Venturing into the realm of Social Media

Who cares about social media?

1958 – 1979

U.S. Defense Dept. works with MIT and other researchers on an information-sharing network called ARPANET used primarily by researchers around the world

1977 Apple releases the first Apple II computer

1981 IBM releases the first PC

1989 Tim Berners-Lee wrote a proposal that would change the world and would form the basis of the Internet

1991 Berners-Lee launches the first website

1992 Text messaging first used

How did we get here?

1994 • World Wide Web is created and provides the first public access to the Internet, Amazon, Netscape founded, Microsoft creates its first web browser

1994 – 1999

Rise of commercialization of the web

1998 Google beta version released2000 Wireless technology introduced – dot com bubble bursts2001 Wikipedia launched2002 Blackberry smartphones introduced2003 MySpace launches, starts social media wave2005 YouTube, Facebook launch2006 Twitter launches2008 Facebook overtakes MySpace as world’s

most popular social networking site

How did we get here?

Social media are primarily Internet-based tools for sharing and discussing information among human beings.

The term most often refers to activities that integrate technology, social interaction and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio.

~ Source: Wikipedia 2008

What is it anyway?

What is it anyway?

Applications:• Facebook• YouTube • Wikipedia• Twitter• MySpace• Flickr• Second Life• SlideShare• LinkedIn

Technology:• Podcasting• Webcasting• Blogs• RSS feeds• Webinars• Text messaging • Discussion boards

Women over 55 remain the fastest growing group [online], and growth among the teen and college-age set has been relatively paltry.

In absolute numbers there are now even slightly more members between the ages of 45 and 65 than there are 13-to 17-year-olds.

Source: Wired Magazine, March 2009

Why should we care?

Source: Statistics Canada, 2007 data

Why should we care?

Since 2000, growth rates of Internet use have been highest among seniors – they recorded use rates in 2007 that were nearly 4 times higher than in 2000.

Social Networking Sites Used by US Social Network Users, by Generation, May 2009 (% of respondents in each group)

Facebook MySpace Twitter LinkedInGen Z(15 and under) 61% 65% 9% 0%

Gen Y(15 – 29) 65% 75% 14% 9%

Gen X (30 – 44) 76% 57% 18% 13%

Baby Boomers(45 – 64) 73% 40% 13% 13%

WWII generation(65 – 82) 90% 23% 17% 4%

Source: Anderson Analytics, “Social Network Service (SNS) A&U Profiler,” provided to eMarketer, July 13, 2009

Why should we care?

Nielsen Online shows that: • Social networks and blogs are now the 4th most

popular online activity ahead of personal e-mail• Member communities are visited by 67% of the

global online population• Time spent [on social networks] accounts for almost

10% of all internet time

Source: Nielsen Online, March 2009

Why should we care?

• Opportunity to provide open and transparent information to the community in real time

• Ability to gain feedback from community regarding various issues

• Content is being pushed to the resident, rather than relying on them to come find it

• Provides an opportunity to engage a larger segment of the community

What’s in it for CoB?

• Complaints can be addressed quickly• Rumours can be dispelled publicly• Will also give the City of Burlington stronger

online profile

What’s in it for CoB?

• Can be used to enhance customer service by providing frequent information on programs and services

• Start conversations with residents to get feedback on issues

How can we use it?

• Royal Botanical Gardens • Performing Arts Burlington• GenNext: United Way Young Professionals - Ha

milton/Burlington

Who is using it in our community?

• Provide real time information regarding facility closures, transit route changes, road closures and construction update, etc.

• Provide instant communication during a crisis situation

How can we use it?

• Tourism Burlington • Councillor Craven• Marianne Meed Ward

NOTE: Community Relations monitors Twitter daily.

Who is using it in our community?

Initiate engagement with residents by providing factual and pertinent details on: • new construction (BPAC, Appleby Ice Centre)• fire safety and prevention• programs and services

How can we use it?

