This document summarizes a workshop on best practices for social media success. The workshop agenda covers developing the right mindset, starting with strategy, platform-specific tips, and discussion. The document provides tips for using Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blogging, and CareHubs. It emphasizes strategic thinking, testing approaches, focusing on communities and capabilities of each platform, and integrating social media into overall communications.

1. Workshop: Best Practices and Tips
for Success
Lee Aase (@LeeAase)
Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media
Healthcare Communicators of Oregon
Fall Conference 2014
November 7, 2014

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Agenda
• Developing the right mindset
• Starting with Strategy
• Platform-specific tips and best practices
• Discussion

3. SMUG Thesis #14: Strategic
thinking about social media is no
substitute for action
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5. #29: Your kids arenʼt smarter than
you are. Theyʼre just not afraid to
look dumb.
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6. From Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation:
Think Big. Start Small. Move Fast.TM
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The MacGyver Mindset

8. • Why were you hired?
• What problems do you need to solve for your
employer?
• What existing programs do you have in place?
• How could social strategies strengthen those
programs with an interactive dimension?
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Start with Strategy

9. Develop understanding of relevant
platformsʼ capabilities, communities
• Who is currently gathering on a given
platform?
• What platform features could be put to
beneficial use?
• How could the platform be adapted for a non-traditional
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use?
• Is your use case compelling enough to get
your audience to try a new platform or use an
existing one in a non-traditional way?

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11. • Donʼt protect your tweets
• Improve readability w/Camel Case (@LeeAase
v. @leeaase; #MayoClinic v. #mayoclinic)
• #Hashtags help to a point. That point is two.
• Use the symplur.com hashtag directory
• Consider a custom link shortener (i.e.
mayocl.in vs. bit.ly)
• 100 is the new 140
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Top Twitter Tips

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Finer Points of Facebook
• Organic reach has plummeted
• Sharing > Liking
• Images boost engagement
• Consider and test boosting posts vs. other
advertising

15. Reach: 23,856
4.6% of “Fan” base

16. Reach: 59,104
11.2%

17. Reach: 149,952
28.4%

18. Reach: 138,688
26.3%

19. Reach: 529,152
100.1%

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YouTube Usefulness
• Donʼt hesitate to Annotate
• Optimize Titles, Tags, Descriptions
• The right video length isnʼt necessarily what
youʼve been told
• “Shoot first. Ask questions later.”
• Four factors that massively improve quality:
Stability. Sound. Framing. Lighting.

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Blogging Benefits, Best Practices
• Integration point; social media “home base”
• Boost SEO
• Embed videos, slide decks
• Feeds make static site more dynamic
• Social sharing buttons drive referrals
• Framework for an “owned” community

24. Power, Flexibility of CareHubs
Wordpress-based Community Platform
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• Some content can be universally available
• Various levels of access based on individual
permissions for logged-in users
• Mobile optimized
• Option to link to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
accounts
• Customization opportunities with possible cost
sharing on generally applicable feature requests
• Secure, HIPAA-compliant groups

32. Recap
• Deepen your understanding to think like MacGyer
• Start with strategy, but donʼt let the perfect be the
enemy of the good
• Social strategies should be part of any
communications/marketing initiative unless you
have good reasons to not include them
• Good reasons to not include social are rare
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