flexing your marketing muscle: social media strategy & content creation
DESCRIPTION
Presentation that accompanied a February 2012 workshop provided by the Power of We Consortium in East Lansing, MI. Presentation provides topical overview of social media policy creation, content strategy for small organizations, and a brief overview of Facebook's EdgeRank algorithm.TRANSCRIPT
FLEXING YOUR MARKETING MUSCLEStrategy, Content & Policy in Social Media
SocialNomics Vid
SocialNomics 3.0
Welcome / Introduction
GOALS FOR TODAY:-- Develop an understanding of general content strategy for your organization
-- Brainstorm ideas for specific campaign initiatives that may be applicable for your target audience(s)
-- Share tips and tricks that will optimize your content online
The Plan.
Quick room poll Lessons from Years One &
Two Campaign Successes Facebook EdgeRank Group Brainstorm Recommendations
Metrics to Employ People/Pages to Follow
RAISE YOUR HAND IF…
(Don’t be shy!)
Organization website? Do you control it? Personal Facebook profile? Organization Facebook Page? Do you
manage? Personal Twitter account? Org. Twitter
account? Personal LinkedIn account? Organization? Are you on Google+? Is your org.? Are you on Pinterest?
Who’s Who? Who’s Where?
OUR STORY:
Lessons from Years One & Two.
There are plenty of resources/examples online of other organizations (similar to yours!) that have already done this work
USE THEM. Review the language. Consult your senior
staff. Keep it under two
pages. Above all: incorporate
your mission and values into the policy.
Writing a Policy? Borrow! Steal!
The MHSAA: Lessons We’ve Learned
MHSAA Facebook
7,663 Fans
Average weekly growth: 72.3 Fans
@MHSAA
2,184 Followers
Average weekly growth: 20.9 Followers
Current Quantitative Data
After creating accounts on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube – we sat back
Waited 90 full days before posting anything anywhere
Monitored conversation using combination of Google Searches, Twitter Keywords, Facebook Searches
Developed strategy based on trends witnessed during 90-day period
How It Allllll Started
Developed a Baseline for Measurement
EXCEL:Use what you know!
Three-Prong Content Approach
Announcements
Outside Contributions
Updates
on MHSAA clinics, meetings, trainings, events and news
Recommendations for non-MHSAA created content, articles, news
Live Event Updates
Up-to-the minute tournament information from on-site staff
Youngest? No. Blondest? No.
Select the person who understands your message and mission: truly.
Tech-savvy doesn’t hurt, but isn’t required
Don’t assign an intern. This is your brand, your reputation, your public perception!
Why Andi?
Connection: Campaigns & Convos
Individual attention: personalized content
Targeted and tailored for specific audience
Goal is to interact/engage with both new & established members through new medium(s)
Fresh content, “Nuggets”
Contests, polling, voting – “Call to action”
Tie It All Together
Measurable, Trackable, Fun-tastic: Displayed
Participants see immediate results, understand scope and action required
Tie It All Together
Drive Them Where You Want Them
•12 clips garnered over 17,500 unique views on YouTube (to date)
• Integration of Facebook event and Twitter posts generated buzz
• Shared results with most engaged audience: fans at the Breslin Center over two weekends in March
Press On!
•Battle of The Fans Contest: started with students
• Integration of Facebook event and Twitter posts generated buzz
• Will share results with most engaged audience: fans at the Breslin Center over two weekends in March
OPTIMIZING CONTENTFacebook EdgeRank – Making It Work For You
How do you consume online?
They will rarely come back here…
News Feed = your channel.
The Rules of Threes:
3AFFINITY
WEIGHT
TIME DECAY
Affinity is the user’s relationship with the items creator. The more a person comments, likes or
interacts with your posts, then the more likely your update will show up in their News Feed.
The more a person’s friends comment, like or interact with your posts, then the more likely your update will show up in that person’s News Feed.
Affinity
Weight combines what type of object and what type of interactions it’s receiving.
