Social Media for Museums A How To Guide Monday 5 th October 2009 Jude Habib Director, sound delivery

sound delivery is a dynamic training production and communications agency. Our mission is to help organisations shape and sharpen their messages and navigate the changing media landscape to find new and exciting ways to get their stories heard. For more information, visit us at www.sounddelivery.org.uk

sound delivery is a dynamic training production and communications agency.

Our mission is to help organisations shape and sharpen their messages and navigate the changing media landscape to find new and exciting ways to get their stories heard.

For more information, visit us at

www.sounddelivery.org.uk

Workshop Overview A shift in the communications landscape How do you communicate Essential Communications Reaching out to new audience Social Media for good - exploring podcasts, blogs, flickr and social networks Sharing best practice

A shift in the communications landscape

How do you communicate

Essential Communications

Reaching out to new audience Social Media for good - exploring podcasts, blogs, flickr and social networks

Sharing best practice

Who am I ? 12 + years at the BBC – across networks Many years working on multi-platform social action campaigns Set up sounddelivery working with charities and the cultural and heritage sectors Specialise in social media including podcasting, audio, video and creative communications. Been working with museums for several years. Worked with the Museum of London on several podcasting and social reporting projects

12 + years at the BBC – across networks

Many years working on multi-platform social action campaigns

Set up sounddelivery working with charities and the cultural and heritage sectors

Specialise in social media including podcasting, audio, video and creative communications.

Been working with museums for several years.

Worked with the Museum of London on several podcasting and social reporting projects

Who are you trying to reach? Teachers Parents Young People / Older People People Who Don’t Know Who You Are Funders Trustees Staff Volunteers Media Partners Corporate Sector Global Reach And how are you communicating with them?

Teachers

Parents

Young People / Older People

People Who Don’t Know Who You Are

Funders

Trustees

Staff

Volunteers

Media

Partners

Corporate Sector

Global Reach

is really just a label for the way the internet looks today

Its up to you to figure out what the *something* is! These are the tools that allow you to do something

Its up to you to figure out what the *something* is!

What’s changed? RSS-fed You can now 'subscribe' to a feed, so content comes direct to you without you having to seek it out.

RSS-fed

You can now 'subscribe' to a feed, so content comes direct to you without you having to seek it out.

Terms and Definitions Whats a tag? Whats a blog? What is RSS? What’s a social network? Whats a podcast? Whats a wiki? What is social bookmarking? What is a personalized homepage?

Whats a tag?

Whats a blog?

What is RSS?

What’s a social network?

Whats a podcast?

Whats a wiki?

What is social bookmarking?

What is a personalized homepage?

What is a blog? Website of entries, descriptions and thoughts, updated regularly Usually maintained by one person Uses free / simple interface Allows people to comment and to subscribe Mainly text but can be photo / audio / video Technorati tracking 106m

Website of entries, descriptions and thoughts, updated regularly

Usually maintained by one person

Uses free / simple interface

Allows people to comment and to subscribe

Mainly text but can be photo / audio / video

Technorati tracking 106m

Blogging: stories with words A conversation: a two way communication channel Think of it as keeping in touch with friends Write like a real person, not a PR Write about real experiences, personal views Use your blog to link to others, and key points of information

A conversation: a two way communication channel

Think of it as keeping in touch with friends

Write like a real person, not a PR

Write about real experiences, personal views

Use your blog to link to others, and key points of information

Keep it personal

Does it make any difference? Blogs are perfect for contacting the ‘Long Tail’ museum visitors: a large number of keen, long-term, disparate individuals. When aiming at larger, transient or more mainstream audiences, such as families or tourists, traditional routes like advertising and website listings may be more appropriate. The public seem to respond very well to things you might not think to include on a blog, for example – behind the scenes work: the arrival of unusual exhibits, preparing exhibitions. Sharing the responsibility for the blog amongst a group really helps reduce the workload too!

Blogs are perfect for contacting the ‘Long Tail’ museum visitors: a large number of keen, long-term, disparate individuals.

When aiming at larger, transient or more mainstream audiences, such as families or tourists, traditional routes like advertising and website listings may be more appropriate.

The public seem to respond very well to things you might not think to include on a blog, for example – behind the scenes work: the arrival of unusual exhibits, preparing exhibitions.

