How NASA uses Social Media to Connect

Using Social Media to Connect and Engage National Aeronautics and Space Administration Stephanie Schierholz, Office of Communications http://www.nasa.gov/ connect

Why Social Media?
More ways to tell your story .
When used well, you can use social media to build relationships .
Reach people where they are instead of requiring them to come to you.
The conversation already is taking place; you cannot help shape it if you are not a part of it .
National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ connect

Social Media Challenges National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ connect

Social Media Challenges for Gov’t National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ connect

Social Media Foundation at NASA
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Act:
Sec. 203. (a) The Administration, in order to carry out the purpose of this Act, shall—
(3) provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning its activities and the results thereof

Integrating Social Media
Where does social media belong within your organization? Who is going to own it?
Tends to be either Web/IT or Communications
At NASA, it’s within the Office of Communications
The purpose is to engage the public.
Communications officers are trained to know what information is releasable and what is not.
It gives the Communications team feedback and a better sense of what messages are communicated effectively.

Who Else Needs to be Involved? National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ connect

Getting Started with Social Media
Survey the options and your organization’s resources; what makes sense?
Start small, with one account or one platform.
Outline a basic strategic plan.
“ Let’s experiment” counts, but you’ll still need to be deliberate.
Jump in so you can learn by watching and interacting with others.

Incorporating Social Media
You learn by doing.
Look for those who are doing it well and see what you can copy and apply.
Social media are most effective as communication tools during a crisis, but you must have a presence before the crisis hits.

Social Media is Not a Press Release
Social media is a conversation – spend as much time listening as you do speaking.
Provide GREAT content that will get people talking.
Do not automate your content.
If you start a conversation, participate in it;
don’t start it and walk away.
Ask for and enable feedback – respond to mentions on Twitter, comments on blogs, Facebook, etc.

Basic Social Media Engagement
Be present .
If necessary, set a calendar appointment to check and respond to mentions and comments.
Focus on your audience. What do they want?
Not sure? ASK.
Look at what they are clicking/commenting on.
Be real and admit mistakes – it builds credibility.
Empower your people to respond and interact.

Provide a Personal Perspective
Personalize interactions:
Be human in your posts.
Don’t be afraid of emoticons or emotive words.
Anthropomorphized accounts can work well to create connections: @MarsPhoenix
National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ connect Visible spokespeople can reinforce messages and respond through personal/professional accounts: @Lori_Garver

Rules of Engagement
Don’t “buy” likes; quality is better than quantity.
Quantity will result from quality interaction.
Find your amplifiers. Notice who is retweeting and sharing your information.
Notice HOW people are sharing your posts. Their edits can tell you what they find important.

Indentifying Opportunities
Build upon what you already have
Make it easy to find your social media accounts
Make it easy to share your content
Recognize the unique value you offer and make it available
Take it offline

Build on Existing Assets National Aeronautics and Space Administration http:// mobile .nasa.gov Mobile version of www.nasa.gov

NASA Televison National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ ntv http://www.youtube.com/ NASATelevision

Make Social Media Easy to Find National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ connect

Make it Easy to Share
Tweet the title of the story and URL
“ Like" the story on your Facebook profile
National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ news

Share NASA videos too
Switch to a new player in 2010 (VMIX) that emulates YouTube has made our videos much more popular
1,500 videos online = about 7.4 million plays in 2010
National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ videos

What Is Your Unique Value?
Insight
Expertise
Imagery
Data

NASA Blogs
NASA blogs give website visitors perspectives from all over the agency – from the NASA administrator to the web team “Behind the Page”
National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ blogs

Chat with NASA
Dec. 21, 12-5 a.m. ET
Chat room at capacity (250) within 5 minutes until 4:30 a.m.
3,208 questions received, 2,393 answered
Total of 3,174 chat participants
National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/connect /chat

Twitter Chat National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.twitter.com/ NASA

A picture is worth… National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.flickr.com/photos/ nasahqphoto

NASA Apps National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ apps

Take it Offline: Host an out of this world Tweetup National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ tweetup

What is a NASA Tweetup? National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ tweetup

NASA Tweetups are in person…
Bring together people who follow @NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ tweetup

Tweeps Come from Far and Wide… National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ tweetup

NASA Tweetups are virtual and online… National Aeronautics and Space Administration Enabling and encouraging interaction with their followers http://www.nasa.gov/ tweetup

Same hashtag: #NASATweetup
Same account: @NASATweetup
How does the community find each other?

Successful Tweetups are special and memorable
Provide unique or exclusive:
Information
Speakers
Access
Setting

Successful Tweetups rock logistics
Short (sessions)
Connected (WiFi)
Interactive
Powered

Out of this World: Moving people from… National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://www.nasa.gov/ connect

“ You may not have a spaceship, but your company has a fan base . They won't think of themselves as fans until they're in a room with like-minded people . They won't think of themselves as members of a community until YOU bring them together .”
David Rosen, @davidhrosen
(Director, Burson-Marsteller)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Your Title Here http://www.nasa.gov/ connect

http://fedscoop.com	59
http://www.krishna.me	15
http://jacqueline-lampert.com	11
http://posterous.com	1
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How NASA uses Social Media to Connect

by U.S. Army on Jul 28, 2011

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