FRSA FRG Family and spouses briefing

Social Media Strategies for Military Spouses and Dependents

What IS social media?
7/19/2010

Why social media?
Keeping families connected is mission essential.
Facebook, blogs and other social networking sites are great ways to keep military families and Family Readiness Groups connected.

The glossary
Social Networking:
Facebook
MySpace
Friendster
7/19/2010
Collaborating/ knowledge sharing:
-Wikis
-Message boards
-Forums
-Podcasts
Content sharing:
-You Tube
-Flickr
-Vimeo
-Photobucket
Blogging:
-Blogger
-Wordpress
-Tumblr
-Twitter (micro-blogging)

What’s in a NUMBER?
Over 80 percent of Americans use social media tools and Web sites monthly
Social networking is now the #1 activity on the web
Twitter: 54 Million users
Facebook: 500 million users
You Tube: 924 million unique visitors each year
7/19/2010

American teens sent an average of 3,146 texts a month in 2009
That’s 10 text messages per hour they are not in school or sleeping, according to research by The Nielsen Company.

DTM 09-026
The Department of Defense Policy on social networking:
NIPRNET configured to allow access to social media
Restrictions should be temporary and commensurate with risk
Agencies outside of public affairs may use social media in an official capacity, but must coordinate with public affairs/operations security staff
7/19/2010

Operations Security
Social networking presents opportunities – and risks.
EDUCATION is considered the key requirement that will keep family members and Soldiers safe on-line.
Train your friends, spouses and FRG groups on basic operations security – what can and can’t be posted.
Always ask permission before posting personally identifiable information on-line

Facebookwww.facebook.com
Benefits:
Connect to a large public audience or smaller private audience
Discussion boards
Photo-sharing
Direct messaging

Family Readiness Groups on Facebook

Benefits
With over 500 million users, there’s a good chance most of your community is already on
Easy to tailor the site to your needs.
Easy to use and update
Multiple administrators eliminate burden
Allows family members who don’t have AKO access to participate.

So what’s the difference?
Pages vs. Groups
Pages are better for brands, businesses, bands, movies, or celebrities who want to interact with their fans or customers without having them connected to a personal account, and have a need to exceed Facebook’s 5,000 friend cap.
Groups are great for organizing on a personal level and for smaller scale interaction around a cause.

In an open group, anyone can join and see information
Post information about events/activities

options for sharing content/format your page
Choose the amount of information you want to be viewable to non-members.

Discussion Boards
Discussion boards allow you the opportunity to post information and begin conversation on a variety of topics.
Members of your group can also start their own discussions.

Photos keep fans/members engaged

Posting photos

Posting flyers for events

Example of Fan Page for FRSA

Facebook- as a Command Information Tool
Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, is on Facebook.

Virtual FRG
www.armyFRG.org
Interface includes topics and focus areas of interest to Soldiers and their families.
Benefits: secure platform behind AKO.
Negatives: family members outside of AKO can’t participate.
Some consider the platform too complex to update.

Blogginghttp://armylive.dodlive.mil
A blog is a conversational web site, typically offering news or opinion on a certain topic.
Companies or individuals may blog
Blogs should be written conversationally, and should be short – think op-ed length and e-mail tone.
Determine how your organization is currently being talked about in the blogosphere, and see how your blog can help you join the conversation.

Blogs
Benefits:
Caters to niche audiences
Easily accessible and readable
Provides the opportunity to screen comments prior to posting

TWITTER
www.twitter.com
-a micro-blogging tool that updates in 140 characters or less.
-updates are referred to as “Tweets”

Interaction & Feedback
Users can easily share their Feedback using Twitter.

YouTube - video sharing
www.youtube.com
YouTube is the #1 most popular video-sharing Web site
Watch, comment and share video clips
You Tube is the 2nd largest search engine, next to Google.
Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. George Casey spends a few minutes in an informal video chat with Soldiers. Gen. Casey has done nearly two dozen episodes, labeled, “Chief Cams.”

