creating a 'buzz' with social media
DESCRIPTION
This presentation for the Virginia Extension Service Association annual conference on May 18, 2011, gave Virginia Cooperative Extension agents an overview of social media. It answered the following questions: What is social media? Why be social? How do you start? How do I know if it is working? What are the rules of engagement? Where do I go from here?TRANSCRIPT
Creating a ‘Buzz’ with Social Media
Lori Greiner, Communications Manager, @lgreiner
Michael Sutphin, Writer, @michaelsutphin
VESA Conference, May 18, 2011
Overview
• What is social media?• Why be social?• How do you start?• How do I know if it is working?• What are the rules of engagement?• Where do I go from here?
What is Social Media?
Social media is the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into interactive dialogue.
-Wikipedia
Why be social?
• It is where everyone is.• Build community and engage your
audience.• Social media is the new local• It is no longer about talking, it is about
conversing. • To assist you professionally.
How do you start?
• Social media is a tool not a strategy.• Develop a plan with a goal mind.• Select the appropriate media. • Participate.
• Launched February 2004• More than 600 million members• All-in-one social networking service
(profiles, events, photos, etc.)• Building conversations through status
updates, comments, and “likes”• Pages vs. groups
• Microblogging site launched July 2006• An estimated 200 million members• Messages, called tweets, of 140
characters or less• Join conversations through replies (@),
retweets (RT), and hashtags (#)
• Video sharing site launched February 2005
• Purchased by Google November 2006• Anyone may watch videos, and registered
users may upload unlimited videos• Channels allow users to create video
blogs
How do I know if it is working?
• Facebook Insights• Measure click-throughs- track links
– bit.ly
• Measure retweets and mentions• Measure feedback• Monitor global discussion and sentiment
How to Be Successful
• Post regularly with high quality content• Use visuals• Ask questions• Master one tool at a time
What are the Rules of Engagement
• Be transparent• Be accurate• Be mindful• Be respectful
Resources
• Beginners Guide to Social Media in Extensionhttp://collaborate.extension.org/wiki/Beginners_Guide_to_Social_Media_in_Extension
• Virginia Tech Social Media – Guidelines and Procedureshttp://www.unirel.vt.edu/web/social-networks/index.html
Where to Find Us
• http://www.facebook.com/VirginiaCooperativeExtension• http://twitter.com/vce_news• http://www.facebook.com/vtagricultureandlifesciences• http://twitter.com/VTAgLifeSci