Social Media Plan

Loyalist College Entrepreneurial
Studies Program Social Media Plan
December 2014
Prepared by: Daniel Perry

of 25
Table of Contents
Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................2
Introduction....................................................................................................................................3
Definitions.......................................................................................................................................3
Goals................................................................................................................................................4
Key Messages..................................................................................................................................4
Evaluation of Competition ............................................................................................................5
Queens Innovation Connector - University ................................................................................5
The Next 36 - University of Toronto .........................................................................................6
Target Audiences ...........................................................................................................................9
Important Dates .............................................................................................................................9
Social Media Tools.......................................................................................................................10
Facebook – Loyalist College: Entrepreneurial Studies .............................................................10
YouTube – ESBLloyalist ...........................................................................................................11
Twitter - @ESBLloyalist ...........................................................................................................11
Ask.fm – ask.fm/ESBLloyalist ..................................................................................................12
LinkedIn - Loyalist College: Entrepreneurial Studies ...............................................................12
HootSuite – esblloyalistc@gmail.com.......................................................................................12
Social Media Engagement Strategy............................................................................................12
Measurement................................................................................................................................17
Facebook ....................................................................................................................................17
YouTube.....................................................................................................................................18
Twitter ........................................................................................................................................18
Ask.fm........................................................................................................................................18
LinkedIn .....................................................................................................................................19
Summary ......................................................................................................................................19
Appendix ......................................................................................................................................20
References ..................................................................................................................................20
Figure A: Example of Weekly Schedule ...................................................................................21
Figure B: Infographic ................................................................................................................25

of 25
Executive Summary
Social media has become a vital part in the modern world for both personal and professional use.
Social media has redefined how companies advertise and market their product or service to their
target audience. In order to make this process more effective, many companies use a preplanned
strategy. By using social media, Loyalist College has the opportunity to promote and advertise
their new Entrepreneurial Studies Program to potential students, business partners, and mentors.
The plan provides in-depth details on how Loyalist College is to use social media sites,
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Ask.fm, LinkedIn, and HootSuite, to promote and advertise their
Entrepreneurial Studies Program. The plan can be performed by a person who has a strong
understanding of social media and the power it contains. This plan is available immediately as
the accounts mentioned above are already in existence. If followed properly, the plan will be able
to meet and exceed the goals that are outlined.

of 25
Introduction
Social media has transformed the fashion in which business advertise and market their product.
A majority of businesses have begun to plan social media strategies ahead of time thereby
ensuring maximum efficiency. Loyalist College aims to create and maintain a strong social
media presence that uses several social medial tools to promote and create awareness for the new
Entrepreneurial Studies Program at Loyalist College in a positive way. The tools which will be
used to fulfill this goal included Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Ask.Fm, LinkedIn, and HootSuite.
Each tool has a specific purpose and audience. If followed properly, the social media plan will
surpass the outlined goals.
Definitions
Social media is a relatively new field that has its own vocabulary. Therefore, those who may not
work in this field are perhaps unfamiliar with terms or language that will be used throughout this
social media plan. In order to have a general understanding of terms and language used, the
following words have been defined:
Ask.fm: Ask.fm is a social media website that allows users a to ask questions and other users to
respond.
Comment(s): A comment is a response that is provided as an answer or a response related to a
post on social media. Comments are traditionally and primarily a two way communication on
social media sites.
Content: Material that is shared on social media sites, such as, images, text, or video.
Facebook: Facebook is a social media website that provides users with the opportunity to share
text based updates, links, photos, videos, and events to others.
Hashtag (#): A hashtag is primarily used on the social media site, Twitter, as a way to mark a
message. It is commonly used to group together related events or ideas.
HootSuite: HootSuite is social media platform which allows a user to manage several social
media platforms from the same site.
Like: A “Like” is an action that occurs on the social media site, Facebook. Users are able to
“Like” something instead of writing a comment on a status update or a quick way to share a
message.
LinkedIn: LinkedIn is an online professional social media website where professionals are able
to network with others.

of 25
Retweet: A retweet is when a user on Twitter sees a message from another user and decides to
share it with their followers.
Social Media: Websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to
participate in social networking/interaction.
Social Media Platforms: Web based technology that enables the development, deployment, and
management of social media, solutions, and services.
Social Networks: Websites where social engagement occurs online, such as, Facebook or
Twitter.
Third Party Website: A website that provides an auxiliary product that is not provided by a
primary manufacturer to the user.
YouTube: YouTube is a social networking site where users are able to share videos with other
users on the internet.
Goals
Social media can provide great benefits to a company or, in this case, a new program of study. In
order for the social media to be effective, there needs to be specific goals. The goals of this social
media plan are as follows:
 Create and maintain a strong social media presence that uses several social medial tools
to promote and create awareness for the new Entrepreneurial Studies Program at Loyalist
College in a positive way.
 To use social media tools to raise awareness for the new program and to target and
engage with future students, investors, and business mentors.
Key Messages
Loyalist College provides a small friendly campus that is close-knit and that allows you to grow
academically, socially, and personally. The new Entrepreneurial Studies Program that Loyalist
College offers is an extension of the College’s current curriculum and is designed to provide
students with the experience, connections, and leadership necessary to maximize their
entrepreneurial potential and prepare them for the world of business. After graduating, students
will be able to take advantage of connections made with participating entrepreneurs and fellow
student investors.
 Provide students with an opportunity to work with and learn from some of the local
area’s most successful entrepreneurs who will act as personal mentors to the students.

