http://www.flickr.com/photos/16638697@N00/272814244/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cybertoad/3224699416
Houston Zoo Social Media Case Study:
When Online Marketing goes WILD!!
Ed Schipul // Schipul - The Web Marketing Company // eschipul@schipul.com

What we’ll talk about:
•Storytelling
•Real World meets
Virtual World
•Online Community
(isn’t for the birds)
Find this presentation:
www.slideshare.net/eschipul
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sulla55/3305169516

1.6 million visitors / year
4,500 animals
Established in 1922
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsloan/1279044167
www.houstonzoo.org // www.houstonzooblog.org // www.flickr.com/houstonzoo // www.twitter.com/houstonzoo

Markets are Conversations
www.cluetrain.com // 95 Theses from 1999
www.flickr.com/photos/herselfsphotos/945412753

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cybertoad/3211981392
Social Media to tell a Story

4 Elements of Storytelling
1. Message 4. Plot
So my point is...
2. Conflict 3. Characters

Mac the baby elephant (2006 - 2008)
•Mac naming contest (7500 entries)
•Mac’s birthday card contests
•Elephant adoption packets
(thousands sold and increased
awareness)
Celebrating the life of Mac, the baby elephant
www.houstonzooblog.com

Embeddable pics and videos
http://www.youtube.com/user/houstonzoo
Research Fund Drive
1000’s of personal Stories
Helping a Community heal after a tragic loss
www.houstonzoo.com/mac
http://www.houstonzoo.org/herpesvirusresearch/

Conservation Blog Calls to Action
Frog videos to share
Combining Online Storytelling with Real World calls to action
2008: Year of the Frog

Houston Zoo Frog Blog
www.houstonzooblog.com/frog_blog

Real World meets Virtual World

Strong fan following
Visual announcements
Fan photos
Houston Zoo on Facebook (www.facebook.com)
www.facebook.com/pages/Houston-Zoo-Inc/15008187525#

37 ‘Yes’
36 ‘Maybe’
Planning an Online Fan Photo Day at the Zoo
http://www.houstonzoo.org/photographyday/

Children’s Museum of Houston (www.cmhouston.org)
Facebook Ads - A big bang in a small package
• Integrated newsletter sign up campaign
• Hundreds of email adds / Overs one million impressions
• Under $400 in paid ads

The power of visualization on Flickr (www.flickr.com)
Harnessing the User Generated Content madness
http://www.flickr.com/houstonzoo/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sulla55/3402883279/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/houstonzoo/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/houstonzoophotooftheweek/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/imelda/1317211500
Online Community Building

Houston Zoo on Twitter: www.twitter.com/houstonzoo
Twitter includes others in ongoing dialogue

Continuing the Mission and the Online momentum
Houston Zoo pals growing their own networks
www.twitter.com/krussohzg
www.twitter.com/RhinosIRF
www.youtube.com/user/
http://intlrhinofoundation.wordpress.com/ IntlRhinoFoundation
www.flickr.com/photos/rhinosirf/

Let’s review:
•Pick your characters
and tell your Story
•Combine online and
offline events and
promotions
•Pay attention to your
online relationships
Find this presentation:
www.slideshare.net/eschipul
http://www.flickr.com/photos/billtex48/2178056762

Can we help you? Let us know!
Ed Schipul // CEO
Email: eschipul@schipul.com
Personal blog: www.eschipul.com
Flickr: www.flickr.com/eschipul
Twitter: www.twitter.com/eschipul