introduction to

Introduction toSocial Media

Richard Roaf Ecodemia

RESOLVE

1. Why is Social Media Important?What is it? Why is it important for SD & academics?

How are other academics using it?

2. How could RESOLVE use it?What do you want to communicate to who?

Steps to creating a strategy

3. Next Steps

Introduction toSocial Media Agenda

Background

What issocial media?

• Blogs

• Microblogs

• Social Networking

• Multimedia Websites

• Social Bookmarking

Popularity• Grown by 340% in 3 years in UK• Youtube videos are watched 2 billion

times per day• There are 500 million active users on

Facebook• Every week 3.5 billion pieces of content

are shared just on Facebook• 6 million new users join Twitter each

month

Demographics

The average social network user is 37 years

old.

The average Twitter user is 39 years old.

The average Facebook user is 38 years

old.

• Must engage the public with research on sustainable development

• Mainstream media is failing to do this

• Peer influence is crucial

• Social media connects positive greens to rest of population through weak ties

Social media andsustainable development

• Allows you to use creativity

• Spoonful of sugar approach

• Allows for engagement

• Creates a two way dialogue

Social media andsustainable development

Social media &

Results of Pilot Study published last week

“Reach and Significance”

• Set to become more important

• Sixth formers are very active online

• Can present the department as more exciting, interesting, relevant

• Engaging with potential students is crucial

Attractingstudents

Martyn Poliakoff

“Particularly impressive was a presentation describing online outreach including a "You Tube" video on the periodic table of the elements that has already received greater than a million "hits" worldwide. ”

Chemistry for the Next Decade and Beyond

EPSRC

BlogsRapidly increasing number of academic

blogsBuilds on academics existing competenciesBeing personalAvoid text overloadhttp://startswithabang.com/Can cross-post

How are otheracademics using it?

Youtube

Lots of lectures

Easier than ever to make videos

Important to be creative and different

RSA Animate


Facebook

Great way to disseminate content

Can be used to share anything

Must initially recruit followers

Stanford University


Twitter

Short posts used to share links and news

Increasing number of academics using it

Lots of funding councils & related bodies

Recruit followers by becoming one


Best Practice

• Use an integrated approach

• Help people climb the content ladder

• Be personal

• Take part in conversations

• Be different


Integrated approach

Use a content platform and a distribution

platform

e.g.

Youtube & Facebook

Blog & Twitter


Social Mediaconcerns

Getting started withsocial media

3 Stage Process• Clarify your purpose• Getting started• Participation and review


I. Clarify your purposeSharing what with who?Assess your resourcesSurvey the landscapeWhat does success look like?Establish guidelines

II. Getting StartedChoose platformsStart creating contentPromote

III. Participate & ReviewParticipateMonitorReview


I. Clarify your purpose

Sharing what with who?Assess your resourcesSurvey the landscapeEstablish guidelinesWhat does success look like?

I. Clarify your purposeSharing what with who?

• What research do you want to share?• What could be of value to people?


Who could benefit from engaging with your research?

• NGOs• Government departments• Local government• Schools• Community groups• Online groups• Members of the public (which ones)


Getting started withsocial mediaI. Clarify your purposeAssess your resources• Staff members• PHD students• Undergraduates• University communications team• University IT staff• People like me

How much time do they have?

How much interest do they have?

What skills do they have?

Getting started withsocial mediaI. Clarify your purposeSurvey the landscape

• What are other people saying about this?• Where are they saying it?• List the topics and sites that are relevant

to you• Where possible assess popularitye.g. number of followers


I. Clarify your purposeWhat does success look like?

A large number of hits?A significant engagement with a few

peopleTargeting the right people


I. Clarify your purposeEstablish Guidelines

• Encourages a consistent presence

• Helps those who aren’t savvy

• See Vanderbilt University Best Practice


I. Clarify your purposeEstablish Guidelines Vanderbilt University Best Practice

Getting started withsocial mediaII. Getting Started

Choose platformsStart creating contentPromote

Getting started withsocial mediaII. Getting StartedChoose platforms• Where are your audience?• What will compliment your research• What is realistic• Think about where you will:

A) Host content

B) Share content

Chooseplatforms

• Blogs

• Microblogs

• Social Networking

• Multimedia Websites


II. Getting StartedStart creating content

• Just do it

• Begin with your audience in mind

• Create a rough content timeline

• Don’t expect fireworks to begin with


II. Getting StartedPromoteAvoid the field of dreams fallacy:

“If you build it they will come”Use your real life social networksDepartmental mailing listsLecturesOther online sites


III. Participate & ReviewParticipate

• Interact with your community

• Be part of the conversation

• Develop relationships

Getting started withsocial mediaIII. Participate & ReviewMonitor statistics and feedback

Facebook: Number of likes, comments

Online video: Views, subscribers demographics, comments

Twitter: Number of followers, retweets

Blogs: Number of views, comments, engagement

Getting started withsocial mediaIII. Participate & ReviewReview

• What worked for the audience?

Look at comments and statistics

Encourage honest feedback from target audience

• What worked for you?

How time intensive was it?

Future ofEcodemia

Have received a lot of interest

Need to tap into budgets orfunding

Currently looking for leadingdepartments to work with

What are thenext steps?What will you do next?

References• Time Spent on Social Media has grown by 340% in 3 years in UK

• Youtube videos are watched 2 billion times per day. Source: http://www.youtube.com/t/fact_sheet

• There are 500 million active users on Facebook. Source: Wikipedia

• Every week 3.5 billion pieces of content are shared just on Facebook Source: Facebook Factbook – visualisation produced for Facebook’s 6th birthday

• 6 million new users join Twitter each month. http://www.hubspot.com/blog/bid/5503/HubSpot-Releases-Third-State-of-the-Twittersphere-Report-SOTwitter

• Demographics http://royal.pingdom.com/2010/02/16/study-ages-of-social-network-users/

• Vanderbilt Social Media Guidelines http://www.vanderbilt.edu/publicaffairs/webcomm/vu-resources/social-media-handbook/appendix-a/

http://www.youtube.com/t/fact_sheet

http://www.hubspot.com/blog/bid/5503/HubSpot-Releases-Third-State-of-the-Twittersphere-Report-SOTwitter

http://www.hubspot.com/blog/bid/5503/HubSpot-Releases-Third-State-of-the-Twittersphere-Report-SOTwitter

http://royal.pingdom.com/2010/02/16/study-ages-of-social-network-users/

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/publicaffairs/webcomm/vu-resources/social-media-handbook/appendix-a/

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/publicaffairs/webcomm/vu-resources/social-media-handbook/appendix-a/

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