of 25
 Students have the opportunity to forge valuable relationships with industry leaders
 Rather than waiting until after graduation to begin building their business, students have
the unique opportunity to launch a start-up while learning.
 Instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars at a university business school for
theoretical knowledge, students can get a real business experience for an affordable
tuition of $3,741.
Evaluation of Competition
Although the Entrepreneurial Studies Program at Loyalist College is unique, it still faces steep
competition from other higher learning institutions, such as, Queens University (Queens
Innovation Connector) and the University of Toronto (The Next 36). Queens University is a
world class higher learning institution and is located an hour east of Loyalist College. The
University of Toronto is a leader within Canada for higher learning and is located two hours west
of Loyalist College.
Queens Innovation Connector - University
The program provided by Queens University is a 16 week paid summer internship for students
from Queens University a part of any faculty. A maximum of 30 students are selected based on
their corporate or social innovation, ability to contribute to a multidisciplinary team, and interest
in being an entrepreneur. The internship provides funding for each student, financing for the
project, and additional funding to help the business grow after internship. The internship
provides students with the opportunity to develop skills to manage risk in new ventures or
corporate innovation. Students work alongside fellow peers and Queen’s Faculty to build and
develop a business and business prototypes.
In terms of social media efforts, Queens Innovation Connector is severally limited. The only
social media tool used by Queens Innovation Connector is Twitter. Twitter is used as the main
hub for communicating and engaging with people; their Twitter name is “@Queensinnov8”. The
account is followed by 436 other accounts and consists of 42 photos and videos. After analysing
the account, it can be concluded that it is updated at least 3 times every 10 days with content that
is related to the internship. The images and video used are highlights from the business
presentations from students, presentations from guest speakers, and a timetable for the final
presentations. The videos feature the prototypes of the inventions from the students and a video
of the winning team that includes a brief summary of each member and how they worked as a

of 25
team. An interesting strategy that was used during the students’ final presentation was the
creating and the use of the hashtags “#qsiifinalpitchcomp” and “#QSII”. By creating a hashtag,
the Twitter account is able to create a permanent link to this event and can have others, such as,
students, professors, business, or spectators join in the conversation and state what they believe.
By examining and studying the social media efforts of Queens Innovation Connector, it can be
concluded that that the efforts have strengths and weakness. The primary weakness of Queens
Innovation Connector social media is that it is limited to Twitter. Although the Twitter account
uses several videos, they are from other business social media accounts. By only using one form
of social media, they are excluding a large number of people. A survey conducted by Pew
Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project in 2012 found that only 16% of internet
users use Twitter. Therefore, a large number of people are not being reached with this social
media effort.
The primary strength of Queens Innovation Connector social media is its use of images and
hashtags. The images provided snap shots into the events that occur during the internship. A user
who views the images can get a strong visual sense of the events that have occurred. The use of
hashtags allows for the tweets to be marked and linked to the specific event of the final
presentation and the program. This allows other users, such as, students, audience members,
professors, or business professionals to engage with one another regarding the events that are
occurring.
The information learned from examining the Queens Innovation Connector social media tool and
efforts can be transferred to the social media efforts of promoting the new Entrepreneurial
Studies Program at Loyalist College. First is their use of images and hashtags. By using images,
it will provide the viewer with a visual sense of the event that has occurred allowing a person to
become more engaged and want to learn more, and can do so by communicating through
hashtags. The use of hashtags enables users to label their tweets to a specific event or matter. The
use of hashtags will create a direct connection to the program and create dialog between the users
and the account.
The Next 36 - University of Toronto
The program provided by the University of Toronto is a 7 month program for recent university
graduates or students who are in their final 2 years of undergraduate studies. The program is for
Canadian citizens or permanent residences from any field of study that have a B average or

