From the panel discussion "Where, Why, and How Harvard University Uses Social Media". Delivered by Perry Hewitt, Director of Digital Communications & Communication Services, on November 18th, 2009 in Lamont Library, Forum Room.
2. What’s digital communications?
Based in Central Administration, as part of a new integrated
emphasis on digital and social communications and outreach
housed within Harvard Public Affairs & Communications
Responsible for core web destinations (harvard.edu,
Gazette, president.harvard.edu,
commencement.harvard.edu) and development of outposts
Goals include:
− Advance university-wide digital and social initiatives
− Provide guidelines, and act as a clearinghouse for best
practices and actionable research
(subscribe to PFE, not NIH)
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3. What are some of the questions informing the
evolving digital communications approach?
Who are the audiences we need to reach and how should
we think about them?
What is the strategy we’ll pursue to get there?
What are the core properties we can leverage?
What are the vital partnerships for doing this — and how
does this re-shape how Harvard has traditionally thought
about partnering?
How are social technologies changing traditional digital
communications?
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5. What about
the social web
"I'd just finished curating
my brand, so now I have to
spend hours repositioning
my presence!"
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6. We all know the social web is big
More than 300M active users; 90M US
50% of active users log on to Facebook in any given day
The fastest growing demographic 35+
Estimated 20M active users; 5B tweets to date
Demographic shifting down in age
Over 1 billion views a day, or 11,574 views a second
Not to mention:
etc.
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7. And it’s easy to lose perspective
plain old email
11.16.09 New Study Reveals Surprises in How People Share
Photo credits: Daniel Kronauer, Jim Linwood, The Lizard 7Queen
8. Just because we can,
doesn’t mean we should.
This applies to:
websites
social accounts
pixel measurement (10:90)
And let’s clear this up –
these tools aren’t free
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9. Questions to consider
Where are your potential audiences online? What are your
objectives in reaching them?
Engaging in the social web means a significant commitment to
contributing content. Are you able and prepared to devote the
time?
Given the time required, are there existing social channels
within the University you can use to reach these audiences?
Who is tasked with maintaining these conversations, and
keeping on top of new conventions? Are there natural adopters
you can enlist?
How will your office deal with controversy? Fake accounts?
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12. Engagement: Trading individuality for reach
17/46 <500 followers
27/46 <1000followers
19/46 >1000 followers
***************************
7/46 listed >100 times
Where are we the People’s
Front of Judea vs. the
Judean People’s Front?
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13. Why is reach important?
We’re also not page 1 for:
Public policy
High energy physics
Clean energy studies
English literature
Architecture and design
Privacy rights
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14. Madison Avenue’s pain is
relevant to our communications
strategy
The Year the
Media Died
Tech is taking us
for a ride…
Algorithms got
me cross-eyed
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15. Parting thoughts
Messages
− Are you partnered with your PIO?
Audiences
− Where are they?
− How are you engaging them?
Reach
− Are you too atomized for impact?
Measurement
− How much time does it cost?
− Are you reaching target audiences?
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