Communications designer Andy Cutler explores the questions why and what engagement can mean to those venturing into the world of social media. Presentation given at 501 Tech Club RI at the RI Foundation (June 14, 2013).
Rethinking Your Approach to Social Media...and Life
1. Your Approach to Social Media…and
Life
Andy Cutler
@andypvd
@OurPVD, #OurPVD
#SmallerCitiesUnite
RETHINKING
2.
3. Blah, Blah, Blah
O Active registered Twitter users: 545.75 Million
O Percent of Twitter users using their phone to tweet:
43%
O Percent of people who don’t tweet but watch other
people: 40%
O Number of tweets per second: 9,100
O Total number of Facebook users: 1.1 Billion
O Total number of Facebook mobile users: 750
Million
6. How Do You View Social Media?
“As a foundation, we’ve often used social media to
disseminate publications and lessons learned,
invite discussion on foundation topics, promote
open contests and let people know about grant
application deadlines. Our experience has
demonstrated that social media tools have been
powerful in pushing us to be more transparent.
It’s opened up new channels for participation and
feedback in our work.” – Knight Foundation, Aug.
2012
7.
8. Not enough time…
Not enough
resources…
Not enough people power…
Who really sees it…
Not a priority…
14. • Premier student-led design
conference in the world
• Now in its 6th
year
• Over 3,500 participants from 6
continents
• In 2012, students from 32 colleges
and universities participated
• Twitter reach exceeded 1 million
people in 2012 (Source: Socialping)
• Worldwide media coverage
• Advertising budget = $0
19. My “Birthday Challenge”: June 11
OK....would like to try a little experiment. In lieu of
the traditional (and yes, somewhat gratuitous)
birthday wishes tomorrow, I was wondering if my
friends could instead share something awesome
they did that day (e.g., help an older lady across
the street, support a youth chess team from a poor
neighborhood, invest in an arts
organization/artist/event, caring for someone who
may be ill, supporting agents of change in your
community, etc.). Just to do one awesome thing
tomorrow for someone else and share that
instead, and that would be the greatest birthday
wish (or gift) you could bestow upon me. Thanks!
20.
21. What Time Is It?
O Facebook – between 10 am-4pm Monday thru
Thursday.
O Twitter – between 1pm-3pm Monday thru Thursday.
O LinkedIn – focus on posting before and after business
hours, 7 am-9 am and 5pm-6pm Tuesday thru
Thursday.
O Google+ – 9am-11am on workdays.
O Pinterest – This is the one social network you should
focus on posting during weekday evenings and on the
weekends. specifically 2pm to 4pm and 8pm to 1am on
weekdays. The best time to pin items on Pinterest is on
Saturday morning.
Sources: bitly, Masahble, Infographic Pics, Houston Chronicle/Small Business
Section, Elaine Fogel
23. Tracking Trends: 3 Step Process
1.Published Content
O Mashable, HuffPostTech, Smartbriefs, Google News
Alerts, Slideshare
1.Virtual Tools
O Tweetdeck/HootSuite (Follow #socialmedia)
1.Learn from others (in real/virtual worlds)
O #EdChatRI, EdTechRI, #Learning401, Linkedin
Groups, Providence Geeks, PRISM, Founders League
Open Coffees
27. Just Remember…
O START by asking the question Why?
O COMMIT to building authentic and genuine relationships
O LEVERAGE social media as a tool to sustain/grow existing relationships (and in
creating new ones)
O KEEP up with trends/new developments
O WRITE (and develop) compelling content that inspires, catalyzes and mobilizes
individuals/groups (e.g., infographics)
O CREATE an active ambassadorial approach to your community
O TAKE curating seriously
O THINK about engagement…always!
