Social Media PlanIntroduction

The University of Oregon Alumni Association is a central hub in keeping the U of O alumni connected to their Alma matter; however, they have had extreme difficulty in getting andmaintaining their target audience. Currently, the majority of their members that join or renew fall in the 40 to 60-year-old age range, but it is the 20 to 30-year-olds that tend to be the most active in chapter events even if they aren’t members. If a solution isn’t figured out soon, it is estimated that the association could be gone in three years. Finding a way to connect more with their target audience of recent grads would be a great first step in saving the community of alumni of a school rich in tradition. Currently, the UOAA is involved in various social media platforms such as: Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, Flicker, and Linked In. Facebook and Twitter are a must for any strong brand trying to connect and interact with their audience. While flicker is a great place for sharing photos, this can be done through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, a medium the UOAA is not currently involved in.

The same goes for You Tube. You Tube is an excellent place to express yourself, however, when you only have two videos of your own and the rest are from others, there is really no need to be a part of it. The UOAA would be better served in having a Tumblr, posting photos and videos there, and having short posts about them. Linked In is a very smart tool for the Alumni Association to be involved in. The UOAA’s target audience of recent grads are looking for jobs, internships, or even just to meet professionals in their field to gain that connection. It is not the sole responsibility of the Association to connect people, but it is their responsibility to supply the tools needed to do so.

Our recommendation for the University of Oregon Alumni Association is to be involved in Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram. Currently these are the most popular tools being used among youth and their target audience. Facebook and Twitter are great tools for two-way communication and Tumblr is an excellent resource to write more in-depth about current happenings, events they’ve been involved in, as well as just sharing more interests and values the brand shares. With Facebook’s recent purchase of Instagram, there is no reason to not be using it in replacement to flicker.

What and WhoWith an apparent disconnect between the UOAA and its target audience, there needs to be a change in the way the Alumni Association communicates with these recent grads. The UOAA needs to build relationships with the students at the University of Oregon so that when it is time to walk across the stage and towards their future, the Alumni Association is the first stop on their way out.

Our primary target audience is recent grads between the ages 22 and 26. They are either in their last year of college or have been out for a few years and are having difficulty finding a job or possibly are just looking to expand their professional network. In the job market today, having a large professional network can be your most valuable asset. Facebook and Twitter are clearly the two most popular media platforms students spend their time on; however, Instagram, a photo oriented platform, has blown up recently. Photos are an excellent way to connect with people. Rather than always having to say something or ask a question to get a response, posting pictures is a great way to show what your brand is all about. Students love looking at photos to see what their friends and even the brands they like are up to. Cliché or not, photos really are worth 1000 words.

Having a Tumblr is another great tool for blogging. There are others out there such as Wordpress and Blogger, however, for our target audience Tumblr is the most popular tool. Having a blog allows you to actually talk about what is going on with the Alumni Association, such as any stories of people getting jobs or events that are being held. Facebook and Twitter are great to talk with your audience, but having a blog allows you to share the real stories and values your brand has.

Connecting with our audience is the first step to showing that the Alumni Association is not just an organization that you sign up for to get called and asked for donations. It is an organization that wants to help students discover the unknown connections they already have so they can have an easier transition from school to the professional world.

The University of Oregon Alumni Association will use the social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr to show recent graduates that they are not about the donations, but about helping Oregon grads discover the unknown connections they already have.

1. A great tool to engage in two-way communication with your target audience as well as letting them know about opportunities.

2. At least one relative post per week that will connect and engage with the target audience. If asked a question make sure everyone gets a response in a timely manner.

3. Success will be determined by how many people engage with you, you respond to everyone that has had a negative experience or thank some of those for the positive feedback, likes grow to 5,500 by start of spring 2013.

1. Some people hate looking at everything on Facebook and prefer the simplicity of Twitter to communicate with others and keep up with their favorite brands.

2. Follow 25 influencers pertinent to the UOAA that you don’t already follow. Engage in conversations with influencers about theirs and your values. Tweet relevant things such as job post-ings and or topics the UOAA has an interest in. 3-4 tweets per day. Be interesting.

3. Success will be determined by the number of quality relationships established, becoming more engaged and interesting, increasing followers to 2,000 by spring 2013.

1. The constant adjusting to the Facebook layout has become annoying to many users. Plus, some people just don’t particularly enjoy reading what others are complaining about today. People like looking at photos and Instagram has made it even more fun giving users vintage filters to enhance their photos.

2. Create an Instagram account. Follow 25 influencers connected to the U of O. Post at least one share worthy photo a week.

3. Success will be evaluated on content shared, people engaging with you, gaining 300 followers by spring 2013.

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Integration

1. While Facebook and Twitter are great two-way communication tools, Tumblr is a excellent way to share stories and expand on their thoughts about things that interest them.

2. Create a Tumblr account. Follow 25 influencers connected to U of O. Engage with the influencers. At least two relevant blog posts a month.

3. Success is determined by the content shared, followers liking, reblogging or responding to posts, and 3,000 followers by spring 2013.

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