Social Media Strategy (Updated)

+ Yale Rep & Social Media A recommended strategy for 2010

+ Why is Social Media Important?   Because 3 out of 4 Americans use social technology.   Forrester, The Growth Of Social Technology Adoption, 2008   Visiting social sites is now the 4th most popular online activity— ahead of personal email.   Nielsen, Global Faces & Networked Places, 2009   85% of social media users believe that a company should go further than just having a presence on social sites and should also interact with its customers.   Cone, Business in Social Media Study, September 2008 *Thanks to Espresso for statistics on Social Media

+ Social Media Adoption among Theatres Facebook YouTube Twitter MySpace Blogs Flickr - 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 November Unique US Visitors (MM) LORT

+ YRT’s Social Media Goals: 2010 1.  Listening to what audiences are saying about YRT •  Success: YRT’s responsiveness to audience research; # of fan’s positive and constructive interactions 2.  Empowering audiences to promote YRT •  Success: # reached in second order impact, increased awareness via word of mouth 3.  Deepening YRT’s relationship with current audience •  Success: increased loyalty, increased positive perception of YRT 4.  Attracting new audience members to YRT •  Success: increased acquisitions, increased ticket sales 5.  Leading theatres in the social media field •  Success: conferences, awareness among TCG & prospective students

+ The Key 3

+ 96% of LORT theatres are on Facebook. On average they have: Efforts Impact 4 wall posts/wk 1,153 fans 11 photo albums 12 wall comments/wk 8 videos 2 discussion groups 14 events 22 news links

+ Important Research Findings on Facebook Based on a study of Kansas City Repertory Theatre: Asking questions Fans comment more Fans “like” twice as generates highest on administrative- often as commenting level of user focused posts than on a wall post engagement artistic posts 24% of fans are 70% of fans are students; they women, but men engage less comment more frequently than non- frequently students

+ Example

+ YRT Goals for utilizing Facebook   Empower fans   Every time they post a comment to Yale Rep’s fan page, we get exposure to their friends via News Feed   Deepen Yale Rep’s relationship   Extend our relationship with the audience outside of the theatre   Use Facebook Insights to measure results   Look to Kansas City Rep, Actors Theatre Louisville, and Denver Center for the Performing Arts as examples

+ Strategies for engaging fans on Facebook   Acquire more friends by   Linking YRT fan page to YSD and Yale Cabaret’s fan pages   Promoting fan page on print & online marketing materials   Friending YSD students, staff and faculty   Advertising on Facebook   Post new content at least once per day (wall comments, links, photos, video) about artistic & administrative life at YRT   + respond to fan’s comments   Longterm: consider if/how to unify fan pages and alumni groups across YRT & YSD

+ Success Metrics on Facebook 5 fan comments Monitor 2,000 fans by on average per Facebook Dec 31, 2010 post Insights Top 10 LORT Top 10 LORT Active Fans fan pages fan pages Nov ’09 Nov ’09 Pageviews per average = average = 2.6 post 1,153 Audience demographics

+ 82% of LORT theatres are on Twitter. On average they: Efforts Impact Joined in April 2009 Have 640 followers Follow 485 people Get 11 @mentions/ Tweet once/day wk

+ Important Research Findings on Twitter Based on a study of American Repertory Theatre: Followers will Number of followers A theatre’s followers casually mention is best predictor of are often your theatre as often high user geographically as they will speak engagement diverse directly to you Asking questions Theatres really are generates highest using Twitter for levels of user more than just engagement marketing

+ YRT Goals for utilizing Twitter   Listen to our audience   They’ve already begun the online conversation—this is an opportunity to gather audience insights and an informal method of customer service   Empower them to spread the word   In the longer term, consider if/how to adjust the marketing expense budget to reflect this “free” word of mouth buzz   Use Twitalyzer and Hootsuite to measure results   Look to ACT Theatre, Portland Center Stage, and ART as examples

+ Strategies for engaging followers on Twitter   Consider using Hootsuite Twitter desktop client   Create a Twitter username that’s easy to search for (@yalerep)   Find followers by   Searching for who’s already talking about YRT   Promoting YRT’s Twitter username on print & online marketing materials   Following other Yale & theatre organizations   Post new content every day   Use an authentic voice   Respond to and retweet every @mention   Comment on other user’s tweets   Ask questions to followers