28. Social Media: Be on Your Best Behavior
“If this is your husband, I have endured
a 2 hour train ride from Philadelphia
listening to this loser and his friends
brag about their multiple affairs and
how their wives are too stupid to catch
on. Oh please repost …”
168,078 shares
Notas del editor
So much of who we are and how we behave in the social media universe is a reflection of our true selves (both as individuals and organizations). Today, I want to focus on two specific areas: The most important question you should be asking yourselves & the importance of engagement. These lessons are as much about life and community stewardship as they are about social media.
It begins with you getting in a different mindset (as Apple says)
Not here to talk about this today! Stats are not ALWAYS the most important thing! Knowing them is fine (even helpful to a degree) but NEVER be a slave to them!
Why is the most honest and truthful question you can ask yourself…and affords you the opportunity to establish commitment (not just for social media but for other organizational priorities as well). It’s a simple question, but one that that has to be allowed to be asked
Taking WHY? seriously opens up the door to WHAT IF….?
Mature perspective on the use of leveraging social media! Not about the #’s!
… .but having that approach allows for creating new (types) of conversations, collaboration, connections, and extension/expansion/inclusion of community….
These are the most common excuses I hear on why people are not “getting in the social media game”
It seems overwhelming! I get it!
Periodic table of me. People/organizations “misuse” social media platforms by concentrating solely on themselves!
Through a multi-step process, the Pew Research Center identified 172 digital nonprofit news outlets that launched since 1987. The sites identified here range from the nationally known to the hyperlocal. Their editorial focus includes everything from investigative reporting to coverage of health and the environment.
Case study in mobilizing a community to support, endorse and help a local small business struggling with zoning issues and an extremely small group of people fighting their right to take over an abandoned gas station to create an urban farming retail outlet; ALSO, great example of how mobilizing and catalyzing can lead to ambassadors staging crowdfunding campaign on their behalf raising ~$10,000 to offset legal and other costs!
Built relationships with over 50 leaders in Copenhagen (initiated solely by social media); media attention also initiated by social media.
Yielded 140 digital assets in its first attempt at a contest such as this with its constituency.
Recently coordinated a group of local social media mavens to gather for a session on promoting all things positive about Providence….the idea led to the session…which led to the Twitter hashtag….which led to the Twitter handle…which led to a new movement about promoting the place live, work, and for many of us, love! Each community NEEDS digital archivists to document and tell the story of what is happening there!
Marriage Equality movement in RI; social media was an integral part of their campaign; who could forget Matthew Lannon’s testimony video (his testimony went viral being picked up by Salon and Huffington Post; his Providence Journal video of his testimony receiving over 108,000 views); use of infographics, Twitter, Facebook was key!
EXPERIMENT WITH HAVING FUN AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE! We can all be ambassadors for good will….My birthday challenge on FACEBOOK yielded 50 people posting/sharing, sending me personal emails about their awesome deeds from one day (helping elderly into their cars, donating $ to local non-profits, donating blood, picking up trash on their street, BUYING COFFEE FOR PEOPLE BEHIND THEM IN LINE). Never underestimate the power of inspiration!
Let’s talk a little about trends and timing…
Science of timing has sprung out of social media. To some degree it is changing, too. You should know when highest traffic times are. Timing out tweets=good idea! By tweeting or posting using a link shortener, such as ow.ly or bit.ly, enables you to track how many times someone clicks on a link you shared. For posting on Google+, Timing+ is a very valuable tool. Timing + analyzes your historical post data to determine what time of day has the most potential for your posts to have the greatest impact.
So, how do you keep up with tech and social media trends? Good question.
Facebook using hashtags (this week) to Twitter expanding the number of lists and how many people you can have on them; trends and progress are constant; it would serve you well to keep up. Here are some tips on how to do it.
Meetup.com; at least 16 tech Meetup groups in Providence alone
Ever notice how kids can make friends with anyone; but as we get older we tend to be more reticent about making new friends! That’s a shame! We forfeit not only new relationships, but opportunities, with that mindset.
Be on your best behavior in the real world so virtual one doesn’t come back to bite you!
Never forget to be your best….each and every day, in the real and virtual worlds!