily to Family
Engaging the public
Social media is a place for recruitment
Featured Child Stats
• 715 children featured since 2003
• 449 have been placed
• 59 have pending placements
• Profile views jump from 20 to 873 the week a
child is featured
• Sibling profile views jump from 67 to 759 the
week they are featured
Engaging the public
Social media is a place for outreach
Twitter Q&A Sessions
• Hosted six one-hour Q&A sessions
• More than 100 participants for each
session
• Generated more than 1,200 page
views of AdoptUSKids’ website
• 5,411 tweets in total mentioned
#adoptuskids
Engaging the public
Social media is a place for information sharing
Engaging the public
Social media is a place for information sharing
Rules of engagement
• Know the tone and personality AdoptUSKids wants to project to our audience.
• Monitor and contribute to the discussion by providing proactive customer service and telling our
story in a way that builds trust and reassurance.
• Know the lingo and culture of the online community you’re in.
• When in doubt on how to respond or if a comment should be removed, check with
AdoptUSKids supervisors and/or the Children’s Bureau.
• Keep our online communities an inviting place for exchanging ideas, tips and encouragement
by posting regularly (what is considered regularly is defined by the medium).
• Learn from others, both inside and outside of the child welfare industry, on new ways to
successfully use social media.
It’s simple really … just use common sense
AdoptUSKids Audience
Social Media
Outreach
+
Customer Service
Measuring engagement
Analytics help target your message
AdoptUSKids Audience
Waiting Families
Measuring engagement
Analytics help target your message
AdoptUSKids Audience
New to Adoption
Measuring engagement
Analytics help target your message
Measuring engagement
What type of content is your audience after?
Google Analytics Integration
Measuring engagement
Facebook Insights
Who are your fans and where do they come from?
What days of the week are best for posting?
Measuring engagement
Twitter Tools
Are you influential where it matters? (Klout)
Who’s listening and engaging? (Twitter Analyzer)
What messaging is working best for you? (Tweet Effect)
Measuring engagement
Twitter Tools
Managing engagement
Managing engagement
Managing engagement
Next steps
Incorporating social media into our website
Next steps
• 34.7% of respondents said they use social media for professional
purposes
• 58.6% of respondents said they would use social media for adoptive
recruitment purposes if they had access to it at work
• One of the top barriers to using social media was identified as not feeling
comfortable or skilled in how to use it
Helping States, Territories and Tribes
AdoptUSKids survey of child welfare professionals found:
How to Request T/TA
Building your social media strategy
National Resource Center for the Recruitment and Retention of Foster
and Adoptive Parents at AdoptUSKids (NRCRRFAP)
How to access our T/TA services :
• Online at http://adoptuskids.org/nrc-recruitment
• Contact your ACF Regional Office staff to obtain approval
• Contact the center to discuss your needs by calling 1-800-451-5246 Ext. 241
Questions?
http://www.facebook.com/adoptuskids
http://twitter.com/adoptuskids
http://www.youtube.com/adoptuskids
Stephanie PettawayNational Recruitment Fulfillment
Campaign Director, AdoptUSKids
Kathy LedesmaNational Project Director
AdoptUSKids
Vanessa CasavantContent Strategist for Electronic Media
AdoptUSKids
Twitter - @vancasavant
Carlos RoigSVP, Digital Media Strategy
Home Front Communications
Twitter - @roigmedia