Sharing the responsibility for the blog amongst a group really helps reduce the workload too!

Trend towards microblogging Linked to growth in mobile and social networking Status Irregular posts Photo sharing & social bookmarking

Linked to growth in mobile and social networking

Status

Irregular posts

Photo sharing & social bookmarking

Twitter is a kind of public instant messenger stream. You go online or on your mobile device and send text messages (”tweets”) of up to 140 characters — or about one sentence long. Your tweets can be read by others, and you can sign up to follow the messages others write so that you can read theirs. You can also add tags, which allow you to trace comments on particular subjects, events or stories.

Twitter is a kind of public instant messenger stream. You go online or on your mobile device and send text messages (”tweets”) of up to 140 characters — or about one sentence long. Your tweets can be read by others, and you can sign up to follow the messages others write so that you can read theirs.

You can also add tags, which allow you to trace comments on particular subjects, events or stories.

Blogging: stories with Pictures Museums using Flickr: Museum of London: http:// www.flickr.com/groups/museumoflondon / Bolton Museum: http:// www.flickr.com/groups/buildingbolton / London Transport Museum: http:// www.flickr.com/photos/ltmuseum / V&A: http:// www.flickr.com/groups/va_museum / British Postal Museum & Archive: http:// www.flickr.com/photos/postalheritage / National Maritime Museum: http:// www.flickr.com/photos/nationalmaritimemuseum / York Railway Museum: http://www.flickr.com/photos/briburt/sets/72157603395809523/ National Media Museum: http:// www.flickr.com/photos/nationalmediamuseum RAF Museum: http:// www.flickr.com/groups/rafmuseum / Aviation Museum: http:// www.flickr.com/groups/aviationmuseum /

Museums using Flickr:

Museum of London: http:// www.flickr.com/groups/museumoflondon /

Bolton Museum: http:// www.flickr.com/groups/buildingbolton /

London Transport Museum: http:// www.flickr.com/photos/ltmuseum /

V&A: http:// www.flickr.com/groups/va_museum /

British Postal Museum & Archive: http:// www.flickr.com/photos/postalheritage /

National Maritime Museum: http:// www.flickr.com/photos/nationalmaritimemuseum /

York Railway Museum: http://www.flickr.com/photos/briburt/sets/72157603395809523/

National Media Museum: http:// www.flickr.com/photos/nationalmediamuseum

RAF Museum: http:// www.flickr.com/groups/rafmuseum /

Aviation Museum: http:// www.flickr.com/groups/aviationmuseum /

What is a podcast? Regularly updated audio content Often a ‘radio show’ format RSS-fed Anytime, Any where Listeners to 'subscribe' to an audio or video feed, which is downloaded to their computer and can be copied automatically onto their portable audio player.

Regularly updated audio content

Often a ‘radio show’ format

RSS-fed

Anytime, Any where

Listeners to 'subscribe' to an audio or video feed, which is downloaded to their computer and can be copied automatically onto their portable audio player.

Why Audio? Powerful Cost Effective Anonymous Dynamic Exciting Real Emotive Controlled Authentic Passionate Grassroots Targeted

Powerful

Cost Effective

Anonymous

Dynamic

Exciting

Real

Emotive

Controlled

Authentic

Passionate

Grassroots

Targeted

Who is Podcasting and using Audio?

Museum Podcast Examples

What kind of audio/podcasts are there? Magazine style programmes Stand-alone interviews Case studies/profiles Audio diaries/citizen media Dramas/comedies Exhibition tours Speeches/presentations

Magazine style programmes

Stand-alone interviews

Case studies/profiles

Audio diaries/citizen media

Dramas/comedies

Exhibition tours

Speeches/presentations

What is social bookmarking? store, tag and share links across the internet. share links with friends… and people with similar interests. access links from any computer.

store, tag and share links across the internet.

share links with friends… and people with similar interests.

access links from any computer.

