User generated PR

Opportunities and Threats for Universities in the Social Media Context

Why Social Media?

Fractures within our physical social network

Need for community

Need to talk

What’s Social Media

“ It’s all about helping people to express themselves and connect with each other” David Gammel, CAE

Company controlled information + external Events

Word of Mouth

Buzz

Brand Communities

Content

Blogging and social networking sites have experienced explosive growth over the past few years

Social Media (especially Blogs) are strongly influencing search engine results and can drive traffic to important topics

“ Blogs, Podcasts, RSS-feed news releases, online video sharing, virtual worlds and microblogging are emerging as PR resources.” Tony Sapienza, November 2007

8 Million Users in July 06 30 Million Users in July 07

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_24/b4038404.htm

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_50/b3963001.htm

Universities and Social Media

“ Unlike commercial organizations, higher education lacked the “marketing” function completely.” Elisabeth Scarborough, SimposonScarborough

“ Declining enrollments, increased competition, and decreases in government funding are some of the more pressing issues of most universities today.” Karen Lancendorfer, West Michigan University

“ Higher Education is a broad marketplace and no university can rest on it laurels.” Robert Lockwood/Jerry Hadd, Gallup Management Journal July 2007

“ Student recruiting and admission, alumni giving, community relations, faculty engagement, staff culture, and the student experience.” Robert Lockwood/Jerry Hadd, Gallup Management Journal July 2007

PR and Social Media

“ PR Professionals will miss opportunities to use social media to extend an amplify their broader PR objectives...” Tony Sapienza, November 2007

“ Social Media provides a unique opportunity to reach new audiences and communicate to these audiences in novel and direct ways” Tony Sapienza, November 2007

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/mainstream_media_web20.php

Integration

“ Dramatic institutional change can occur only by capturing the hearts, minds, and souls of all those individuals who comprise the academic community. Engagement, ownership, trust, confidence, integrity, passion, and well-being are some of the key ingredients to fostering an interconnected, collaborative, and efficient institution.” Alex Gallup, Chairman of The Gallup Poll

Differentiation

“ The emotional and psychological dynamics of an educational institution as a whole influence and shape the perceptions of is brand in the marketplace.” Robert Lockwood/Jerry Hadd, Gallup Management Journal July 2007

“ Branding is more then... Assessing Pantone colors in logos, creating marketing materials or selling licensed merchandise.” Robert Lockwood/Jerry Hadd, Gallup Management Journal July 2007

“ Institutions must accommodate nontraditional students, an aging student population, more online and distance learning and a broader spectrum of student needs.” Robert Lockwood/Jerry Hadd, Gallup Management Journal July 2007

Content

Manifest V0.1 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// I am a hard bloggin’ scientist. This means in particular: 1. I believe that science is about freedom of speech. 2. I can identify myself with the science I do. 3. I am able to communicate my thoughts and ideas to the public. 4. I use a blog as a research tool. That means in particular, that I - express my thoughts, - get in contact with others, - have a sketch of my process online, - get feedback and new ideas from others. 5. I trust myself. 6. I surf a lot and I read a lot. 7. I blog once in a day/week/month. 8. I give comments once in a day/week/month on other blogs. 9. I am self-aware and critical. 10. I refer to the people who done the work first. 11. I give love and respect to the people.

You

Legal issues, bad content and low quality

Who needs Harvard??? http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1226150,00.html

The one school that seems to face the least competitive threat is going to great lengths to do what we think all schools must do... Robert Lockwood/Jerry Hadd, Gallup Management Journal July 2007

BUILD A STRONGER BRAND

Stefan Erschwendner I stefan.erschwendner@ddb.hu Download the presentation at: www.eranium.at

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