From the panel discussion "Where, Why, and How Harvard University Uses Social Media". Delivered by Perry Hewitt, Director of Digital Communications & Communication Services, on November 18th, 2009 in Lamont Library, Forum Room.

1. Harvard, Digital &
the Social Web
Perry Hewitt
perry_hewitt@harvard.edu

2. What’s digital communications?
 Based in Central Administration, as part of a new integrated
emphasis on digital and social communications and outreach
housed within Harvard Public Affairs & Communications
 Responsible for core web destinations (harvard.edu,
Gazette, president.harvard.edu,
commencement.harvard.edu) and development of outposts
 Goals include:
− Advance university-wide digital and social initiatives
− Provide guidelines, and act as a clearinghouse for best
practices and actionable research
(subscribe to PFE, not NIH)
2

3. What are some of the questions informing the
evolving digital communications approach?
 Who are the audiences we need to reach and how should
we think about them?
 What is the strategy we’ll pursue to get there?
 What are the core properties we can leverage?
 What are the vital partnerships for doing this — and how
does this re-shape how Harvard has traditionally thought
about partnering?
 How are social technologies changing traditional digital
communications?
3

4. So, what’s the strategy?
4

5. What about
the social web
"I'd just finished curating
my brand, so now I have to
spend hours repositioning
my presence!"
5

6. We all know the social web is big
More than 300M active users; 90M US
50% of active users log on to Facebook in any given day
The fastest growing demographic 35+
Estimated 20M active users; 5B tweets to date
Demographic shifting down in age
Over 1 billion views a day, or 11,574 views a second
Not to mention:
etc.
6

7. And it’s easy to lose perspective
plain old email
11.16.09 New Study Reveals Surprises in How People Share
Photo credits: Daniel Kronauer, Jim Linwood, The Lizard 7Queen

8. Just because we can,
doesn’t mean we should.
This applies to:
websites
social accounts
pixel measurement (10:90)
And let’s clear this up –
these tools aren’t free
8

9. Questions to consider
 Where are your potential audiences online? What are your
objectives in reaching them?
 Engaging in the social web means a significant commitment to
contributing content. Are you able and prepared to devote the
time?
 Given the time required, are there existing social channels
within the University you can use to reach these audiences?
 Who is tasked with maintaining these conversations, and
keeping on top of new conventions? Are there natural adopters
you can enlist?
 How will your office deal with controversy? Fake accounts?
9

10. Engagement: Killer app revealed
Photo credits: Travis Isaacs 10

11. Engagement: Trading control for influence
11

12. Engagement: Trading individuality for reach
17/46 <500 followers
27/46 <1000followers
19/46 >1000 followers
***************************
7/46 listed >100 times
Where are we the People’s
Front of Judea vs. the
Judean People’s Front?
12

13. Why is reach important?
We’re also not page 1 for:
 Public policy
 High energy physics
 Clean energy studies
 English literature
 Architecture and design
 Privacy rights
13

14. Madison Avenue’s pain is
relevant to our communications
strategy
The Year the
Media Died
Tech is taking us
for a ride…
Algorithms got
me cross-eyed
14

15. Parting thoughts
 Messages
− Are you partnered with your PIO?
 Audiences
− Where are they?
− How are you engaging them?
 Reach
− Are you too atomized for impact?
 Measurement
− How much time does it cost?
− Are you reaching target audiences?
15

16. Thank you
Find me: @perryhewitt
16