Benefits Makes information manageable Makes information portable – you can access your bookmarks anywhere Connects your information and you to others

Makes information manageable

Makes information portable – you can access your bookmarks anywhere

Connects your information and you to others

Considerations Must agree to tags Can’t stop people tagging your content – even stuff you don’t want associated with you Bookmarks can go out of date

Must agree to tags

Can’t stop people tagging your content – even stuff you don’t want associated with you

Bookmarks can go out of date

What’s a wiki? a Wiki is a type of website that allows the visitors to add, remove, and sometimes edit the available content. This ease of interaction and operation makes a wiki an effective tool for collaborative authoring.

a Wiki is a type of website that allows the visitors to add, remove, and sometimes edit the available content. This ease of interaction and operation makes a wiki an effective tool for collaborative authoring.

Camera options Flip camera Range in price from £70 - £150 (on Amazon) Kodak Zi6 £85 – 112 (Amazon.co.uk)

Flip camera

Range in price from £70 - £150 (on Amazon)

More professional and costly equipment

Digital Storytelling Audio Slideshows

Social Media Case Study Brooklyn Museum

Brooklyn Museum

What is a social network? Social networks are groups of individuals unified by common Interests Vocations Passions Needs Before the internet these groups were more limited by proximity Online social networks benefit from the LONG-TAIL effect

Social networks are groups of individuals unified by common

Interests

Vocations

Passions

Needs

Before the internet these groups were more limited by proximity

Online social networks benefit from the LONG-TAIL effect

Niche social networks http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/ http://www.allaboutpets.org.uk/home.aspx

More than 300 million active users 50% of active users log on to Facebook in any given day The fastest growing demographic is those 35 years old and older General Growth Average user has 120 friends on the site More than 6 billion minutes are spent on Facebook each day (worldwide) (3) More than 40 million users update their statuses at least once each day (15) More than 10 million users become fans of Pages each day (3.5)

More than 300 million active users

50% of active users log on to Facebook in any given day

The fastest growing demographic is those 35 years old and older

General Growth

Average user has 120 friends on the site

More than 6 billion minutes are spent on Facebook each day (worldwide) (3)

More than 40 million users update their statuses at least once each day (15)

More than 10 million users become fans of Pages each day (3.5)

Fan page

Are you talking their language? It doesn’t matter what the method you communicate. Absolutely Crucial – Content is King! Get it right and people will subscribe to feed Continue to listen Join in the conversation via social networks Get involved – user generated content Tell their friends Find out more about you!

It doesn’t matter what the method you communicate.

Absolutely Crucial – Content is King!

Get it right and people will subscribe to feed

Continue to listen

Join in the conversation via social networks

Get involved – user generated content

Tell their friends

Find out more about you!

Challenges

Tips for creating powerful content Listen to podcasts, audio content, read blogs, explore social networking sites, watch vodcasts, read wikis – see what “the competition” is doing Involve your staff, supporters, clients - get their opinions & ideas, find out how they want to be communicated with. Be yourself - don’t try and copy what’s already out there. Be innovative. Share the responsibility – ask team members what they would like to do. Explore how incorporating a social media strategy start slowly and build up content.

Listen to podcasts, audio content, read blogs, explore social networking

sites, watch vodcasts, read wikis – see what “the competition” is doing

Involve your staff, supporters, clients - get their opinions & ideas, find

out how they want to be communicated with.

Be yourself - don’t try and copy what’s already out there. Be

innovative.

Share the responsibility – ask team members what they would like to

do.

Explore how incorporating a social media strategy start slowly and build

up content.

So is Social Media for you or not? YES You want to express the human voice of your organisation You want to enable easy ways for people to share knowledge and information Open source thinking - willing to share ideas in progress and let others join in and help it Can deal with the messiness You already have the basics covered. Costs Source: Designing for Civil Society NO You are obsessively controlling Your organization is not ready for some changes in how you work Your audience is not online Everything must be vetted by central authority Your aims are written in stone, not electricity You aren't prepared to assist people in learning a new skill and the time to make it an organizational habit.

YES

You want to express the human voice of your organisation

You want to enable easy ways for people to share knowledge and information

Open source thinking - willing to share ideas in progress and let others join in and help it

Can deal with the messiness

You already have the basics covered.

Costs

Source: Designing for Civil Society

NO

You are obsessively controlling

Your organization is not ready for some changes in how you work

Your audience is not online

Everything must be vetted by central authority

Your aims are written in stone, not electricity

You aren't prepared to assist people in learning a new skill and the time to make it an organizational habit.

Contact If you would like these slides or more information, contact [email_address]

If you would like these slides or more information, contact

[email_address]