Who, how and how many?

Rethinking relationships withRethinking relationships with audiences

R FRegan Forrest

Some framing definitionsSome framing definitions

Audience /Market

Visitors / Users

Participants / AdvocatesAdvocates

Some framing questionsSome framing questions . . .

h d ll ?• What do you really want?– A larger audience?– A broader audience?– A different relationship with your visitors?p y

• Why do you want it?• Why do you want it?– Increased revenueG t di it– Greater diversity

– Deeper impact

Understanding audiencesUnderstanding audiences

l ( )• Culture Segments (MHM, UK)– Affirmation (11%)– Enrichment (17%)– Entertainment (14%)E (9%)– Essence (9%)

– Expression (13%)Perspective (13%)– Perspective (13%)

– Release (11%)– Stimulation (12%)– Stimulation (12%)

http://www.lateralthinkers.com/downloadculturesegments.html

Understanding visitorsUnderstanding visitors

• Visitor ‘Identities’ (Falk)– Explorersp

– Experience seekers

Rechargers– Rechargers

– Facilitators

– Professionals / Hobbyists

(Falk, 2009. Identity and the Visitor Experience. Altamira Press)

So What’s keeping them?So . . . What s keeping them?

The biggest barriers are often in our own minds . . .

• People there aren’t like me

• I don’t know the norms and codesI don t know the norms and codes

• I’ll draw attention to myself

• Crossing the threshold is a point of no return

but we can address them. . . but we can address them

• Explore your blind spots and assumptions

• Allow ‘lurking’ spaceAllow  lurking  space

• Get out and about and ASK

Other kinds of barriersOther kinds of barriers

• Lack of awareness– Raise profile in new areasp

• Lack of relevanceT ifi d d– Target specific groups and needs

• Inertia horizon– Attach incentives to NOW

• Choice induced paralysis• Choice‐induced paralysis– Taster or ‘highlights’ offers

Types of Visitor Participation: ‘Me to We’ (Nina Simon, Museum 2.0)

Individual receives  Individual 

ol

contentIndividual actions are ll t d

interacts with content

nal Con

tro collated

Individual 

rganisation

actions are networked

di id lOr Individuals 

engage directly

Visitor Participation

Types of Visitor Participation: ‘Me to We’ (Nina Simon, Museum 2.0)

Individual receives  Individual 

Web 2.0

ol

contentIndividual actions are ll t d

interacts with content

nal Con

tro collated

Individual TraditionalExhibitions

Self‐organised communities

rganisation

actions are networked

di id lC ll d

InteractiveExhibits

Or Individuals 

engage directlyCurator‐controlled crowdsourcing

Exhibits

Visitor Participation

Social media – everyone’s doing it . . . Should you too?

One size doesn’t fit allOne size doesn t fit all

• Creators (bloggers & uploaders) 24%

• Conversationalists (status updaters) 33%

• Critics (commenters, raters, editors) 37%

• Collectors (f d d d t ) 20%• Collectors (feedreaders and taggers) 20%

• Joiners (infrequent updaters) 59%

• Spectators (read, listen, watch) 70%

• Inactives 17%Inactives 17%

Source: Forrester Research

Museums & Social MediaMuseums & Social Media

1. It’s not magic!

2. It’s not compulsory2. It s not compulsory

3. It’s not ‘free’ – costs time

4. Listen, get to know the lay of the land

5 Go where your audiences are5. Go where your audiences are

6. Share, don’t just broadcast

7. Tailor your voice for different platforms and audiencesaudiences

Some examplesSome examples. . . .

• @austmus, Mr Blobby & @jurassiclounge

• @fieldmuseum &@suetheTrex@fieldmuseum & @suetheTrex

• @museumvictoria

• @QCAGriffith

• @ACMI (tied in with specific exhibits)@ACMI (tied in with specific exhibits)

Source: the TwitterverseSource: the Twitterverse

Reading listReading list

– Full of practical tips

– FREE online www.participatorymuseum.org 

– Case studies and examples of visitor participationof visitor participation (easily adapted to other scenarios))

Reading listReading list

– Describes and explains the five different visitor ‘identities’identities

– Strategies for reaching different visitor typesdifferent visitor types

Reading listReading list

– ‘Industrial’ to ‘Knowledge’

D l i i– Developing experience‐based business models

New relationships with– New relationships with audiences

Some closing questionsSome closing questions

• How would you characterise your current audience?

• What’s the most important way for YOU to develop your audience RIGHT NOW biggerdevelop your audience RIGHT NOW – bigger, broader or deeper?

• What are the barriers and what are the opportunities?opportunities?