• A Better Burlington’s videos on Old Lakeshore Road appear on YouTube

• BPL and BEDC have videos on YouTube• Residents have posted some scenic videos of

the lakeshore and Lasalle Park, Christmas lights display

What’s out there now?

• Blogs can be used as a forum for specific issues or projects

• Blogs must be continually updated or you will lose followers and create distrust

How can we use it?

Some community forums (blogs) currently out there:• www.abetterburlington.ca• www.shapeburlington.ca• http://www.savegeneralbrock.ca/

• Online collaboration tools such as wikis, discussion boards, webinars, and podcasts can help employees work together more efficiently and effectively

How can we use it?

Upcoming opportunities to use social media:• 2010 Municipal Election – engage a younger

audience• Climate Change Summit and related events -

more environmentally-friendly• Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital – engage

residents in discussion about possible levy

How can we use it?

Ongoing opportunities to use social media:• Environmental issues• Transit scheduling and information• Promote special events• Major announcements• Construction updates• Human resources recruitment

How can we use it?

Elliot Lake Kingston Port Coquitlam Ottawa Oakville Mississauga Niagara Region North Bay Toronto Vaughan

Windsor Aurdrie, AB Calgary Edmonton Nanaimo Medicine Hat Kelowna Guelph

Saskatoon St. John, NB Vancouver Victoria, BC Oshawa Thompson, MB

Timmins Brampton Surrey, BC

Who else is using it?

Case studies:• City of Guelph

• Region of Niagara

• City of Calgary

And how is it working for them?

City of Guelph – Facebook,Twitter accounts, Mayor’s and Councillors’ blogs

• Engaged in social media for about 1 year• It has been a positive experience• The workload is quite manageable• Experience very little negativity from users• Females 35 to 45 are the main users

And how is it working for them?

• 2 to 3 employees share the account management responsibilities part-time

• Moving to multiple authoring permissions for Twitter

• Expect to move maintenance and account management into customer service responsibilities in next year

• Now working on policies and procedures for web and social media

And how is it working for them?

Region of Niagara - 12-month pilot project • Drafted a social media policy and created

disclaimers with the legal team• Recently finalized strategy with senior

management team• Currently pushing news releases out through

Facebook and Twitter

And how is it working for them?

• Web co-ordinator responsible for updates and account management

• Back up support from Corporate Communications

• Will monitor staff time involved – resourcing a big issue

• Was useful for H1N1 – used YouTube

And how is it working for them?

City of Calgary• Joined Facebook in 2008, Twitter in March 2009, blog

introduced in July 2009• Launching a new city newsroom in January 2010• Social media is integrated into communication planning• Has resulted in being better able read the pulse of the

community• Found that media view does not always link with public

view: people have their own beliefs

And how is it working for them?

• Have equivalent of 1 full-time person dedicated to social media

• Still determining the best way to practise social media—sorting out workloads and strategy

• Several councillors use Twitter and are on a blog platform

• Calgary’s communications director and general manager supported use of social media

And how is it working for them?

• Complaints? -> We have an opportunity to correct misinformation in a public forum, addressing complaints shows transparency

• Inappropriate comments? -> Moderators can remove rude and inappropriate comments – policies and guidelines would outline parameters for removal

But what about…

• Misuse by employees? -> providing content on corporate page as a “friend”-> viewing, distributing or generating inappropriate

or unauthorized content-> personal use (productivity concerns)

-> Existing HR and IT policies and guidelines address these issues

-> May require updates and new policies to fully cover social media concerns

But what about…

The threats are real and we need to take them seriously but

It’s all doable with the appropriate safeguards and controls

• Corporate security risks?

But what about…

• Define and Implement a Social Media Pilot Determine scope, objectives, timing,

participants Select social media platform (Facebook?

Twitter?) Develop preliminary policies and guidelines Perform a pilot assessment

Where do we go from here?

• Beyond the Pilot - Moving Forward Implement formal policies and guidelines Begin integrating social media into our

communications strategies Integrate social media into the city’s

e-Government strategy

Where do we go from here?

Questions ?