social media + gov stats

Andrew Clark@oi_rambo

#GSSsocial


#GSSsocialsocial media + gov statisticsAndrew Clark, Head of Social Media @ONSEdinburgh, 20 October 2014 – bitlys are case sensitive


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocialIce breaker

If you’ve got a personal Twitter account you’re happy to use today stand on the left side of the room as you look at the screen

If you don’t, stand on the right.

• Come up with a team name (e.g. The Zucks) • Write team name and Twitter @handle on your table • Tweet both bits with #GSSsocial


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocialSocial media @ONS


#GSSsocialRoles and process (by @bethgranter)


#GSSsocial

There are loads of tools you can use

A lot of them cross over, none do everything perfectly and the landscape is always changing

Read Beth’s talk about some of the different tools in these slides > bit.ly/BethsSlides and watch her present them at MeasureFest > bit.ly/BethsVid

So many tools, so little time


#GSSsocialTo measure social media, ONS uses

1

2

We’ve also blogged about what works best for us > bit.ly/ONSTwitterBlog


#GSSsocialTo monitor social media, ONS usesVolumeTop sites, authors, linksDemographicsSentiment – though it’s not reliable, therefore not worth it


#GSSsocialTo monitor social media, ONS uses

Topsy and Buzzsumo are free / low budget and far from perfect, but a good yardstick


#GSSsocialTo engage and publish, ONS uses


#GSSsocialChannels we’re on


#GSSsocialChannels our statisticians are on


#GSSsocialChannels we’re on


#GSSsocialOur colleagues do email, fed by RSS


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocialExercise

In light of what we’ve just gone through, what do you want to discuss in more detail?

Agree 3 things within your team and tweet them with #GSSsocial

Eg: Twitter etiquette, ScotStat & Hootsuite, risks


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocialWee break


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocialUnconference


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocialLunch


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocialDigital content: personas

“We have different skills”

Blog > bit.ly/ONSpersonas


#GSSsocialExpert analyst

Key goals Behaviours Motivators

• Finds a particular Excel spreadsheet to download

• Cuts and pastes data from spreadsheets into own statistical models and analyses

• Tends to know exactly what he wants, but can be frustrated by not being able to find it quickly on the ONS website

• Phones the ONS for help in finding specific data or querying methodology

• Access ONS website from desktop PC in office

Has a passion for data andneeds reliable, high quality data so that he canfeel confident in his analyses

Statistician for HM Treasury. He has a PhD in statistics. He has contacts within ONS with whom he can discuss key issues

“Just give me the Excel data I need”


#GSSsocial


• Not statistical expert so looks

for data to make practical,

strategic business decisions• Wants high level summaries,

narratives and key charts for

deeper understanding• Produces charts and

statistics to support funding

applications and strategy

reports

• Proactive - seeking knowledge to affect change

• Doesn't’t know exactly what to search for, but aware of general area

• Usually time pressured - needs to understand size of task

• She appreciates that sector knowledge can help her to be a success

• Using ONS data provides advantage to her over her colleagues or competitors

• Sees value in ONS data in anticipating changes in workforce and wellbeing affecting her company.

“I just need enough data to help me make the right decision”

Head of Human Resources for a medium-

sized company. She is a business graduate

and a real ‘people person’. She’s dynamic

and ambitious

Information forager


#GSSsocialInquiring citizen


• Not statistical expert so finds

out the unbiased ‘truth’

presented by the media and

political parties• Wants to find simply worded,

high level summaries and of

newsworthy issues• Uses charts and infographics

to get visually engaging

overview

• Reactive to current events• Engaged with social media;

follows ONS on Twitter• May browse the site with her

smartphone or tablet

• Personal/political interest • Financial implications of the

economy (e.g. for pensions

& investments)• Has an enquiring mind;

looking to make sense of the

world• Distrust of big business and

government

Well-read and has a degree. Has an interest in politics and current affairs, but is concerned about mis-use of data for political means. She has a public sector pension.

“I need the ONS to help me to find the truth”


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocialDigital content: copy


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocialDifferences between web vs print?

●sit back v sit forward

●no one finishes anything

●time and attention span

●screen pain

●task-focused, not looking for “a good read”

●you don’t have the last word

●your users may be accidental / unfamiliar visitors

●they can begin and end anywhere


#GSSsocialScanning is the key online behaviour

“People rarely read web pages word by word; instead, they scan the page, picking out individual words and sentences…

“79 per cent of our users always scanned any new page; only 16 per cent read word by word.”

Jakob Nielsen


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocialHow people read websites

When people read online, they:

●scan-read

● look for information cues

●focus on tasks

●act impatiently

●are suspicious, then conservative

●move forwards – and keep moving

●create their own path


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocialRule of 2s


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocial

Meta titles should be• Roughly 50 to 65 characters in length. • Be unique to that page (don’t use the same title tag on multiple pages). • Use the keyword of that page twice if space permits (once at the start, followed by separator such as a colon, hyphen, or pipe, and then once again in a call to action). • If relevant, include a geo-qualifier (such as Scotland). Meta descriptions should be • Compelling and written with the intention to entice someone to click on your link. • Make sure they are unique and relevant to that page. • They should be written as descriptive ad text, with a call to action. • No more than 160 characters in length including spaces and punctuation (140-150 is ideal), but no fewer than 51 characters (50 characters or fewer to be too short). • It should contain 1-2 complete sentences with correct punctuation, 5 commas max • Use the keyword once per sentence, as close to the start of each sentence as poss. • If relevant, include a geo-qualifier (such as Scotland).


