how gov't agencies can build audience and increase engagement

©2011 GovDelivery

How Gov’t Agencies Can Build Audience and Increase Engagement

DODASSMC Conference, Arlington, VA

April 21, 2011

Contact Info

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Lauren Modeen

Manager of Digital Strategy @GovLoop + @GovEngage

Me: @exilauren

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Let’s Do This!

3 Things You’ll Learn Today:

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1. Ten Step Approach to Building Audience

2. Six Proven Tips to Engage Audience

3. Summary of what works, plus cool technologies and resources

• Historically, Government not very good at building audience and engagement…

• Haven’t focused resources (time, staff, money, training) • You aren’t paid for it – whereas non-profit / for-profit

measures in votes and $$

Hypothesis

• Government’s mission to serve all its citizens• Cost of misinformation• Cost of citizen inaction• Attack on brand – agency loyalty and trust• Defend your program budgets• Take actions that save $ and

increase revenue

But it Matters A LOT

1. How do we reach a large number of relevant stakeholders?

2. How do we build relationships with them?

3. How do we provide them with clear, timely, actionable information?

4. How do we get them to TAKE ACTION with our information?

So…We Constantly Ask Ourselves…

How We Learned at GovLoop…

Studied our own community as well as sites and communities far and

wide including…

• Studied for-profit communities (Dogster, Catster, Job sites,

ITToolbox, Sermo, Facebook, IWillTeachYouToBeRich, change.org,

WhoRunsGov, Craigslist, UserVoice, dating sites)

• Studied for-profit commerce (GroupOn, Hubspot, email marketers,

Priceline, etc)

• Studied non-profit campaigns (Causes, Charity: Water,

NeighborsForNeighbors)

• Studied political sector (EccoDigital, BlueState, Direct Media

Strategies)

So…What’s the Verdict?

• It’s REALLY REALLY Hard• There’s a talent/skill• Hard to be consistent• There’s a difference between just doing it and

doing it well• Lots of optimization opportunities (channels,

frequency, types, content)

GOAL OF TODAY: TO GO FROM THIS

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“I’m scared….TOO HARD!”

Image source: http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/

TO THIS!

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“I CAN DO IT!” “Yay!”“It’s not so hard!”

Yay!

Image source: http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/

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Building Audience and Increasing Engagement…

…is just like building and maintaining a campfire!

1. PLAN2. IGNITE3. FEED4. TEND

Next Up…steps to go from Good to Awesome

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Now, Without Further Ado, I Present

HOW GOV’T AGENCIES CAN:

ACT I: Build Audience &

ACT 2: Increase Engagement

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Act 1:10 Steps to Building Audience

What matters most to my agency and the public?

What are the specific outcomes this program is looking for?

What are realistic contributions that communication can make to

the outcomes?

Improve public health Provide for secure

retirement

More people get flu shots

More people apply for benefits online

Awareness of benefits of flu shots, clinic locations, and free shot programs

Awareness of benefit application form online

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Step 1: Identify

What problem are you trying to solve ?

Step 2: Logistics

Logistical questions to ask yourself:

• What is the time frame? Time to launch? • Is it a campaign? Is it on-going?• How does it tie into our other initiatives?• What is our budget?• What is our staff?• What technology to use?

Step 3: Defining Success

• What is success?• Size of audience?• Quality of engagement?• Press/accolades looking for?

Define your goals and metrics!

Step 3: Defining Success…EPA example:

EPA Example:

• High-quality engagement among renewable energy thought leaders

• 1,000 active members by 1 year (based on relevant association size, other sites)

• 10 press mentions

Step 4: Enlist

• Who are our stakeholders?• Where is the target audience currently?• What else exists?• What have we done in past?

Step 4: Enlist…EPA example:

Critical: capture where they are, bring them back in with emails, newsletters

Step 4: Enlist…Another example:

Again…capture where they are…CRITICAL!

Step 5: Experts and Partners

• Who are the experts on the topic?• Who are the connectors in the industry?• What are potential partner sites?• What is our ask of them?• How can we incentivize them?• What outreach materials most effective?

