Presented at the NAFSA Region X and Region XI 2008 Conferences by Penny Schouten and Mike Stone.
Session explained how international educators can use Blogs Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media to advise, connect and promote.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpIOClX1jPE&feature=user “ Web 1.0 ” - static information, Web 2.0- proliferation of interconnectivity and interactivity of web-delivered content
August 1999: Blogger is released, which becomes the most popular web based blogging tool to date, and popularizes blogging with mainstream internet users.
Too many people set up a blog, and then suffocate commenting and conversation ……Then they wonder why their blog isn't taking off.
Largest social networks on the web, revolutionized online communication. Myspace- foudned in 2003, attracts 230,000 new users each day. Facebook- launched in 2004 110 million+ users worldwide.
Founded in 2005, acquired by Google (GooTube), more than 100 million videos viewed/day
Launched in 2006, 3 million + users, social networking and micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users' updates, which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length.
business-oriented social networking site launched in 2003, more than 30 million registered users
Became popular throughout 1990’s…free, fast communication from anywhere
what I learned through developing a web 2.0 start-up for the study abroad field Helicopter parents are interested in connecting with other parents (safety, how to best communicate with child while abroad) Solution- interactivity (online messaging, forums) + user-generated feedback (shared online program evaluations) = centralized study abroad community
how many of you recently responded to a anonymous marketing email? How many of you recently responded to an 800 number marketing sales call? How many of you used google in the past 24 hours? How many of you went on google 20 times in the past 24 hours? Essential to take advantage of social media tools and seo to allow potential customers to FIND YOU. SEO- place keywords prominently in web content (demonstrate example- go on google and have someone give a search term, show why these appear)
(do you define your facebook profile, or does your facebook profile define you?) Think about your current networking strategies, and odds are there is an online social media resource that can help expedite and strengthen those efforts (hold workshops for colleagues and students pre-departure on ways that social media can make the entire experience more fulfilling- youtube channel to post video clips, create a twitter account to share experience with others, etc) Add some personality- social media should optimally provide a face behind the business- incorporate your passions, and the more passionate you are the better people will respond