#GSSsocialONS copy BEFORE we had formats


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocial

Headline: Subject, number and linkNo messing about.

ONS copy NOW we have formats


#GSSsocial

Nugget: Did you know?Without asking it so as not to trivialise ONS



#GSSsocial

Draws them in: Make users *want* to clickAs the content’s so profound, emotional or sticky



#GSSsocial

• write for a persona

• have a point and get to it

• cut out the puns / acronyms / jargon

• write digital headlines

• instantly understandable• frontloaded• keyword / # optimised• have a call to action

To write well for social media


#GSSsocialHave a point and get to it


#GSSsocialCut out the puns / acronyms / jargon

GOV.UK has a great style guide on this sort of thing > bit.ly/GDSstyleguide


#GSSsocialInstantly understandable


#GSSsocialFrontloaded


#GSSsocialKeyword / # optimised


#GSSsocialCall to action


#GSSsocial

1. The population of the UK grew to 64.1 million in mid-2013, representing a gain of 400,600 (0.63%) over the previous year mid-2012. This growth is slightly below the average since 2003.

2. This means that the UK’s population has increased by around 5 million since 2001, and by more than 10 million since 1964.

3. Natural change (births minus deaths) contributed slightly more than net international migration to the population gain in the year. There were 212,100 more births than deaths (53% of the increase) and 183,400 more immigrants arriving than emigrants leaving (46% of the increase).

Tweet it with #GSSsocial

Have a go at rewriting one of these


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocialDigital content: images and rich


#GSSsocialRemember this?


#GSSsocialAnd this?

“We have different skills”


#GSSsocialRich content boosts post performance

More info about the whys and wherefores in my blog > bit.ly/PostBoost


#GSSsocialImages look great but get old

And don’t seamlessly link to the dataset.

Still great eye candy.

See ONS infographics at bit.ly/ONSflickr

And guidelines > bit.ly/InfogGuide


#GSSsocialData storytelling

The key is that they tell a story, not repurpose graphs made in something else.


#GSSsocialUgly (effective) duckling

I really hate these, but they work for our audience and when designer resource isn’t available.

What they should be like. (designed for the ratio, no pixellation, decent labelling and titling.)


#GSSsocial

Here’s a prettier alternative, that embeds onto websites and links to the dataset bit.ly/ONSdatawrapper

Not much in the way of adapting formatting and a duplicate dataset required which is why we don’t use it. Yet. We’re looking at something like this for ONS’s alpha website.

A prettier swan


#GSSsocialA mechanical(?!) swan

Interactive data visualisations are a great route to explore and if I were you, this is where I’d invest my time. Tools exist that you can plug your data into and update with fresh data when available.

Government Digital Service resource > bit.ly/GDSDataVis is good and we’re working with them to evolve gov standards. ONS data visualisation examples > bit.ly/ONSinteractive


#GSSsocialStatistics in videosWe’ve not really cracked stats in videos that work for our users and ONS operationally.

These days, ONS videos are made by an in-house producer, have high production values and take a long time to make.

As a result of devolved publishing, our statisticians also produce presentations with a voiceover, but not as many these days.


#GSSsocialPresenting stats in videos

Frontloading is important, as with anything digital, there’s a drop off pretty quickly.

Government Digital Service videos focus on interview footage, kept very short. Its advice: “Films are not good for delivering lots of information and detail (that’s done better with words and graphics). Films are not good for explaining things you can’t already explain simply in a few words.”

Their blog on approach and DIY equipment > bit.ly/GDSvideo


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocialWee break


#GSSsocial

Quiz


#GSSsocial

For what 2 reasons would you frontload copy? Tweet with #GSSquiz

1


#GSSsocial

Look at the 2nd chart at bit.ly/CrimeTweet Tweak the copy and tweet it with the chart and #GSSquiz

2


#GSSsocial

Use buzzsumo.com to see shares of bbc.co.uk content on social media. Tweet the first number with #GSSquiz

3


#GSSsocial

Make a Twitter search for 2 keywords (population AND statistics), screen grab it and tweet it with #GSSquiz

4


#GSSsocial

What does the rule of 2s mean? Tweet with #GSSquiz

5


#GSSsocial

Search for “The Most Thorough Social Media Dimensions Cheat Sheet Ever” and tweet it with #GSSquiz (NB – a good resource but a little old)

6


#GSSsocial

Search for the “Sainsbury's fish storify” and tweet your favourite pun, a link to the storify and #GSSquiz

7


#GSSsocial

Pick your favourite video title from bit.ly/GraphicalWebVids and tweet it, saying why you like it, with #GSSquiz

8


#GSSsocial

What does Google look for when indexing pages? Tweet with #GSSquiz

9


#GSSsocial

FEEDBACK: Draw a graph of your satisfaction (or not!) with today’s training and tweet a picture of it to #GSSquiz

10


#GSSsocial

Wrap up


#GSSsocialMake sure everything’s covered


#GSSsocialHootsuite or Tweetdeck will be handy


#GSSsocial

• write for a persona

• have a point and get to it

• cut out the puns / acronyms / jargon

• write digital headlines

• instantly understandable• frontloaded• keyword / # optimised• have a call to action

Be rigorous with your writing


#GSSsocialBecome a data journalist

Interactive data visualisations are a great route to explore and if I were you, this is where I’d invest my time. Tools exist that you can plug your data into and update with fresh data when available.

Government Digital Service resource > bit.ly/GDSDataVis is good and we’re working with them to evolve gov standards. ONS data visualisation examples > bit.ly/ONSinteractive


#GSSsocial


#GSSsocial

Thank you

social media + gov stats

Marketing