PRESENTED BY

Capt Pat O’Connor

Defence Forces Use of Social Media

Why Engage - Metrics

Post-Award Sept ‘12

• Facebook: 24,000• Twitter Followers: 6,000• YouTube views: 1.1M• Flickr views: 3.5M• iPhone app: 3,500• Android app: 1,400

• Pre-Award Jun ‘11

• Facebook likes: 5,520• Twitter Followers: 1,292• YouTube Views: 315,000• Flickr Views: 1,155,704• No iPhone or Android

apps at time of award.

• Forms part of comprehensive PR strategy• The medium is the message!• It is where some target audiences hang out• Dominate the online discourse

– By being there you can shape the agenda• Social media allows you to avoid the media’s filter

Why Engage - External Audiences

• Centralised at the strategic level with controlled lower level inputs– One organisational voice

• The same as traditional media– A Press Officer - NOT an intern

• A tweet carries the same weight as a press release• It is official comment on behalf of your organisation• However….

– All your members are now online brand ambassadors

Who should engage?

• Plan your Social Media as you would any other strategic communication

• Maintain organisational control at a high level• Have a simple, clear policy for your troops

– Rules of Engagement

• Educate your members to make ethical decisions online

Mitigate Dangers by…

The Future...?

• Market research/climate survey/info mining

• Social search• Move beyond PR & marketing• Secure social networks• Situational awareness/ Augmented

reality displays (Predator)• Navigation devices (iPads in helis)• Command & control devices

(Computer games)• Crisis management (deployment

kits/swarm)• Knowledge development• shortened feedback loops• Or…………………….

Thank You!