Step 5: Experts and Partners…EPA example

Step 6: Community Strategy

• Community Managers• Community Leaders• Reward Structures• Leaderboards• What are the Rules?• What’s In It for You?• On-boarding process

• Assign Internal Community Moderators• Create Community Guidelines• Launch leaderboards

[KEY: Human beings having a human experience using technology]

Step 6: Community Strategy…Example

Step 7: Content Strategy

• What content do we have?• What do we need to create?• What content popular?• Who will create content?• What content doesn‘t exist?• What unique content do we have?• What is the content frequency?• Where’s the fun? (more on this later)

Step 7: Content Strategy…EPA Example:

Step 8: Launch

• Invite early adopters• Get buy-in• Marketing/outreach on launch• Pictures on invites• Provide swag

Step 9: Start Doing

• Follow Strategy• Do Outreach• Produce regular content• Engage with community

THIS IS THE HARD PART

Step 9: Start Doing

Step 10: Measure

• What is working?• What type of content popular?• What type of frequency popular• What are our key problems?

Step 10: Measure

• Weekly/Monthly Reports• Web Analytics

Step 10: Measure

Which tools are most useful?

Free:

• Google Analytics• Facebook Insights• Social Mention• Twitter grader

Cost:

• Radian6• Authority Labs• PostRank• Argyle

To Review:

10 Steps to Building Audience:

1. Identify2. Logistics3. Define success4. Enlist5. Experts & Partners6. Community Strategy7. Content Strategy8. Launch9. Start doing10. Measure

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Act 2:6 Tips to Increase Engagement

How do you get them to connect?

Tip 1: Connect

GET THEM TO CONNECT!

• Majority of people most likely to engage are in the member slice of the pyramid, so concentrate on them first

• Ask members questions, suggest ideas, help each other out

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Navy for Moms:

One of the biggest barriers for kids joining Navy is concerned moms.

This community assuages mom and helps get over fears

How do you help them learn?

• Make your content easy to find• Casual• To-the-point• Sticky (so come back)• Make it fun!

Tip 2: Educate

EDUCATE THEM!

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Make it easy for public to:1. Find and2. Choose which of your resources are of interest to them!

EDUCATE THEM!

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Birdie NYC: mascot for GreeNYC

EDUCATE THEM!

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Todd Park, CTO of HHS – listed in Fast Company’s 2010 100 Most Creative People

Heard of Farmville?

Want to guess how many active users 18 months after its original launch?

“I will submit to you that the person who invents Healthville, which is actually fun to play and where you can network with your friends, but that teaches you, on the side about health, will be one of the most important public health figures of the 20th century. Why? They will do more to inject health knowledge and help change behavior than a phalanx of traditional programs ever do”

How do you get them to own it?

Tip 3: Empower

• Ask them for feedback!• Include their feedback• Allow them to use their own voice

EMPOWER YOUR PEEPS!

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How do you keep them energized?

Tip 4: Energize

ENERGIZE!

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• Ask lots of questions• Ask what they want • Use weekly issues/themes• Ensure latest/most interesting activity above

the fold • Highlight people’s accomplishments• Do stuff together in person: don’t only know

people by their avatars• Ask people if they want more and if yes,

deliver more

How do you get them to…

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Tip 5: Enforce

ENFORCE…YES, YOU MUST

Create and implement…

Policies & Guidelines

Lots of resources here…more coming at end!

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How do you keep them coming back?

Tip 6: Enhance

ENHANCE…ONLY WAY…

• Deliver value and fulfill their needs…how? Ask• Experiment, iterate, and evolve • Don’t recreate the wheel unnecessarily – tons of good

examples by your peers• Falling down is a way to remember how to get back up• See the world from a different perspective – wear your

shoes on the wrong feed – (jk)• Think outside the box

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ENHANCE…ONLY WAY…

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1. Create Great Content (interesting, fun, quality)

2. Regular, consistent content

3. Many types of content (blogs, videos, photos)

4. Get them to Sign Up somewhere

5. Multiple, cross-promoted channels (email, text, FB, Twitter, own communities)

6. Authentic and interesting voice

7. Personalization – speaking to people not just masses

8. Calls to action

9. Move Up Commitment Curve (ask if want more)

10.Online and offline events

Summary: Top 10 List of What Works

Leverage Technologies

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Mobile Apps – Where is the Bus?

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Everyone wants to know where the bus! Use it as a hook!

Solve their problem and in the same experience, give them info they didn’t know they needed

Mobile Apps – Airport Delays?

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Friendly Trojan horse!

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PlainLanguage.gov

Helps gov speak English:Don’t talk over your audience

DoD Resources

http://socialmedia.defense.gov/education-and-training/

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More DoD Resources

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More DoD Resources

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Questions & Answers

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Lauren Modeen@exilauren

Manager of Digital Strategy GovLoop + GovEngage