Don’t be afraid to use information from other sites

Map out a clear objective
Keep your audience in mind
- The way your social media site is set up will determine who will use it
Focus on creating a comfortable communication medium
- Establish an inviting site for your specified audience and regulate only when necessary
Keep operations security paramount
- Never post sensitive information in a public forum, even if it’s password protected.
Helpful Hints

Helpful Hints
Remember it’s a relationship tool, not an advertising tool
Be wary of social media overload
- You may not need to use all sites out there – be selective!
Link identities together
- Use the same image for all accounts

Handling a negative conversation
suggests:
Be clear about your comment policy
OK to screen for profanity, abusive language & spam
Don’t delete simply because it’s negative
Identify the type of comment
Straight problems
Constructive criticism
Merited attack
Spam
Decide how to react
Stay positive!
Decide whether a response is necessary
For spam, remove ASAP!
Remember: visitors are entitled to their own opinions!

Take aways:
Determine which platform fits your mission: and have a plan before you begin
Don’t be afraid to adjust fire
Don’t focus on the negatives
Create team - involve as many people as possible
Get your FRSA/spouse/kids engaged
Have a comments policy

Content
Conversation
Community

Creating a Facebook fan page
Select this one.
Name your page.
Ex: Fort Bliss Family Readiness Group

1. Just like with the group, you can upload a photo and enter information.
2. Click here to edit your page’s information.
3. Once finished, you can share the page by posting it on your profile.

Here are some of the settings and applications you can enable for your page.

Here are more of the settings and applications you can enable for your page.

Once you’ve finished editing the page, click “publish this page” so people will know it’s out there!

Creating a Facebook group
2.At the top right hand corner there will be a button that says “Create a New Group”.
1. Click on the “Groups” button in the bottom left hand corner of your screen

This is where you will name your group.
Ex: Fort Bliss family readiness group
Here you choose what network you want your group to be available to… Suggest you chose Global – which allow people in all Facebook networks to find your group.
Here you will write a brief description of what the purpose of your group is. This will be shown at the top of your group’s page when guests view your page.
Under Group Type you will decide how you want your group categorized.
Even if you made your group “Closed”, people who search for your group and visit your page will see the description you wrote for your group
What is the name of your office?
Ex: Family Readiness Group, FMWR
If you would like to list a POC’s e-mail
you can, but it is not required.
Does your organization have a website?
Where is your office or where are your
meetings located?
EX: Fort Bliss, Tx
You will then hit “save changes” and your group will be created!

Now, to customize your page…
Here you will have the option to browse your computer for a photo to include with your group. If you have a logo or a group photo you can use that here. This photo will be seen when people do a search for your group/similar groups.
Make sure you click this box!

Once you have completed filling out the information on this page, click Save Changes.
A box will appear that asks you if you want to publish the page, click “publish”.
You now have a Facebook Group!

Now it is time to invite people to your group.
Who should I let join my group?
(If you created under a “dummy” account)-
Invite people to XXX (name of your group).
If you know the e-mail address of the people you would like to join your group you have the option of inviting them this way. This will be the second option you will see on the page. To enter multiple e-mail addresses separate each with a coma.
(If you created under your own account or after you make yourself an admin)-
When you click “publish” you will have the option to invite people who you are already friends with on Facebook.
If you made yourself an Admin on the group, go to the groups page and choose the option “Invite people to join.”

Talk to your family
Educate your spouse and family members on OPSEC, and PII.
Basic tips for social media include:
-Don’t friend anyone you don’t know on Facebook or social networking platforms
-Don’t post deployment information, when you’re going on vacation or when your spouse/parent will be away.
-Know how to set your privacy settings, and use them.

Resources
7/19/2010
U.S. Army on slide share:
www.slideshare.net/USArmySocialMedia
OPSEC family portal on AKO:
https://www.us.army.mil/suite/page/594109
CGSC social media 101 video series: http://www.youtube.com/user/USArmyCGSC

Got questions?
MAJ Juanita Chang
Juanita.chang@us.army.mil
703.697.1849
SSG Dale Sweetnam
Dale.sweetnam@us.army.mil
703.614.0371

FRSA FRG Family and spouses briefing

by U.S. Army

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FRSA FRG Family and spouses briefing Presentation Transcript