of 25
higher while attending university. A maximum of 36 young Canadians are chosen based on
ambition, drive, problem solving, and entrepreneur interest. The program provides a high level of
education that is directly applicable to a person’s venture, a mentor from a top Canadian
entrepreneur, a network with top entrepreneurs, an ability to contact experts, product services for
venture, and an investment capital up to $65,000.
In terms of social media efforts, The Next 36 uses a variety of social media tools, such as,
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. After examining each tool, it became apparent that
the different tools were upgraded several times a week, and Facebook (The Next 36: Canada’s
Entrepreneurial Leadership Initiative) is the hub where all social media branches meet and are
shared. The social media tool, YouTube (thenext36video), is a source of digital media that
features video blogs, webinars, miniseries, and promotional videos. The social media tool of
Twitter (@next36) is used mainly for short updates about the program and upcoming dates of
events. The social media tool, LinkedIn, is used to promote the program and to promote being an
entrepreneur through news articles, links and digital media.
The Facebook page (The Next 36: Canada’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Initiative) has 2,582
likes and features a variety of images and links. After analysing the account, it can be concluded
that it is updated at least 5 times every 15 days with content that is related to the program. The
links and images that are used highlight latest articles about business and updates from popular
entrepreneurs. The Facebook page is also linked to their YouTube account and features several
videos that vary from promotional videos to pitch videos from previous years. The Facebook
page also uses strong images of teams from previous years, prototypes of projects, and guest
speakers.
The YouTube Channel (thenext36videos) has 121 subscribers and features videos that vary from
video blogs, webinars, miniseries, and promotional videos. After analysing the account, it can be
concluded that the social media tool is not updated on a regular basis. An interesting series of
videos included a miniseries entitled “Becoming The Next 36”. This miniseries was a six part
series that follows individuals and groups at the 2013 National Selection Weekend. The series
follows the events of the weekend right from the beginning when the 70 finalist meet to the final
presentation. The series is mainly narrated, but takes breaks to allow viewers to hear from
students, and brief messages from key speakers. The series concludes with the final presentations
and the selection of the 36 candidates.

of 25
The Twitter account (@next36) is followed by 5,500 accounts and consists of 4,407 tweets and
164 photos and videos. After analysing the account, it can be concluded that it is updated at least
7 times every 5 days with content that is related to the internship. The images and videos that are
used are highlights from the business presentations from students, presentations from guest
speakers, and infographics about upcoming events. The account engages with a variety of
accounts that vary from post-secondary institutions, entrepreneurs, to business. The account
engages with other accounts by retweeting, favoring, and by responding to tweets.
LinkedIn is followed by 1,104 people and consists of a variety of news articles, links, and digital
media. After analysing the account, it can be concluded that it is updated 3 times every 30 days
with content that promotes the program in a positive fashion. The news articles that are shared
focus on entrepreneurs and their new ideas as well as information that relates to the program.
There are also several promotional videos which create and promote great interest in the
program.
By examining and studying the social media efforts of The Next 36, it can be concluded that the
efforts have strengths and weaknesses. The primary weakness of The Next 36 social media is the
lack of use of hashtags on Twitter. The use of hashtags allows for users tweets to be marked and
connected to a specific event or time. Using hashtags allows for other users, such as, future
students, business people, and other people to engage and follow a conversation that is related to
a specific event. The use of hashtags may seem like a minor weakness but, in fact, it is a great
weakness. Hashtags allow a user to find and engage in content easier and, without them, users
may not engage as much.
The primary strength of The Next 36 social media is its consistency throughout each platform.
The message that each social media site puts forth is the same in several aspects in terms of
information and visuals. Each social media account provides the same information in the About
Section on the different social media sites. This ensures that the user does not receive mixed
messages about the program. Each account is also linked together in terms that each account
shares similar content and, at times, the same content. Furthermore, each social media account
uses the same visuals that consist of the same colour, orange and black. This creates a link in a
user’s head to the social media sites.
The information learned from examining The Next 36 social media tools and efforts can be
transferred to the social media efforts of promoting the new Entrepreneurial Studies Program at

of 25
Loyalist College. Firstly, drawing from a strength of The Next 36, the social media efforts need
to be consistent in terms of information and visuals. The consistency of information ensures that
the different social media tools are portraying the same information and that the user is not
receiving different messages about the program. Additionally, having the same visuals images
throughout the different social media tools will create a link in the user’s mind. Secondly, the use
of hashtags on Twitter is an opportunity to create direct connections about the program. Hashtags
allow for users to engage and discusses matters about the program in a simpler form.
Target Audiences
The target audiences that the social media efforts will focus on are entrepreneurial minded
individuals. The primary individuals that the social media efforts are focused on are men and
women between the ages of 19-24, who are currently in college or have recently graduated from
college with a diploma, preferably from Loyalist College. The secondary individuals that the
social media efforts are focused on are men and women between the ages of 19-24, who are
attending or have recently graduated from college or university and live in Eastern Ontario. The
third type of individuals that the social media efforts are focused on are men and women between
the ages of 19-24, who are attending or have recently graduated from college or university and
live in any part of Canada.
Important Dates
There specific dates that are important to social media and dates where social media reaches its
peak, such as, during the Super Bowl or during Christmas Day. Therefore, it is essential that
social media efforts reflect this and adapt to these dates. Ontariocolleges.ca outlines several dates
that are important to future college students and can be adopted to fit into social media efforts for
Loyalist College Entrepreneurial Studies Program. Looking forward into the next six months,
there are five important dates November 24, 2014, February 1, 2015, March 15, 2015, May 1,
2015, and July 2, 2015.
 November 24th
, 2014 is the date when Loyalist College will begin to receive online
applications from ontariocolleges.ca and will be able to review each application. This is
important as it provides the Loyalist College and the Entrepreneurial Studies Program
with general understanding of the demand for the program. In terms of social media, this
date is important since it provides information about the demographics of people that are
currently interested in the program and therefore can target these types of people easier.

