National Geographic + Social Media Robert Michael Murray, Vice President Social Media SMASH Summit, San Francisco May 12, 2010
Clownfish and Bubble-Tipped Anemone Photograph by David Doubilet
The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society’s mission is to inspire people to care about the planet. Throughout its 122-year history, the Society has encouraged conservation of natural resources and raised public awareness of the importance of natural places, the plants and wildlife that inhabit them, and the environmental problems that threaten them. National Geographic’s explorers, writers and photographers have traveled the Earth, sharing its amazing stories with each new generation. The Society has funded more than 9,200 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects around the globe, and grantees make exciting new discoveries every day in both traditional and emerging fields.
Digital Media
12M+ unique visitors
Local language websites (China, UK, Italy, Spain, etc.)
2.5M+ fans, followers, subscribers
Mobile/Interactive
Apps
1.2m Facebook fans
250k Twitter followers
Education Outreach
Classroom magazines
Outreach to teachers (all 50 states)
Annual GeoBee (5M kids/year)
Classroom lesson plans and curriculum
Books
Widespread bookstore presence and multi-language publishing
100+ books published annually
Expeditions
54 unique trips to 39 countries with NGS experts
Live Events
NG Live! speaker series
BioBlitz and photo camps
Traveling exhibits
Music and Radio
NG Record label, publishing catalog and library
Nat Geo Music Channel
Music site with +25k songs, +1,500 artists
Mission Programs
NGS Explorers
Public programs
Research, conservation and exploration grants
Gaming
Console, PC, mobile and online games
Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft partnerships
Image Collection
10M+ photos and pieces of original art
Licensing
2,500 licensed products in 5k+ retail stores
Catalog and online sales
Films
Award-winning 2D, 3D, 4D films in theaters, IMAX, DVD and VOD
All Roads Film Festival
Magazines
4 consumer magazines
58M+ readers worldwide
31 local language editions
Cartography/Maps
Atlases, driving and hiking guides, trail maps, destination guides, and interactive mapping products
topos.com community
Channels/Television
NatGeo Channel, NatGeo Wild (domestic and international channels)
NG Television partnerships with major outlets (PBS, TNT, HBO)
More than 375 Million consumers a month
Tuareg Tribesman, Libya Photograph by Bobby Model
"The vast membership of the National Geographic Society, not only in the United States but in every civilized country of the world, has been built up through the years solely by the enthusiastic interest of the members themselves who take their time and give their effort to interesting their friends and acquaintances in joining, and in nominating them with no return for their trouble beyond the satisfaction of helping a world-wide educational project." ***** "It must be remembered that the member in Australia, in the Fiji Islands, or in Greenland is as much of The National Geographic Society and its Magazine as does any officer or Washington member." ~ Oliver LaGorce, 1932
NGS social media efforts
40+ Facebook pages across 15 categories with more than 1.5M fans. 15+ Twitter accounts with more than 250k followers.
YouTube page with more than 30k fans; more than 272k channel subscribers; and more than 6.5M channel views (top 25 channel).
NGS sold more than 2,500 subscriptions to National Geographic Magazine in one day.
MyShot/YourShot has more than 70,000 members who have submitted more than 600,000 photos. Several photos have become viral sensations.
Bathing Parrot Photograph by Cesar Badilla , My Shot
Building a digital ecosystem
Waikawau Bay, New Zealand Photograph by Steve Burling, My Shot
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