The document provides a social media plan for a new publication at Drake University called The Odyssey Online. It uses the P-O-S-T method to outline the plan. The people are Drake University students. The objective is to capture students' thoughts and ideas. The strategy is to provide instant content through staff writings that interest students and allow comments. The technology proposed is using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to share content and engage students.

1. THE ODYSSEY AT DRAKE
UNIVERSITY
Potential Social Media Plan & Writing Sample
BY LAUREN STANTON

2. Quick Facts:
• Lauren Stanton
• Junior
• Carol Stream,
IL
• Pubic Relations
& History Major
• Alpha Phi
Sorority

3. Why The Odyssey is Important
In 23 days, The Odyssey Online will be the new dog on Drake’s
Campus. As the new dog, it is vital to understand the publications
already present on campus. Drake Magazine, Times-Delphic, Drake
Political Review, Blue Magazine and Spoon University are all
publications that serve similar yet very different purposes on the
Drake Campus. So the question is, How will The Odyssey serve Drake
University and stand out from all the rest? The main difference that
sets The Odyssey apart is the national connection to almost 100
universities in the U.S. This media platform is a way for students to
see life on other campuses, talk about current events and understand
how one event can affect every campus different. This is a way for our
campus to not only localize national events, but potentially
nationalize one of our local events. With hard work, I know the Drake
University chapter of The Odyssey will achieve the highest goals
and I hope to be a key part of it.

4. Social Media Plan
In the following slides, I will
provide a mock Social Media
Plan for The Odyssey at Drake
University.
The method shown in my plan
is called the P-O-S-T Method.
I felt this method was best
suited for establishing and
achieving short and long term
goals.
P-O-S-T stands for people,
objects, strategy and
technology.

5. People: Who are we trying to reach?
Success on social media is only possible if you
understand your people.
Who are your people? What’s in it for them if they like,
retweet or repin our blog posts?

6. People
• The people we are
looking to reach
and engage with
are clearly the
students at Drake
University.
• Even though Drake
is on the smaller
side of universities,
the student body is
full of diverse
groups and
opinions.

7. Objective: What do we want to accomplish?
With any plan, a clear objective will determine whether or not you were
successful. This will also help determine how success will be measured.
The objective of The Odyssey at Drake University will be to capture
the thoughts and ideas of the student body. Not only will this better
connect the local community, but it will further forge a connection with
other college communities across the U.S.

8. Strategy: How will we make this happen?
This a plan that will meet your objectives based on what you know about
your people. Essentially, strategy is about a value exchange. What are we
going to give in exchange for our user’s time, influence and attention?
In order to achieve our objectives, The Odyssey at Drake University has to
be the direct voice of the student body. What this means is, we will
provide our writers the ability to pursue and create material that reflects
not only their views, but the views of their peers. The Odyssey will also be
a way for students to directly engage with the posted material, their peers
and the writer of the material. No longer will anyone have to wait for the
Times-Delphic to be printed, the students can see and share their
thoughts in more than half the time.
If The Odyssey can be dedicated to engaging with users and work to be
their voice, we will see long-term success.

9. Technology: What tech. and tools should we use?
Now that we understand our people, objective and strategy, we can
determine the technology, tools and tactics to use for our plan.
At Drake University, the student body is active on numerous platforms
of social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snap Chat appear to
be the most commonly used.
In the following slides, I have provided example posts and tactics for
each platform of social media to share and interact with Drake students.
A period of trial and error on these platforms will occur as we learn what
content, when and where is best.
b w p g h j o

10. Facebook
When it comes to Facebook it is imperative to share content
that is timely, creative and concise.
For The Odyssey at Drake, Facebook will be where links to
stories/ material from the website, photos, videos and news
get posted. Users will have the ability to comment on posts,
share, like and engage with other users.
Content posted will mainly be Drake related/ written by our
staff members.
Facebook is also a tool to interact with the other publications
at Drake, as well as other chapters of The Odyssey.

11. Here is an example of a photo and link The Odyssey at Drake might
share with it’s users (Sorry for the blurriness)

12. Twitter
Twitter content is very similar to the content posted on
Facebook. The only difference is having a 140 character
limit. But Twitter allows us to take advantage of
Hashtags that can potentially start trending. Twitter is
also the most direct way for our users to interact with us
by directing tweeting at our user name. We also have the
ability to engage with them by replying, favoriting and
retweeting their content/ tweets.
For The Odyssey at Drake, Twitter would be the best way
for us to share quick news updates and links. More
importantly this is a way to receive feedback and new
ideas from our users.

13. Here’s an example of a tweet that The Odyssey at Drake
University could use to directly engage with users.

14. Instagram
The best content to share on Instagram is obviously a good photo.
Videos are becoming more prevalent but still not always the best
route. We are also able to use hashtags on this platform to potentially
get it trending and group together photos.
For The Odyssey at Drake University, Instagram would be used as a
window into personal and more intimate images, relevant to The
Odyssey.
For example, images of the staff goofing off during a meeting,
something unusual on campus, puppies, coffee and peers are all ideal
for an Instagram post.
As I said, this would be less of an “agenda” outlet and more of a
“here’s what we (the staff) and Drake students love or find funny.

15. Here’s an example of an
Instagram post The Odyssey
at Drake could share (again
sorry for the blurriness, I’m
working with only Microsoft
word)

16. Overview
People- Drake University students
Objective- Establish value and capture the thoughts and ideas
of the student body.
Strategy- “Instant gratification” our staff will write material
that interests them and their peers. Users will have the ability to
express their opinions/ ideas write on the content eliminating the
wait of a newspaper.
Technology- Turn The Odyssey material into native content for
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in order to reach as many
people as possible. This will also show the many sides of the staff
and student body.

17. THANK YOU FOR
READING!!
I look forward to speaking to
you soon
-Lauren

18. Reference for P-O-S-T Method
http://www.johnhaydon.com/the-post-method-for-creating-a-social-media-
strategy-infographic/
http://forrester.typepad.com/groundswell/2007/12/the-post-method.html
Chris Snider’s Social Media Strategies Class Notes