of 25
 February 1st
, 2015 is the due date for applications to be equally considered for highly
competitive programs, such as, the Entrepreneurial Studies Program. This is also the
earliest date that a college may begin to send an offer of admission to a program for the
upcoming academic year.
 March 15th
, 2015 is Loyalist College’s Spring Open House. On this day, future students
have the opportunity to come and tour the collage and the programs that it has to offer.
 May 1st
, 2015 is the deadline to confirm offer of admission to a specific college program.
 July 2nd
, 2015 is the date when the payment for the first semester is due.
Social Media Tools
Social media provides many tools to create, promote, and manage one’s company. After
examining and analyzing the various social media options, it became apparent that the social
media tools that would promote the new Entrepreneurial Studies Program at Loyalist Collage are
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Ask.fm, LinkedIn, and Hootsuite which will manage several of
these accounts. Facebook is one of the largest and commonly used social media and is a
necessity to any social media efforts. Twitter is a leader in short messaging and fan interaction in
social media, and at the present time it would be unthinkable not to use Twitter in our social
media efforts. YouTube provides a simple and a convenient way to share and promote videos
that are easily sharable to other social networks, such as, Facebook or Twitter. Ask.fm is an
innovative choice since it is not a common social media website media tool used by business. It
provides a simple interface for users to ask questions about the program. LinkedIn is a
professional social networking tool that is useful to connect with business people and promote a
business. Hootsuite is a free social media managing tool that allows for users to manage several
social media platforms from the same site (Dashboard).
Facebook – Loyalist College: Entrepreneurial Studies
Facebook is a social media website that provides users with the opportunity to share text based
updates, links, photos, videos, and events to others. Facebook is used by business to self-promote
their product or service through a company’s Facebook page. A Facebook page is visible to the
entire internet and people are able to follow and engage with the page by clicking the “Like”
button on the page. By clicking the “Like” button or more commonly known as liking a page, a
person will receive updates from the company on their homepage of Facebook. A survey
conducted by Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project in 2012 found that two –

of 25
thirds of adults online use Facebook. The survey also found that a majority of users are between
the ages 1 8to 29, which is also the target audience of the social media efforts. The Facebook
page entitled Loyalist College: Entrepreneurial Studies has been created and ready for
immediate use.
YouTube – ESBLloyalist
YouTube is a social networking site where users are able to share videos with other users and the
entire internet. In order to be able to comment, up vote or down vote videos, create playlists,
subscribe to a channel, or create a channel, a user must be registered. Videos are able to be
shared on other social media platforms, such as, Facebook or Twitter. According to YouTube,
the website has over 1 billion monthly users and 6 billion hours of videos are watched each
month. YouTube states that their target audience is adults between the ages of 18 to 34. The
YouTube channel ESBLloyalist has been created and ready for immediate use.
Twitter - @ESBLloyalist
Twitter is a social media website that provides users with the opportunity to share events, their
thoughts, feelings, interests, or insight in 140 characters or less, and this is called a tweet. Twitter
can be used for personal use, professional use, or a combination of the two. At the end of a tweet,
a person may choose to use a hash tag. A hash tag is a way of tagging a post with a specific
marking so others can see it. Users of Twitter choose who they follow and who they do not. This
means that the user has complete and utter control regarding the content that appears in their
news feed, and where the tweets of the people they follow appear. A person can follow as many
people as they like. A person can follow you, but you do not have to follow that person back for
them to see your tweets. Users are able to communicate to others in two ways. The first way is
through mentioning a person in their tweet using the @ symbol followed by an ther user’s twitter
name also more commonly known as their twitter handle. The second way a person can
communicate with another person is through a direct message. In order to send a direct message,
both people need to follow each other. A direct message is only 140 characters long. A survey
conducted by Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project in 2012 found that 16%
of internet users use Twitter. The survey also found that a majority of users are between the ages
18to 29, which is the target audience of the program’s social media efforts. The Twitter account
@ESBLloyalist has been created and ready for immediate use.

