Social media can be really useful for MOOC providers for two different but related reasons. The first is that social media channels provide vitally important ways to attract participants to the MOOC, highlighting the content and purpose of the MOOC to a wide variety of potentially interested participants. The second is that during the MOOC they can provide familiar channels for interaction and can be used as a way to really engage with large numbers of users. Join this webinar to hear more about how you can use social media successfully in your MOOC. Discover more about EMMA, its MOOCs and webinars on the website: http://project.europeanmoocs.eu/

1. Using social media to promote your MOOC
Sally Reynolds, ATiT, Belgium

2. Talking about:
Using social media as part of a
broader promotion strategy
Suggestions based on our
experience including what to
avoid
How we promote MOOCs
generally in EMMA
Further information – link to our
guide

3. General
promotion of
your MOOC
Check out resources for promotion in-
house
Make a plan based on time and resources
available
Agree who is responsible for different
promotional activities
Review and adapt depending on results

4. Promoting your
MOOC locally
Local publicity in your university/college or school community, check
availability of press office, magazines, newsletters, website, VLE,
social media, mailings to alumni, specific departments and channels

5. Other
channels
and
mechanisms
• Traditional media – radio and TV
• Printed materials and local
campaigns
• Promotion on MOOC aggregators
• Online promotion through websites
and blogs
• Events - conferences, workshops,
seminars
• Groups/clubs/faculties
• Employment agencies
• Libraries
• Specific interest groups related to
your topic

6. Social media as a tool for promotion
Cheap to set up
and operate
Wide reach and
significant
potential impact
Thrives on
conversation
and informality
Great for
generating
statistics
Supports
conversation,
interaction &
engagement
The good
news!

7. Social media as a tool for promotion
Hugely time-
consuming
Requires
personal
ownership &
commitment
Needs skill to
use social media
effectively
Getting
attention can be
challenging
Voracious
appetite for
content
The less
good news…

8. Getting started with social media

9. What is the added value?
Which channels?
Plan launch– how far in advance?
How to keep up the momentum?
Who are the most appropriate social
media activists in your team?
Who will take personal ownership?

10. Formal tone and register
Identity – more general
Frequency less important
Announcement
Communication often
delayed
Interaction not directly in
the channel itself
Promotional ‘speak’
expected & accepted
Traditional media Social media
Tone informal & direct
Identity – more personal
Frequency more important
Conversation
Communication usually
immediate
Interaction directly in the
channel itself
Promotional ‘speak’
unwanted & often rejected

11. Separate identity
or using the
EMMA account?
Needs activity
using a consistent
hashtag to
generate traffic
Research
carefully for
relevant lists
Choose carefully
which you want:
group, page or
event
Make sure you
have sufficient
amount of video
Difficult to build
up subscribers
Setting up
your own
social media
channels

12. Contribute to channels hosted by communities with
interests linked to your MOOC
Be generous - make sure to share, re-tweet, invite
Avoid promotion when sharing info about your MOOC
Make it clear who its aimed at, what you will learn in
simple informal direct language –– ask for involvement
Make sure to ask for feedback about your MOOC – leads
to possible collaboration
Using other
social media
channels

13. Check regularly how people heard about your MOOC – best way to
know what works!
Be careful with your meta data / content
Cross-posting – build up good habits

14. Promoting
EMMA
MOOCs
generally inclusion in seasonal campaigns
activity in social media channels
online promotion
design of leaflet for each MOOC
guidance and advice as requested

16. ABC for dissemination management
Standardised workflow
A = basic information
B = content related
C= promotion related
• Using Social Media to make your MOOC more effective and engaging
• Promote your MOOC and other EMMA MOOCs in the most effective way
Catalogues
Guides

17. Regular distribution of newsletters with information about EMMA aimed
at policy-makers, stakeholders and new MOOC providers

18. MOOC Aggregators
MOOC campaign – October 2015
MOOC-List published here: https://www.mooc-list.com/initiative/emma
Class Central published here: https://www.class-central.com/provider/emma
Coursetalk published here: https://www.coursetalk.com/providers/emma/courses
MOOCs University published here: http://www.moocs.co/Higher_Education_MOOCs.html
Open Education Europa published here: http://openeducationeuropa.eu/en/find/moocs/EMMA
MOOC.ca published in newsletter
MOOC campaign – February 2016
MOOC-List published here: https://www.mooc-list.com/initiative/emma
Class Central published here: https://www.class-central.com/provider/emma
Coursetalk published here: https://www.coursetalk.com/providers/emma/courses
MOOC.ca published in newsletter
eMagister published here: http://www.emagister.com/
Epale: separate publications per MOOC

19. Prezi project
presentation
MOOCs
Catalogue
Press
Releases
Student
Mailings
MOOC leaflets in
multiple languages
MOOC Catalogue
Materials and resources
created to support
dissemination and promotion of
EMMA MOOCs

20. Checklist to ensure all channels used
Tips for promoting the MOOC
Ideas for how to identify what is
unique and attractive about their
MOOC
Specific suggestions about using
social media to promote your MOOC
in your own country/region
http://project.europeanmoocs.eu/project/pu
blications/#guides