This document discusses developing a digital engagement strategy focused on recruiting influential alumni, parents, and friends as "digital influencers" to promote the University of Virginia's engagement and giving programs online. It proposes identifying the top 500-1,000 digital influencers, cultivating relationships with them, and directing web traffic to UVa sites by having influencers share content on social media. Measuring an influencer's reach, resonance, and relevance would determine their potential impact. The strategy would require resources to manage content acquisition, cultivate influencer relationships, and maintain the UVA Global Network website. Success would be measured by digital interactions like content shared, comments, and registrations for online events.

1. Digital Engagement for Our Wildest Dreams
Big Questions: Who are the alumni, parents and friends “influencers”
in the digital space? Who are the most influential 500? Where can we
meet them on the web?

2. Recruit Influencers to be U.Va. Brand Advocates
Digital Influencers are:
-Established professionals
-Journalists, Marketers, Advertisers and
Entrepreneurs
-Thought Leaders in their Industry and/or social
network
-Producing and sharing web content
(photos, videos, editorials)
Digital Influencers want:
-Visibility and Web Traffic to Valued Endeavors
- To Be a Public Person
-New Business Opportunities
-Establish a Personal Brand
Big Question: Who are our top 500 digital influencers?
Top 1,000?

3. Big Questions: How can Erin Levin help positively impact
participation in Engagement & Annual Giving programs/initiatives?

4. Digital Influencers Can Help Drive Web Traffic
Erin Levin is key
influencer and can
therefore:
- Create and share new
content and get people
to see it
- Generate buzz and
excitement
- Exert a voice that
resonates and causes
people to act
Big Questions: How is Erin connected within the U.Va.
community in Atlanta, both digitally and offline, including
the UVaClub events and activities?

5. Digital Influencers Have a Robust Network
Strategy: Develop relationships with
“Digital Influencers” and their
followers, then direct web traffic to
and from the UVA Global Network
website (all alumni sites) using
pictures, videos and editorials that
are shared on social media platforms
like Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter to
increase visibility of engagement and
giving initiatives.
Big Question: What will Digital Influencers be sharing?

6. How Do You Measure Digital Influence?
Ability to influence based on:
1) Reach: popularity,
proximity, goodwill
2) Resonance: frequency,
period, amplitude
3) Relevance: authority, trust,
affinity
Digital Influencers must decide whether a social
action adds or subtracts from their “social bank
account.”
Influence can be within a “Community at Large –
Social” or “Community of Focus – Interest.”
When maximized together,
Reach, Resonance and
Relevance combine to create
“social capital.” Social capital
(currency) is the catalyst for
influence.
Big Question: How do we foster relationships such that digital
influencers are compelled to share our content and spend their social
capital

7. Digital Influencers will Share Links, Pictures, Videos, &
Editorials to Content Important to U.Va.
http://alumni.virginia.edu/connect/young-alumnicouncil/giving-tuehoosday/

8. Digital Influencers Are Using the Web to Accomplish
Business & Professional Goals
Digital Influencers are the Center of
Attention and Attracted to Web Interactions
where there is a “Value Exchange”
She’ll want us to share…
Erin Levin (CLAS ‘07)
will want time spent on
digital engagement
efforts with U.Va. to help
accomplish her own
digital goals – personal
and professional.
or
Big Questions: Where does the value exchange take place?

9. Big Question: What are the resources needed to build and
maintain world class digital engagement program focused on
digital influencers?

10. Measuring Digital Engagement Through Interactions
All digital interactions added to Advance Web as a “registration”
1. Content Contributed by
Digital Influencers
2. Comments & Ratings
3. Registrations for Digital
Events
Big Question: What does the future look like?

11. Short Term: Resources Needed for
Digital Influencer Strategy
Position: Asst. Director of Digital Participation
-Manage content acquisition strategy from Digital Influencers
-Cultivate new relationships with top 200 Digital Influencers
-Create new resources to train users of UVA Global Network
website
-Build instructional tutorials like screencasts
-Host Webinars
-Plan and execute digital contests
-Host weekly web-based live programming
+ $15K /year to maintain world class web technology
Winning photo from recent
Instagram contest
-Equipment
-Programming and Development
-Update to Design and Layout
Big Question: How will digital engagement success be measured?

12. Beyond Digital Influencers:
Focus on Technology for Growth: 1-3 Year Plan of Attack
1. Develop comprehensive digital event
offering beginning March 2013 with HoosNext
Series: PhD talks (6), Senior Recitals (5)
2. Create and expand offering to 50 events per
year viewable on the “UVA Global Network”
channel, plus promotional content
3. Expansion of Professional Industry
Network program as bi-product of digital
event strategy
4. Allow digital influencers to host their own
programs on the UVA Global Network channel
5. Hire an “Associate Director of Live Digital
Events”

13. Final Thoughts
We know the market exists for digital events:
-Alumni Career Services “Friday Forum”
-7,000 Registrations for 9 events between Aug-Dec
-Sample of 700 individual registrants shows that 46%
have attended a UVaClub event
-Potential to show massive increase in participation
numbers
Digital content from 80+ contributors from around
the world representing multiple
race/ethnicity/backgrounds.
Digital Influencer strategy with formal expansion of
digital events represents 1st in the world opportunity
for U.Va. within higher ed.
Big Question: Do we want to be the best in the world?