+ Success Metrics on Twitter 40 @yalerep’s Monitor 1,500 followers by Dec 31, 2010 per week on Twitalyzer & average Hootsuite Signal, Top 5 LORT Top 5 LORT Generosity, users users Velocity, Clout Oct ’09 Oct ’09 average = average = 640 10.6 Pop! Opening week = 30

+ 88% of LORT theatres are on YouTube. On average they: Efforts Impact Joined in Jan of 2008 27 subscribers Uploaded 28 videos 1,770 channel views Top 5 videos average 2,924 views each

+ Important Research Findings on YouTube Based on a study of top 20 viewed LORT theatre videos: Viewers engage Men 45-54 are Related videos on a “per video” largest are top referral basis demographic source 80%+ of views Plays get higher occur more than views on average 2 months after than musicals posting date

+ Example

+ YRT Goals for utilizing YouTube   Empower the viral video   YouTube has proven to be the most cost effective way to reach tens of thousands of people interested in your product   Attract new audiences   This is the best opportunity prospective audience members have to preview high quality Yale Rep productions   Use YouTube Statistics to measure results   Look to ART, Center Theatre Group, and Portland Center Stage as examples

+ Strategies for engaging viewers on YouTube   Upload a new video to YRT’s YouTube channel every month   LORT average = every 10 weeks, but 34 theatres average 1+/month   Don’t assume that only a certain “type” of video will attract high viewership.   Understand current demographics of YouTube   Make videos easy to find   Embed videos on Facebook and yalerep.org   Link to videos on Twitter   Use keyword tags   Put videos into playlists

+ Success Metrics on YouTube Monitor 100 subscribers 2+ videos with YouTube by Dec 31, 2010 10,000+ views Statistics & Data Top 5 LORT Top 20 LORT Total views channels videos Dec ’09 Dec ’09 Referring average = average = 27 Sources 2,924 YRT currently YRT currently Audience = 33 = 6,656 demographics

+ Don’t Waste Time On MySpace Flickr Blogs •  14% of LORT •  34% of LORT •  50% of LORT logged in past •  Joined Sept ’08 •  Joined Sept ’08 month •  Uploaded 146 •  Wrote 5 posts in •  13% had fan photos November comment in past •  12 contacts •  0 comments on month •  = not enough average •  = not enough applicable uses •  = not enough engagement engagement Except maybe for YSD

+ How much time will it take? Social Media Weekly Staffing Hours 18 1.3, Other 16 1.2, Flickr 14  2.9   YouTube   1.7  Measuring   12  2.7  ~10 more hours/wk  2.9  Blog   Learning   10 8  4.4  Twi/er   6  9.5  Crea:ng  4 Material    4.8  2 Facebook   0

+ 2010 Implementation Timeline WINTER SPRING SUMMER FALL Launch YRT Facebook Fan Page Launch Twitter @yalerep Expand video YouTube production knowledge Begin Review role of Follow up report Social Review Social incorporating SM across measuring Media Media Report SM into YRT & YSD success in 2010 marketing plans

+ But what if… People say bad things about us That’s ok! Studies show buyers ignore Amazon sellers with only positive ratings It doesn’t fit with the YRT brand Users expect a different “voice” depending on the platform It takes too much time It won’t if it’s embedded throughout organization as a daily routine Social Media is just a fad Using today’s platforms will prepare us for what tomorrow will bring

+ In the future Professional networking Blogs Geo-aware games Mobile apps

+ Questions? *From Espresso’s “What the F**k is Social Media: One Year Later

+ Appendix: More Reports on 24 Usable Hours   Facebook   Twitter   YouTube   Flickr   MySpace   Blogs   Staffing for Social Media

+ Created by Devon Smith, Director of Research & Analysis Yale Repertory Theatre Email: devon.smith@yale.edu Follow: @devonvsmith Read: http://devonvsmith.tumblr.com/

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Social Media Strategy (Updated)

by Devon Smith on Jan 08, 2010

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