1. Getting to Grips
with Social Media
Janet Murray Jennifer Begg

2. Order of the day...
Where have you come from and where do you want to go?
• SM for external communications
o Twitter
o YouTube
o Facebook Pages
o Blogs
o LinkedIn
o Flickr & Pinterest
• SM for internal communications & curriculum
o Facebook Groups
o YouTube
o GooglePlus
• Brand reach and strategy

3. 1. Get into pairs
2. Pick up a flip camera
3. Record an interview with each other
Tips:
- Have a mini rehearsal
- Think about what is behind your
subject
- What is the light like?
Interview time!

4. And for your next trick...
Write a tweet that summarises your partner
(140 characters)

5. Share the love
What did you find out?
Are you here for the same reasons?
Did you find out anything that surprised you?

7. Reputation management
What exists online right now?
How can you get ahead of a crisis?
Where should you be?
Different ways of using SM:
• External
• Internal
Teaching & Learning

9. External Communications

13. Tips for using Twitter
- Automate: schedule daily tweets using an app like
Buffer
- Create lists (or follow other peoples’) to identify the
most influential voices in your sector
- Don’t just broadcast information about your
organisation – there’s a reason why it’s called social
media!
- Make use of #hashtags to follow particular
topics/conversations – or create your own!

15. Video for marketing
• What are your video style options?
• Who are you trying to reach?
• Content generation – who’s in charge?

16. Upload and edit
What can we do with your interview footage?

21. Facebook pages
• Managing the conversation
• Who’s in charge?
• What do you want to share?

28. Tips for effective blogging
- Use a content management system (e.g.
Wordpress) so you can do your own updates
- Update content regularly
- Make sure content is shareable
- Use keywords in blog posts (what would you type
into Google to find your post? Google adwords can
help)
- Create compelling headlines
- Use images wherever possible
- Keep it short and to the point
- Link to other content where possible
- Comment on other peoples’ blogs

30. Picture sharing
• Promotion
• Shareable
• Driving traffic

32. • Cut down on email
• Enhance staff skills
• Cut costs
Internal

34. Curriculum
• Engage difficult students
• Stretch and support
• Connect with students on their terms

40. Developing a strategy for your
school/organisation
• Criticism happens: being part of the conversation
helps you stay ahead of the game
• Cyberbullying is a concern and will happen. A policy
helps you create solutions
• Confidence is key

41. Tips for planning/implementing a
social media strategy
• Create a steering group of enthusiasts
• Don’t be afraid to bring on board the most resistant
staff – their concerns are legitimate
• Check your infrastructure
• Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t understand
• Expect negativity – but have a plan to deal with it
• Just because a platform is built for one purpose
doesn’t mean it can’t be used for another
• You don’t have to be everywhere: whatever meets
your aims and objectives
• Ask questions, experiment and have fun

42. About Last Word
We offer training and consultancy to people working in press
communications roles, primarily in the education, voluntary/not-for-
profit and social care sectors. We offer open courses and bespoke
training and consultancy in the following areas:
• Social media strategy/blogging
• Writing for the web
• Writing press releases, newsletters and magazines
• Media interview skills
• Crisis management
• Pitching stories to journalists/editors
**We also offer copywriting, print and web design**
Tel: 01474 330830
Email: jemma@lastwordgroup.com