Successfully Using Online Social Networking to Engage Students and Colleagues

Successfully Using Online Social Networking to Engage Students & Colleagues
Presented at the WCPA Fall Conference
October 22, 2009
Liz Van Lysal, UW–Milwaukee

Presentation Outline
This presentation will cover:
Twitter & Facebook Page basics
How UWM University Housing uses Facebook & Twitter
Building your Facebook & Twitter presence
Assessing your efforts
Using Twitter for professional development
This presentation will not cover:
How to create a Twitter account or Facebook Page
Fool-proof way to get hundreds of Facebook fans
Your personal Twitter professional development plan

Why should your organization use a Facebook Page or Twitter account?
Increase awareness of services and current events
Promote positive engagement with online social networks
Connect with students in a cost-effective matter

Twitter Basics
Twitter users answer the question “What Are You Doing” in 140 characters or less
You may choose to follow people/organizations, which will allow you to see all of their updates in your Twitter feed.
Twitter language primer:
@
DM
RT
#

Facebook Page Basics
Pages are different from profiles or groups
Official information source
Managed by one or more personal profiles
Must represent a real organization, celebrity, etc
Allow personal/professional distinction
Source: http://www.facebook.com/help.php?page=904

How UWM University Housing uses its Facebook Page
Basic profile information
Photo albums
Video
Status updates, multiple times per week
Respond to inquiries from fans
Areas to explore in the future:
Discussions
Posting a facebook widget on our website
Notes (for extended updates)

How to Build your Facebook Fan Base
Find well-connected colleagues to be admins
Suggest page to student employees
Favorite pages of other campus offices, and ask them to suggest your page to their fans
Post a Facebook ad
Link to your page from your department’s website.
Be aware of Facebook promotion guidelines
Be patient!

How UWM University Housing Uses Twitter
Copy tweets from Facebook Page updates
Don’t do twice the work!
Responds to @’s from others

How to Build Your Twitter Presence (Get Followers)
Search for key terms and follow people with relevant tweets
Bookmark the RSS feed of useful search terms
Limit searches by location
Current search terms UWM University Housing uses: UWM, dorm(s), UW–Milwaukee
Search terms that haven’t worked for us:
Specific building names
Department name
Follow the people you find in your searches
Use your campus name in your tweets so you show up in relevant searches

How to Build Your Twitter Presence (Get Followers)
Add a link to your Twitter profile on your department’s website
Consider joining some Twitter directories
Twibe
Wefollow
Be aware of the words you use in your profile – this can help people find your account in a search

Using Facebook Insights to Assess Your Efforts
What is Facebook Insights?
Measures exposure, actions and behavior related to your Page
Data is updated approximately 12 hours after the end of each day
Currently going through an update, so new features will continue to become available during the coming months
Source: http://www.facebook.com/help.php?page=915

Using Facebook Insights to Assess Your Efforts
What data is available?
Geographic and demographic data from your fan base
Interactions (comments, wall posts, “likes”)
Fan Dashboard
Total fans & new fans
Unsubscribed fans
Post quality

Why Should you Use Twitter for Your Personal Professional Development?
It’s free
Network with colleagues around the country
Spend time on it only when you want to

How to Use Twitter For Your Personal Professional Development
Connect with other student affairs professionals
Search #sachat. Next chat is tonight at 6PM!
Network with colleagues at conferences (backchannel)
Use #WCPA09 to talk about this conference
Search for key terms that apply to your job function and interests. Some suggestions:
#studentaffairs
#highered
#lgbt
#socialjustice

Join a twitter directory
Wefollow.com
I’m under #studentaffairs, #highered, #baseball, #foodie
Twibes.com
Follow other staff members on your campus

Some student affairs professionals I follow:
@ericstoller
Academic Advisor at Oregon State University
@acpaprez
ACPA President
@reyjunco
Associate Professor of Academic Development and Counseling at Lock Haven University with an interest in student engagement with technology
@edcabellon
Director of Rondileau Campus Center at Bridgewater State College
@justcameo
Career Services staff member at Duke University

Professional Skills/Experiences I’ve Gotten From Twitter
Campus collaboration opportunities
University Information & Technology Services
Academic Advising
Conference sessions…from conferences I didn’t attend!
Help with my capstone project
Referrals to relevant news stories
More people to bounce ideas off of

How Will You Use Social Networking Productively?
Some questions to ask yourself:
Does your supervisor support the use of Facebook/Twitter at work?
Can you multi-task enough to use these technologies throughout the day?
Should you set aside a specific time each day or week to focus on social networking?
Can you learn from others at your institution?

Useful Links
Facebook Page Promotion Guidelines
http://www.facebook.com/pages/manage/promo_guidelines.php
UWM Social Networking Resources and Pages
www.socialnetworking.uwm.edu
The SA Blog (sponsors of #sachat)
www.thesablogger.org

Liz Van Lysal, Program outreach CoordinatorUniversity Housing, UW–Milwaukee
Personal Facebook:
www.facebook.com/lizUWM
Personal Twitter:
lvanlysal
Email:
vanlysal@uwm.edu
Department Facebook:
www.facebook.com/UWMUniversityHousing
Department Twitter:
uwmreshalls