of 25
Ask.fm – ask.fm/ESBLloyalist
Ask.fm is a social media website that allows users to ask questions and other users to respond. A
question can be asked anonymously or you ask using your real name. All questions that are
asked are sent to your inbox and then are published to your profile unless you do not approve
them. Once questions are posted to your profile, your answers will be seen by the public. An
ask.fm account can be linked to Facebook or Twitter to share the answer to the question that was
asked. According to a report completed by ask.fm, the website has over 130 million users that
vary in age. The Ask.Fm/ESBLloyalist has been created and ready for immediate use.
LinkedIn - Loyalist College: Entrepreneurial Studies
LinkedIn is an online professional social media website where professionals are able to network
with others. A company can uses LinkedIn as a central hub where LinkedIn members are able to
stay informed about your company, new products, or services. LinkedIn is commonly used by
business professionals to network with others and engage with others. The website allows users
to post status updates that can be text, images, videos, and articles. LinkedIn is used by a variety
of business people and businesses and had over 178.4 million monthly visitors in 2013 according
to Quantcast, a company that specializes in audience measurement and real-time advertising.
HootSuite – esblloyalistc@gmail.com
HootSuite is social media platform which allows a user to manage several social media platforms
from the same site. The site allows a user to monitor what others are saying about their product
or brand and can reply directly to the comments. Hootsuite also provides weekly reports that
outline the number of clicks per day, popular links, and other important information. HootSuite
is cost effective managing social media platform as it is free. A HootSuite account has been set
up and ready for immediate use.
Social Media Engagement Strategy
In order for social media to be useful there needs to be a plan and a strategy in place. The
primary purpose of this plan is to promote and create awareness of the new Entrepreneurial
Studies Program at Loyalist College. Secondly, the plan is designed for engagement between
future students, investors, and business mentors. In order to engage with people and create
awareness for this new program, content has been carefully selected. The primary content that
will be shared is infographics, text based updates on program developments, and a series of

of 25
videos. The primary form of engagement will be comments, online interactions (likes, or
retweets), and question engagement.
Each social media tool will included a link to the Facebook page in the accounts About Section,
except the Facebook page which will provide links to the other social media tools. The content
that is posted will be similar on the different social media tools, although they will reflect the
same values which is to promote the Entrepreneurial Studies Program in a positive tone. Each
tool will be used to reach the target audience of men and woman between the ages of 19-24 who
are attending or have recently graduated from college or university and live in Eastern Ontario
and Canada. The frequency of content will vary depending on the week and the needs that it
presents (See Figure A for example of weekly schedule), although there were be a minimum of
one post a day on each social media site excluding Ask.fm, as it requires user interaction, and
YouTube as it acts as a host for multimedia. Interaction with other social media users is highly
encouraged and therefore a comment or any form of interaction is to be responded to within 24
hours. Ask.fm is the primary source of interaction and will be monitored consistently to see
interaction.
The primary social media tool which will be used is the Facebook page entitled Loyalist College:
Entrepreneurial Studies. The Facebook page will act as a central hub for all content to be posted
and shared. Facebook is the most commonly used social media site and has the largest audience.
The Facebook page will primary target men and woman between the ages of 19-24, who are
attending or have recently graduated from college or university and live in any part of Canada.
The content on Facebook will be posted on a daily basis and will vary from text updates to video
series. In order to maintain strong communication with the audience, there will be time allotted
daily to respond to audience engagement.
The secondary social media tool is a YouTube channel entitled ESBLloyalist. This channel will
be the host to all content that is multimedia based. YouTube provides a simple uploading and
sharing interface that will allow for easy usage. The content that the YouTube channel will host
and promote is a series of videos based on the Loyalist College recruitment series in 2013 “Look
Who is Coming to Loyalist”. The series featured photos of students who were attending Loyalist
College that fall and provided their name, program, and home town. This idea can be adapted to
the need of Entrepreneurial Studies Program by featuring students, faculty, and business people
that will be a part of the program in the fall in an interview style video where the person

of 25
identifies who they are, why they choose Loyalist College, and what part of the program they are
looking most forwards to. This series will be entitled “Look who is at Loyalist”. This will be a
useful marketing tool as it will put faces to the program and promote it in a positive way. The
videos that are produced can be shared on all platforms. A two part video will also be featured on
the YouTube channel. The YouTube channel will primary target men and woman between the
ages of 19-24, who are attending or have recently graduated from college or university and live
in any part of Canada. In order to maintain strong communication with the audience there will be
time allotted daily to respond to audience engagement.
The third social media tool is the Twitter account @ESBLloyalist. This account will act as the
primary way to promote the Entrepreneurial Studies Program through infographics and
multimedia, and the use of the hashtags #ESBLloyalist and #businessoftomorrowESBL. The
Twitter account will target the primary audience, men and woman between the ages of 19-24,
who are currently in college or have recently graduated from college with a diploma, preferably
from Loyalist College. The content that will be posted will vary from status updates under 150
characters to questions to videos. In order to maintain strong communication with the audience,
there will be time allotted daily to respond to audience engagement.
The primary form of question and answer will be completed through Ask.Fm, a social media site
that allows a user to ask questions of one another. This is a unique idea that is specific to the
Entrepreneurial Studies Program. The content for this page is based on audience engagement, as
the content is the response to their questions. The questions that are posted onto this page will
also be featured on the Facebook page. The primary audience are men and woman between the
ages of 19-24, who are attending or have recently graduated from college or university and live
in Eastern Ontario. In order to maintain strong communication with the audience, there will be
time allotted daily to respond to audience questions.
Six months after the launch of the social media tools listed above, a LinkedIn company page will
be introduced. Similar to a personal LinkedIn page, a company page is designed to promote a
company or, in this case, a program to the business world. This account will be primarily used to
promote the companies, professionals in all fields, and recently graduated students. The target
audience of this page are men and woman between the ages of 19-24, who are attending or have
recently graduated from college or university and live in any part of Canada. The page will
feature content about program updates, links to publications in newspapers, and multimedia. In

