Social media & advocacy The challenges and opportunities for AOD services

Paul Aiken, Evaluation & Communications Team Leader

@ReGenUChttp://www.facebook.com/ReGenUC

How did we get here?

The CatalystAPSAD 2008 – Ingrid van Beek

Finding our voice• Identifying our expertise• Having something to say

Getting ourselves heard• Opening up, taking a position• Reaching new audiences• New media

Web 2.0 (& SM) in a nutshell

• Emphasises interactivity & collaboration• Social networks• Blogs• File/video sharing, AND • Websites

• Benefits• Consumer participation• Transparency• Collegiality

• Risks• Giving up control (scary)• You might not like what people have to say• Brand management (‘trolls’)

What’s ReGen doing?

Website • Transparency, comments • Advocacy content – base for hyperlinks

Social media• Twitter – advocacy (@ReGenUC)• Facebook – community (ReGenUC)• YouTube – AV repository (ReGenUC)• LinkedIn – recruitment (regenuc)

Curation• Scoop.it (err… moreland hall)

Advocacy

• Global & local

• Democratisation of production

• ‘Old’ & ‘new’ media

Benefits of social media

Old media• Increased engagement with journalists

• Raised profile through curation/SM activity• Readily contactable by producers

• Increased audience for unpublished media releases• Twitter• Website• Email updates (VAADA, ADCA, DrugScope)

ReGen’s Experience

New media• Online publishing

• Blogs • Croakey• The Conversation• DrinkTank

• Curation• Scoop.it• Paper.li

• Live commentary• TV (dual screening)

Time management

Challenges• Extra work• Work/life balance• Brain explosion• Not funded

Strategies• Develop a routine• Set some limits• Share the load• Trust your staff

ReGen’s top ten tips for new (and old) players The basics

1. Open an account2. Get to know the platform3. Learn about the community4. Introduce yourself (when you’re ready)5. Be friendly and engaged6. Be authentic and consistent7. Think about what will interest people8. Be responsive (especially to criticism)9. Be persistent10.Acknowledge your mistakes

Ten things to avoid

1. Don’t overthink it2. Don’t broadcast3. It’s not all about you4. Don’t be needy or annoying5. Don’t confuse controversy with debate6. Don’t expect to ‘go viral’7. Don’t do gimmicks8. Don’t chase celebrities9. Don’t copy ‘Brand X’10.Don’t obsess about security

What can AOD organisations do?

1. Allow comments on their website2. Think mobile3. Encourage more consumer

participation4. Adopt a culture of transparency5. Encourage staff to use SM6. Recognise SM expertise amongst staff7. Decentralise – trust your staff8. Be willing to take (calculated) risks9. Recognise the costs (but do it anyway)10.Integrate web 2.0 approaches across

your organisation

Join the conversation

www.regen.org.au

https:/Twitter.com/ReGenUC

www.facebook.com/ReGenUC

www.youtube.com/user/ReGenUC

www.regen.org.au/scoopit