Videos, photos and links are generally considered to have the highest weight.
General text updates (with no videos, photos or links) carry the lowest weight.
Weight
3VIDEOSPHOTOS
Links
3COMMENTLIKE
Share
Type of Content
Relationship to the
object
Type of Interactio
n
Final variable: as an object gets older, the lower value the post carries.
Facebook is concerned with the relevancy of status updates in relation to the amount of time that has passed.
Fresh & frequent content are heavy players in whether your message is being seen.
Time Decay
3Times per day
Hours of “half life”
Different times of day
Posting Frequency
Tips!
Call to action!
Tips!
Call to action + engagement
Tips!
Ask questions.
Tips!
Share,
Share,Share
Tips!
Customize.
Tips!
Customize. Again.
My Content is Optimized: Now What?
How do you want to share your stories?
SIX FEARS
The scary stuff.
How many are you thinking?
1) Loss of control over your organizations’ branding & marketing messages
2) Dealing with negative comments.3) Addressing personality vs. organizational
voice4) Fear of failure5) Perception of wasted time & resources6) Suffering from information overload
already: a.k.a. “this is too much to handle”
A FEW DON’T ITEMS…
Pointers!
If a company/business posts updated back-to-back, multiple times per day? Hidden from News Feeds or unfollowed. Period.
Don’t spam your audience.
Social media is a two-way conversation you have with your members. When you ignore concerns or questions, you appear aloof and ambivalent. Don’t you care?
Don’t neglect issues/problems.
In the same vein as ignoring comments, it’s just as bad to post a canned response to all issues or concerns.
Don’t use formulaic responses.
Users notice when they see the exact same content posted on all your networks or marketing channels. This includes marrying your Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Don’t automate your updates.
While neglecting issues or problems is a bad practice, turning off the wall completely sends the message that you just want to broadcast, not engage.
Don’t turn off the wall.
Don’t post this photo if you’re the MHSAA.
CHECKING IN
Groups of 4-6.
Who are we speaking to?
What do they want from us online?
What do we want from them online?
How can we align those actions?
How will we know if it’s working?
How will we keep the ball rolling?
How will this evolve?
Questions That Need Answers:
RETURN ON INFLUENCE
Watch, Listen, Measure, Aggregate.
Measuring Quality, Quantity, Reach & Velocity
MONITOR ANALYZE
Administer searches
Track keywords View trends Review
conversation
Counts Multiple accounts Data overlay
Building New Relationships
Generating Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Strengthening Brand Loyalty
What Is It About?
Free on Facebook: Insights
MHSAA Facebook Insights
My Favorites:Features:
◦ Web-based◦ Free/pay models◦ Columns◦ Integrated accounts◦ Scheduling◦ Simple URL shortener
and photo uploader◦ Excellent mobile app◦ Customizable reports
Incorporates:◦ Twitter profiles◦ Facebook profiles◦ Facebok pages◦ LinkedIn ◦ WordPress◦ FourSquare
Tracks and projects growth in Twitter Followers & tweets
Weekly email with average growth, expected growth for coming 7-day period
My Favorites: TwitterCounter
Graph and see, at-a-glance, tweets per day, most common keywords/trends for your account
My Favorites: TweetStats
My Favorites: SocialMention
Aggregates content from across web
Allows easy tracking/measuring of what others are saying about your brand, topic, product, conference
Monitors 100+ social media platforms
THINGS TO KEEP EYES ON
Follow, Subscribe, Like. LEARN!
Daily posts: RSS sent right to your Inbox
Specific to non-profits and smaller corps
“Expert.”
Webinars RSS feed “Social
Media for Social Good”
Another “Expert.”
Hundreds of authors
Reputable, current and relevant
“Expert(s).”
Aggregate postings
Multiple contributors
RSS feed “Expert(s).”
@MarkRaganCEO
RSS feed Social media
tab Another
“Expert.”
Thank you!
Questions? Comments?
CONTACTAndi Osters
MHSAA(517)332-5046