of 25
order to maintain strong communication with the audience, there will be time allotted daily to
respond to audience engagement.
Hootsuite will act as a central hub to manage the Facebook page, Twitter account, and LinkedIn
page. HootSuite uses a simple user friendly interface that makes managing different social media
tools easy. HootSuite allows for users to schedule posts, and which social media tool they are to
appear on. HootSuite will be used on a daily basis to update the different social media tools.
There are four days and one event that are pivotal to this program and therefore, three social
media campaigns have been created around theses dates and event. The first campaign will begin
immediately and will continue until January 31, 2015. This campaign’s primary goal is to create
and maintain a strong social media presence that uses several social media tools to promote and
create awareness of the program in a positive way. The content of this campaign will mainly
consist of part one of two promotional videos, infographics, and text based status updates. The
social media tools which will be used in this campaign included Facebook, YouTube, Twitter,
and Ask.Fm. Facebook and Twitter will feature text based status updates, infographics (see
Figure B), and the promotional videos. The YouTube channel will feature the two promotional
videos that promote and create interest in the program. Lastly, the audience will be directed to
the Ask.Fm page for any questions they may have about the program. The key message of this
campaign is that students will have the unique opportunity to launch a start-up and to work with
and learn from successful entrepreneurs who will mentor them personally. Each account will be
monitored daily to interact with the audiences and be searching for opportunities to engage with
others.
The second campaign will begin on January 21, 2015 and will continue until May 1, 2015 and
consisting of three parts. The primary goal of this campaign is to use social media tools to raise
awareness for the new program and to target and engage with future students, and investors. The
first part will begin January 21, 2015 and continue till February 1, 2015. This part of the
campaign will focus on raising awareness of the program, the due date for applications and date
when the college can send an offer of admissions. The key message of this campaign is that
students will have the unique opportunity to work with and learn from successful entrepreneurs
who will mentor them personally. The content of this part of the campaign will consist of the
second part of the second promotional videos, status updates and info graphics. The social media
tools which will be used in this campaign included Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Ask.Fm.

of 25
Facebook and Twitter will feature text based status updates, infographics, and the second
promotional videos. The YouTube channel will feature the second promotional videos that
promote and create interest in the program. Lastly, the audience will be directed to the Ask.Fm
page for any questions they may have about the program. Each account will be will be monitored
daily to interact with the audiences and be searching for opportunities to engage with others.
The second part will begin February 2, 2015 and will continue till March 15, 2015 and will use
the same social media tools in the same means as part one, although this part of the campaign
will focus on targeting and engaging with future students as well as, informing of the open house
on March 15, 2015. This part of the campaign will highlight that the affordable price compared
to universities and students have the opportunity to forge valuable relationships with industry
leaders. This part of the campaign will introduce the “Look Who is at Loyalist” series on the
YouTube channel. A video will be released bi-weekly featuring a new student, faculty and
business people.
The third and final part will begin March 16, 2015 and will continue till May 1, 2015 using the
same social media tools in the same way as part one and two. As May 1, 2015 is the deadline
date to confirm an offer of admission according to ontariocolleges.ca, it is important to ensure
that social media is being used most effectively. This part of the campaign will focus on students
having the opportunity to work with and learn from successful entrepreneurs who will act as a
personal mentor to them and how they have the opportunity to launch their own start up while
learning. During this part of the campaign, the “Look Who is at Loyalist” campaign will release
content weekly on every Wednesday afternoon.
The third campaign will begin May 2, 2015 and will continue until September 2, 2014 and will
consist of two parts. The first part will begin May 2, 2015 and will continue until July 2, 2015
and will use the same social media tools as mentioned in the second campaign. The only
exception is that the “Look Who is at Loyalist” video series will be released bi-weekly.
According to ontariocolleges.ca, July 2, 2015 is the date when payment for the first semester is
due. The target audience for this campaign are men and woman between the ages of 19-24, who
are attending or have recently graduated from college or university and live in any part of
Canada as well as students who are planning on attending this program. The key message of this
part of the campaign is the affordable tuition, real business experience, and the opportunity to be
mentored by a successful entrepreneur.

