Andrew Einhorn, M.S.CEO, OhMyGov Inc.
The Science of Social Media
What Analytics & Academics Can Teach Us
May 11, 2011
Basic Project Management Steps
1. Baseline Assessment
2. Set Goals
3. Brainstorm & Create Ideas
4. Set Objectives
5. Launch
6. Obtain Feedback
7. Measure Performance
8. Make Improvements
Communications Formulated Without Data is Like Flying
Without a Cockpit
Let the Data Steer Your Communications
Percent of Americans that use social
networking sites (May 2010).
Data Sources
Content Uploaded Online Daily by
Platform
75%
500 Million
75 Million
2 Billion Viewed
0 50M 200M 350M 500M 650M 800M 1B
Data Sources
• 71 percent of government agencies use some type of social media, usually for public communications.Most Common Uses Chart (Source: Human Capital Institute)
What Can We Do With This Data?
Twitter Used to Predict Box Office SuccessHuberman, Bernardo A. Asur, Sitaram
• 2010 Study
• Rate at which messages were produced used to accurately predict opening weekend box-office takings before the film had opened.
Movie Prediction Reality
The Crazies $16.8M $16.06MDear John $30.7M $30.46M
Making Predictions
• Percent Change in Facebook Fans by Political Affiliation Over Time (US House)
+61Seats
Facebook Used to Predict 2010 Election Outcomes
Einhorn, Hartman, Nelson
Making Predictions
+6Seats
Percent Change in Facebook Fans by Political Affiliation Over Time
(US Senate)
Data Manipulation
=
How to Derive Meaning from the Data
Negative
Positive
VHA Analysis
• Topics varied, but 60% of the comments were aimed at customer service issues at VHA hospitals and clinics.
• Only 5% of comments addressed quality of care received. The vast majority targeted the VHA advocate program and issues with bureaucracy or long paperwork processing
times.
60% - Poor Customer Service
Care quality
Facebook Comment Analysis
VHA Analysis
• 17.5% of comments came from current VA employees.
• Almost all negative.
• VA missing opportunity to create evangelists of staff through better internal
communications.
VA Staff
Non-VA Staff
Facebook Comment Analysis
VHA Analysis
• Complaints were lodged about services provide in:
1. Dallas, TX
2. Denver, CO
3. KC VAMC
4. Los Angeles, CA
5. Manchester, NH
6. West Haven, CT
7. San Diego, CA
• Compliments in service improvements were noted in:
1. Hampton, VA
2. West Haven, CT
3. Houston, TX
4. Worcester, MAWhere will future problems arise?
Facebook Comment Analysis
(+)(-)
Measuring Performance
OhMyGov
Benchmarking Performance
OhMyGov
Measuring Relevance
Hot on Twitter:@BreakingNews: US blocks $30 billion in Libya assets, the largest freeze ever, Treasury Dept. says
RT @zacharykarabell: Treasury Dept reports that China owns even more US debt than we thought. That's a lot of debt
http://tinyurl.com/49nxwuz #china #economy
Treasury Dept. Analysis March 1, 2011
Performance Enhancement
Using Social Media Science to Increase Impact
EPA Case Study
Goal: EPA launches YouTube contest to create best pro-environmental videos with cash prizes for the winner. Wanted to crowd-source creation of videos.
EPA Case Study
Outcome: Blogs and Twitterverse clamor over EPA “greenwashing” propoganda to justify more environmental regulation.
EPA Case Study
Lessons Learned:
1.Could have used social media to elicit responses to idea prior to launching initiative.
2.Could have used social media research to determine response other agencies/orgs had with similar initiatives prior to launch.
• Would have seen all possible reactions and prepared their communications in advance accordingly.
Additional Feedback Tools
Uservoice
Kindling
Polldaddy
Twitter & FB
Ning
Google Moderator
Zapsurvey
Backboard
Fee dbac k
:
Obtaining feedback
Obtaining feedback
1. Determine public/employee perceptions.
2. Identify problem areas. 3. Measure if and how messaging is
being received. 4. Insights into audience size and
type.5. Benchmark similar initiatives.
Conclusions
How Data Can Help Inform Communications:
Where To Go From Here?
Next Steps
1.Commit to continual improvement.
2.Create communications plan.1. Set goals & objectives
2. Procedures for measuring & reporting
3.Select technologies.
4.Gather, analyze, & report data.
5.Make improvements & institutionalize procedures.
6.Get help early on. Too important to go it alone.
Listen to the data.
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