Social Networking and Building Your Online

Community

Jim Harris

Marketing and Communication

Ohio University Alumni Association

Jim Harris, BBA ’04 - MarketingOhio University

Assistant DirectorMarketing and CommunicationOhio University Alumni Association

- Affinity Partners- Merchandising- Bobcat Store- The [Gateway]

My Gateway and Facebook profile photo

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

Topics

- What an Online Community is- Who has Access- What it Costs to Build and Maintain- How it’s Controlled- How an Online Community might benefit your institution

What an Online Community is An online community is a group of people that primarily interacts usingthe Internet. This group of people invites membersof their own personal, alumni networks to join the Community.

New members repeat the process.

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

Who has Access

Ohio University degree-holding alumni Other individuals granted accesswith permission

- students with alumni group connection- recent alumni without an ID - non-graduates

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

What it Costs to Build and Maintain

To Build: To Maintain: - money - time - graphics - technology - data - data - marketing - marketing

- money

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

How it’s Controlled Alumni ID number Other controls

- trust/ hope- OUAA staff- users

- delete account

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

How an Online Community might benefit your relationship/ institution - connects alumni, 24/7 - information updates to database - gives alumni a reason to visit Web site - wow factor

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

How an Online Community might be harm your relationship/ institution - spam-like messages from alumni- alumni spreading bad news- new/ confusing technology- right people aren’t active

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

Topics

- How alumni are using THE GATEWAY- Who’s using the Site- Types of Marketing used- Problems we’ve had- Gateway ideas- Goals for 2007

THE GATEWAY

A web community, exclusively for Bobcat alumni

Launched September 2005

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

1742

- 24 hours after message = 301 users logging in- previous days = average of 50 users

Jim, those photos brought back some great memories. And reminded me I need to get back to campus. Thank you for taking the time to share. I can't believe an OU building has an ESCALATOR!!! Wow.

Hi Jim. Your new pictures are just great. I particularly enjoyed the shots of the new Baker Center. When I was a freshman, the old Baker Center had just been completed. If my son ends up at Ohio U. this Fall he will be there when the new Baker Center has just been completed.

5749

Types of Marketing

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

- Full page and half page ads in magazine- Cover story in newsletter- Ads/ blurbs in magazine and newsletter- Gateway-specific Emails- Making Tracks Emails- Word of Mouth- Facebook messages to alumni

Gateway promotions

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

Ohio Today

The [college] Gate

Making Tracks

Gateway-specific

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

Advertising space

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

Advertising space

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

Total Resumes uploaded by users326

Total Pictures uploaded6,888

Total number of users with a profile photo1,528

Total number of users with journal entries325

Number of events posted294

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

Number of users that logged in betweenNov. 1 at 7 p.m. through Nov. 2 at 7 p.m.60

Number of users that logged in betweenOct. 26 – Nov. 2 472

Number of users that logged in betweenOct. 2 – Nov. 21,283

Registered Users

Total NetMessages

TotalUpdates

Total # Groups Active Users

Friend Connections

Ohio University

6,654 854 103,458 370 1,011 14,811

Avg. of Like Communities

3,483 1,001 45,636 144 975 8,387

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

GATEWAY Problems

- Mr. Sullivan- Angelina Jolie- F***ing Blog titles

- Does Sex Count?- OU press- Teddy

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

GATEWAY Ideas

- Black Alumni Reunion Group- Campus tour photos with captions- Konneker Alumni Center photos- Student profiles, albums and journals- Fossil watch and campus photography- Winter photos- Exclusive campus photo tours

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

GATEWAY Ideas

- Find your Roommates Challenge- Academic buildings- Scan yearbooks/ newspapers- Going out for coffee- A night on the town- Student presentations- Alumni books and articles- Chapter events

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

GATEWAY Goals

- Engage all users, not just F-o-F- Add a “How-to” section for site- Invite seniors to join alumni network- Help users get friends registered- Inform deans about site’s power- Faster uploads of recent graduates- Encourage events

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community

Jim HarrisOhio UniversityAlumni Association

Harrisj3@ohio.edu740-593-4301 FacebookinCircle Pro www.incirclepro.com

Social Networking and Building Your Online Community