of 25
The second part of this campaign will begin on July 3, 2015and will continue until September 2,
2015. It will use the same social media tools as mentioned in second campaign, except for the
introduction of a company LinkedIn page. This page will be used to promote the program to men
and woman between the ages of 19-24, who are attending or have recently graduated from
college or university and live in any part of Canada. This page will share news articles that are
published about the program, “Look Who is at Loyalist” video series, and program updates. The
key message of this part of the unique opportunity that program provides by allowing students to
launch a start-up while being mentored by a successful entrepreneur.
Measurement
In order to ensure that social media efforts are reflecting the goals of the social media plan, there
needs to be specific criteria to measure efforts. Analytics data is available for social media tools
which are usually provided by social media sites, although there are third party websites that can
provide the information as well. There are two goals for this social media plan. Firstly, to create
and maintain a strong social media presence that uses several social medial tools to promote and
create awareness for the new Entrepreneurial Studies Program at Loyalist College in a positive
way. Secondly, to use social media tools to raise awareness for the new program and to target
and engage with future students and investors and business mentors.
Facebook
Facebook provides its users with easy to use and understand analytics. Facebook provides a
variety of analytics that varies from the number of Likes, the number of people who have seen
the posts, the number of engagement, to other pages (i.e., competitors) to watch. To ensure that
the goals outlined are being met, the following analytic data is to be viewed once a week on
Monday: i) post types, ii) people reached and iii) number of engagements. Each piece of analytic
data provides important insight into how users are using the Facebook page and whether or not
the goals are being met. Post types indicate what type of content has reached the most people and
how it was received by users (Like, Comment, or Share). This analytical data will indicate if the
content is creating a strong social media presence and awareness based on the response. The next
type of data that is to be analyzed is the people reached. This analytic data indicates the gender,
age, and location of users who have viewed content from the page. This analytical data will
indicate who has been viewing the content, if the target audience has been reached, and if the
content created a strong social media presence and awareness based on the response. The

of 25
analytic data about people engaged is also important simply due to the information that it reveals
what communication is taking place. This information is important as it provides critical insight
into demographic that is engaging with page. This information will determine if the target
audience has been reached.
YouTube
YouTube provides its users with easy to use and understand analytics. YouTube provides several
analytic tools, such as, the number of subscribers, playback location to gender per video and
overall. To ensure that the goals outlined are being met, the following analytic data should be
viewed once a week on Monday on each video and the overall channel, demographics,
engagement, and performance. Each analytic tool provides important insight on how users are
using the YouTube channel and whether or not the goals are being met. The analytic data of
demographics will indicate who is viewing the videos and where they are from. This will
indicate whether or not the target audience is being reached as this is one of the key goals. The
analytic data of engagement and performance will indicate whether or not the YouTube channel
is creating and maintaining a strong social media presence which promotes the program in a
positive way.
Twitter
Twitter provides its user with analytic data, although it is time consuming. Therefore the third
party website ,HootSuite, will be used. HootSuite provides weekly prepared reports that are easy
to review and free of charge. The report provides a summary of the account, and keywords used.
The account summary provides a simple and easy to read and use information that indicates the
growth in followers. The summary of key words used indicates what words or phrases have been
used based on the criteria provided. For example, the report states how many times and on which
days the hashtag “businessoftomorrowESBL” has been used. The analytic data will indicate how
the awareness of the program has grown and whether or not people have been engaging using
hashtags or talking about the program.
Ask.Fm
Ask.fm does not provide its users with analytic data and therefore there needs to be a new
method to evaluate this social media tool. In order to ensure that the goals outline are being met,
the number of and type of interactions per week is to be tracked and analysed once a week. By
analysing these facts, it will be clear whether or not the social media efforts are meeting the

of 25
goals. The facts will indicate if people have been engaging about the program through asking
questions.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn company page provides its users with easy to use and understand analytics. LinkedIn
provides several analytic tools, such as, follower trends, comparisons to other company pages,
and demographics of visitors. To ensure that the goals outline are being met, the following
analytic data should be viewed once a week on Monday: i) updates, ii) visitor demographics, and
iii) follower demographics. The analytic data for updates provides information about how many
people have seen each individual post, how many people clicked on the link (if one), amount of
interaction, and followers acquired from post. The analytic data for visitor demographics
provides data indicating how many times the page is viewed. While the analytic data for
followers provides the same information, it also includes which industry. The analytic data
provided by LinkedIn will provide insight into whether or not the goals of the social media
efforts are being met. The data will indicate the type, amount, and industry of people who are
looking at the profile.
Summary
As social media redefines the landscape of advertising and promotion, so too has the landscape
of planning of social media strategies. Loyalist College has the opportunity to promote and
advertise their new Entrepreneurial Studies Program to potential students. The plan outlines two
clear goals, to create and maintain a strong social media presence that uses several social medial
tools to promote and create awareness for the new Entrepreneurial Studies Program at Loyalist
College in a positive way, and to use social media tools to raise awareness for the new program
and to target and engage with future students, investors, and business mentors.
In order to meet these goals, the following social media tools are to be used: Facebook,
YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and HootSuite. The plan provides an in-depth outline of how the
social media tools are to be used. The plan is able to be accessed immediately with an end date of
September 2, 2015. If the plan is properly followed, 30 of the top entrepreneurial students will
attend Loyalist College this coming Fall 2015. On August 26, 2015, it is recommended that the
entire social media plan be revaluated and revised for September 2, 2016 in order to maintain a
strong social media presence.

