Extension and Social MediaNov. 6 & 8, 2012

Today’s Agenda

• CSU accounts & Social Media Policy• 5 ways social media can work for you• Facebook tips• Twitter 101• Managing the conversation

• Social media is a two-way communication tool where authenticity, real-time interaction is valued and expected

• Multiple social media platforms allow your to tailor your content to best engage and interact with segmented audiences

• Emerged phenomenon that continues to develop

What is Social Media?

Extension and Social Media• CSU is connected to communities across the state

in meaningful and important ways, serving as an engine of innovation and economic growth

• Social media is a time-efficient way to connect with constituents with research-backed information

• Find out what issues are on the minds of your constituents; start a conversation and offer answers and proposed solutions

CSU on Facebook

CSU on Twitter

CSU on Google+

CSU on YouTube

CSU on Flickr

CSU on LinkedIn

CSU on Pinterest

CSU on Instagram

CSU on Foursquare

CSU Social Media Websitewww.socialmedia.colostate.edu• Social media policy/application• Best practices• Tips for profile images• Directory• Social media resources

5 Ways Social Media Can Work for You

1. Determine why your department/unit is using social media• What is your goal?• Who is your audience? • What are your messages?

2. Keep it short• Do your best to limit Facebook posts

to 1-2 lines• “Clunky” posts may be read over in

news feeds• Would it work on Twitter?

3. Share your story through photos and images• Illustrate the brand• Photos draw 50% more “likes”• Easy to share, re-tweet, etc.

4. Use videos• Doesn’t have to be professional quality• Use your cell phone or flip cam • CSU’s Dancing Band Man– http://youtu.be/XctNXbxp-js

• Move-in Season– http://youtu.be/tqB6nioa4PE

5. Tell your fans what you want them to do

• Call to action– Watch this video– LIKE this post– Share a memory/story– Ask questions– Ask fans to RT (re-tweet) your tweets

Tips for Facebook Pages

The Art of the Post

What makes a post effective?• Capture attention through an image or

video• Use links, but cut the clutter• Keep it short and sweet• Use tools such as tagging• Pin important posts• Be a good “friend”

Capture Attention• Post with an image is 82% more

likely to be clicked than text-only post

• Use a variety of strategies to keep content interesting (photos, videos, questions, solicits for likes)

• Morning posts have the ability to go viral on the Newsfeed throughout the day

Use Links; Cut the Clutter• Facebook will generate a blurb and thumbnail once

you post a link; delete the URL to cut the clutter in your status update

Edit the Link Fields • Edit the “title” and “description” fields to enhance

your message

Keep it Short and Sweet• Updates between 100 and 250 characters — one or

two lines of text — get 60% more Likes, comments, and shares than ones that are more than 250 characters

Use Tools Such as Tagging• Use the @ in your status update to tag

fans or other pages

Be a Good “Friend”• Acting as your page, LIKE and comment on other

pages

Pin or Feature Important Posts• Pinned posts remain in the upper portion of your

timeline for up to 7 days• Featured posts span across the entire width of your

timeline

Leverage Cover Image• Your cover image is front and center on your Facebook

page, so make it count! It’s the first thing when people come to your page so leverage its position accordingly

Size Your Image Correctly• Your cover image must be at least 720 pixels wide and can be

sized exactly at 851 pixels wide by 315 pixels tall for a precise fit. The image file should be less than 100kb.

Twitter 101

Twitter 101•What exactly is this Twitter thing?• How to Tweet• Glossary• Anatomy of a Tweet• Tips

About Twitter• Real-time online information network

created in 2006• All in 140 characters or less • 340 million tweets daily• Instant feedback; relationship building;

share photo/video

How to Tweet1. Create an account at Twitter.com

2. Type your message, hit send• Yes, this is obvious, but it really is easy• Begin to follow other accounts• Attract other followers to you• Write a bio, use a good photo (no egg!)• Pick a good username that relates to who you

are/what your represent. AKA @ColoradoStateU

How to Tweet tips• Secure your org’s name• Twitter usernames (handles) should avoid names,

weird abbreviations, underscores, and be easy to remember

• Your bio must be interesting!• Get Twitter on your mobile device

Glossary • Tweet is a 140-character or less message• Retweet is a re-posting of someone else's Tweet• Favorite is when users like a Tweet• @ sign is used to call out usernames in Tweets, like this: Hello @ColoradoStateU! •@reply is when you click the Reply button on a Tweet• Mention is when you include (tag) another user in your Tweet by including the @ sign followed directly by their username

•Follow is when you subscribe to another user’s Tweets•Followers are other Twitter users that follow you•Hashtags: The # symbol is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet•Direct Message (DM) are Private Tweets between sender and recipient

Glossary

Facebook Ads

Straight from Twitter• Tip: One great way to find more interesting

accounts is see who those you know or admire are following.

• Tip: If you're a new user, others are more likely to find your messages if they are Retweets or @replies.

• Tip: The best way to gain followers on Twitter is to regularly engage and contribute in a meaningful way.

This all seems confusing; that’s OK• You never will be able to read each Tweet out

there• Use third-party applications like TweetDeck or

HootSuite to help organize incoming Tweets• Keep an eye on your mentions, direct messages

Resources•URL shortener for Colorado State http://s.colostate.edu/login.aspx

•Twitter Help Centerhttp://support.twitter.com/

Managing the Conversation

Social media is a two-way street• You want to reach your people and (hopefully)

your people want to be reached by you• People want to interact, ask questions• Other people see you are responsive• Not answering or not responding is ignoring

(even if you didn’t mean it)• People use SM to find out more about you, so

help them find that information

Dealing with the Negative• Tough questions are bound to be asked• Bad experiences leads to venting• See if you can make it right, if possible• Let them know you are sorry they felt they

had a bad experience, if you are indeed sorry

• Answer the questions• Allow your followers to defend you

What Helps?• Try to defuse a negative conversation:• Providing accurate information• Addressing issues in a timely manner• Kill ‘em with kindness/Take the high road• Provide additional resources (links to other web

pages, videos, etc. that verify your message)• Don’t get into an argument for the world to see

When to Punt (Delete, Ignore, Untag)

• Blatantly abusive posts, bad language• Slanderous posts (don’t let slander trespass)• Overwhelming response to uncontrollable

event, such as: Snow Days:

We can get 100s of posts on days it snows and CSU doesn’t close

We can’t control the weather (Sorry it snowed, but you knew that it snows in Colorado!)

We DO respond to emails/calls about weather (non)closures.

Questions?