Developing a Social Media Strategy for Alumni Keidra Chaney and Anne Divita Kopacz DePaul University

Who Are We? DePaul University 8th largest private university in the U.S. 130,000 alumni, primarily in Chicago area Office of Advancement Development Alumni Relations Communications Web staff

DePaul University

8th largest private university in the U.S.

130,000 alumni, primarily in Chicago area

Office of Advancement

Development

Alumni Relations

Communications

Web staff

How We Approach Social Media Our objective: increase alumni engagement About building relationships Sharing information/content Go to existing engaged communities

Our objective: increase alumni engagement

About building relationships

Sharing information/content

Go to existing engaged communities

Challenges Integrating with communication strategy Dealing with bureaucracy Establishing measurable goals Allaying skittishness about privacy/content Assigning staff to create content Getting a consensus among stakeholders Establishing online community guidelines

Integrating with communication strategy

Dealing with bureaucracy

Establishing measurable goals

Allaying skittishness about privacy/content

Assigning staff to create content

Getting a consensus among stakeholders

Establishing online community guidelines

It Starts with the Website… November 2008 relaunch Alumni portal News Events Alumni profiles Benefits/services Social media box Social bookmarking box

November 2008 relaunch

Alumni portal

News

Events

Alumni profiles

Benefits/services

Social media box

Social bookmarking box

…Continues with Email…

…And Includes Print!

Social Media Facebook alumni page LinkedIn alumni group/subgroups Demon Tracks blog Twitter account (@depaulalumni) Flickr photostream YouTube channel (depaulalumnifriends)

Facebook alumni page

LinkedIn alumni group/subgroups

Demon Tracks blog

Twitter account (@depaulalumni)

Flickr photostream

YouTube channel (depaulalumnifriends)

Facebook Alumni Page 4,300 fans Averages 50-60 new members weekly Avg. 600-800 unique page views per week

4,300 fans

Averages 50-60 new members weekly

Avg. 600-800 unique page views per week

Facebook Alumni Page DePaul content News and event listings Blog posts and web links Photos and video Fan content Wall posts, photos, video Discussion groups Next step Facebook Connect

DePaul content

News and event listings

Blog posts and web links

Photos and video

Fan content

Wall posts, photos, video

Discussion groups

Next step

Facebook Connect

LinkedIn Alumni Group Professional and social networking community 5,700 members Averages 100 new members weekly Active job posting & discussion boards

Professional and social networking community

5,700 members

Averages 100 new members weekly

Active job posting & discussion boards

LinkedIn Alumni Group 8 subgroups for regional chapters 1 affinity-based subgroup 1 topic-based subgroup Next steps: More subgroups by affinity and/or college Respond to user input

8 subgroups for regional chapters

1 affinity-based subgroup

1 topic-based subgroup

Next steps:

More subgroups by affinity and/or college

Respond to user input

Demon Tracks Staff-written blog Alumni, faculty, students in the news & on the web Posts syndicated to Facebook and LinkedIn Intern blogger added this quarter

Staff-written blog

Alumni, faculty, students in the news & on the web

Posts syndicated to Facebook and LinkedIn

Intern blogger added this

quarter

Demon Tracks Success Stories

Twitter 300+ followers News from DePaul and external sources Communicate directly with alumni in “real time” Join in DePaul (and non-DePaul) conversation

300+ followers

News from DePaul and external sources

Communicate directly with alumni in “real time”

Join in DePaul (and non-DePaul) conversation

DePaul Spirit Flickr Page 28 Group members and 300 photos Alumni and staff posted photos Photostream and Group Pool Replaces on-site photo gallery

28 Group members and 300 photos

Alumni and staff posted photos

Photostream and Group Pool

Replaces on-site photo gallery

YouTube Channel Dedicated video channel Hosts web and email videos Partner with faculty and students Next step: integrate with other media

Dedicated video channel

Hosts web and email videos

Partner with faculty and students

Next step: integrate with other media

Chart O’Fun MESSAGING

Measurement Many measurement tools Facebook Insights YouTube Insights Flickr Stats Google Analytics Numbers vs. context What we do: narrative report

Many measurement tools

Facebook Insights

YouTube Insights

Flickr Stats

Google Analytics

Numbers vs. context

What we do: narrative report

Finding Content Look everywhere for content Media relations College publications Our print magazines and newsletters Our other social media External news outlets and blogs Google Alerts Create our own content

Look everywhere for content

Media relations

College publications

Our print magazines and newsletters

Our other social media

External news outlets and blogs

Google Alerts

Create our own content

Key Take-Aways Create a strategy Partner with other departments Match media to audience Build relationships and foster conversations Go where alumni are Update content regularly Reuse, recycle content Measure, measure, measure Experiment – and don’t fear failure!

Create a strategy

Partner with other departments

Match media to audience

Build relationships and foster conversations

Go where alumni are

Update content regularly

Reuse, recycle content

Measure, measure, measure

Experiment – and don’t fear failure!

Questions?