of 25
Appendix
References
About The Next 36 Program - The Next 36. (2014, December 1). Retrieved December 1, 2014,
from http://www.thenext36.ca/thenext36/program-info
Duggan, M., & Brenner, J. (2013, February 14). Social Networking Site Users. Retrieved from
http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/02/14/social-networking-site-users/
The Next 36. (2014, December 1). Retrieved from https://ca.linkedin.com/company/the-next-36
The Next 36. (2014, December 1). Retrieved from https://twitter.com/next36
The Next 36: Canada’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Initiative. (2014, December 1). Retrieved
from https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=142061052474744
Thenext36videos. (2014, December 1). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw1f9ktx01qubpzAvQKFNhA

of 25
Figure A: Example of Weekly Schedule
Monday Morning Mid-
Morning
Afternoon Mid-
Afternoon
Evening Late-
Evening
Facebook Image with
text: “Have
Questions?
Visit our
ask.fm page!”
YouTube
Twitter Infographic about
Loyalist as a
supportive
community
Inspiring
Innovation
Quote
LinkedIn (To
be determined
once it is
introduced)
Engagement 10:50AM-
11:00AM
3:00PM –
4:00PM
(Review of
Analytics)
Tuesday Morning Mid-
Morning
Afternoon Mid-
Afternoon
Evening Late-
Evening
Facebook Question: What
does Entrepreneur
mean to you?
YouTube Look Who is
at Loyalist
Promo
Twitter Image with text:
“Will you be at
Loyalist next
year? Know who
will be? Stay
tuned to find out
Look Who
is at
Loyalist
Promo

of 25
#businessoftomorr
owESBL”
LinkedIn (To
be determined
once
introduced)
Engagement 10:50AM-
11:00AM
3:30PM –
4:00PM
Wednesday Morning Mid-
Morning
Afternoon Mid-
Afternoon
Evening Late-
Evening
Facebook Look Who is
at Loyalist
Promo
YouTube
Twitter Text: Are you
ready for to
take your idea
to the next
level? #
businessofto
morrowESBL
Look Who
is at
Loyalist
Promo
LinkedIn (To
be determined
once
introduced)
Engagement 10:50AM-
11:00AM
3:30PM –
4:00PM
Thursday Morning Mid-
Morning
Afternoon Mid-
Afternoon
Evening Late-
Evening
Facebook Are you an
Entrepreneur?
Promo
YouTube Are you an
Entrepreneur?

of 25
Promo
Twitter Text:
“What
does it
mean #
businessof
tomorrow
ESBL”
Are you an
Entrepreneur?
Promo
LinkedIn (To
be determined
once
introduced)
Engagement 10:50AM-
11:00AM
3:00PM –
4:00PM
(Review of
Analytics)
Friday Morning Mid-
Morning
Afternoon Mid-
Afternoon
Evening Late-
Evening
Facebook Infographic: Have
you checked out
Loyalist Life?
Open house
March 15, 2015
See you there!
YouTube
Twitter Look Who is
at Loyalist
Promo
Are you an
Entrepreneur?
Promo
LinkedIn (To
be determined
Once
introduced)
Engagement 10:50AM-
11:00AM
3:30PM –
4:00PM
Saturday Morning Mid- Afternoon Mid- Evening Late-

of 25
Morning Afternoon Evening
Facebook Are you an
Entrepreneur?
Promo
YouTube
Twitter Text: Have
you seen our
new video?
Its
outstanding!!
#businessofto
morrowESBL
LinkedIn (To
be determined
Once
introduced)
Engagement 10:50AM-
11:00AM
3:30PM –
4:00PM
Sunday Morning Mid-
Morning
Afternoon Mid-
Afternoon
Evening Late-
Evening
Facebook Are you an
Entrepreneur?
Promo
Look Who is
at Loyalist
Promo
YouTube
Twitter Are you an
Entrepreneur?
Promo
LinkedIn
(To be
determined
Once
introduced)
Engagement 10:50AM-
11:00AM
3:30PM –
4:00PM

of 25
Figure B: Infographic
Image Courtesy of e-architect.co.uk
Image Editor: Andrew Wryghte

Social Media Plan

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (19)

Similar to Social Media Plan

Similar to Social Media Plan (20)

Social Media Plan