Engagement, Impact, Value: Measuring &
Maximising Impact Using the Social Web Brian Kelly UKOLN University of Bath Bath, UK UKOLN is supported by: This work is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 licence (but note caveat) Acceptable Use Policy Recording this talk, taking photos, discussing the content using Twitter, blogs, etc. is permitted providing distractions to others is minimised. http://iwmw.ukoln.ac.uk/iwmw2010/sessions/kelly/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/briankelly/ http://twitter.com/ukwebfocus/ Email: [email_address] Blog: http://ukwebfocus.wordpress.com/ Twitter: #iwmw10 #b6

About Me <ul><li>Brian Kelly: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>JISC-funded
Web adviser to UK HE/FE sector </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Based at UKOLN, a national centre of expertise in digital information management </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Involved in Web since Jan 1993 </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Over 300 presentations given since 1997 </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>~750 blog posts since Nov 2006 </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Current areas of interest include Web 2.0, Web standards & Web accessibility </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>User of various Web 2.0 services: blogs, micro-blogs, social sharing services, social networking services, … </li></ul></ul>

About This Session <ul><li>The Social
Web (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, ..) is now widely accepted as playing an important role in supporting institutional activities . </li></ul><ul><li>There’s a need to identify emerging best practices in use of such services. </li></ul><ul><li>This session will review approaches to use of Social Web services. Participants will explore reasons for using the services and discuss concerns and dangers in such usage. </li></ul><ul><li>This session will explore ways in which usage of such services can be measured in order to provide evidence of their value & effectiveness . Ways in which such metrics can be used in order to enhance the impact of institutional activities will also be explored. </li></ul>

Draft Timetable Time Content Notes
16.00 Introduction Talk 16.10 The Social Web: Benefits and Concerns Group exercise 16.20 Report back 16.35 Exploiting Opportunities; Addressing Concerns Talk 16:45 Making a Business Case Group exercise 17:00 Presentation of the Business Cases 17:15 Measuring Impact & Value; Maximising Engagement: Next Steps Talk & feedback 17:25 Conclusions

Social Web: Benefits & Concerns
<ul><li>In small groups identify a reported and discuss </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Key benefits which the Social Web can provide for your institution </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Concerns you (or your institution) has over use of Social Web services </li></ul></ul>E

Why the Social Web? <ul><li>Key
approaches for SEO: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Apply various techniques to Web resources to make resources easier to find in Google, … </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Resources may include organisational Web suites, third party Web sites, databases, … </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Resources may also include real world objects and ideas (i.e. your museum, your research ideas, …) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Based on understanding of importance of Google to end users </li></ul></ul>Databases Web sites Real world Directories Google (Bing, …)

Beyond SEO <ul><li>Summary of key
approaches: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Make use of social networking services which people may use of discuss your services </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Services may include Facebook, MySpace, Slideshare, Twitter, … </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>No need to touch your Web sites (so useful if you can’t!) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Based on understanding of popularity of SNs and people’s interests in chatting and sharing </li></ul></ul>Databases Web sites Directories Social Web (Blogs, Facebook, Slideshare, Twitter, …) Real world “ Recommendation is the new SEO!”

Opportunities & Challenges

It’s About The Individual! <ul><li>Focus
of the Social Web is the individual. Challenges posed: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>‘ It’s my space’ </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>‘ Sustainability </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Privacy </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Editorial control </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Branding </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>… </li></ul></ul>

The Paper In The Repository
<ul><li>The paper in the repository can fail to engage with potential interested parties (especially if the paper is embargoed) </li></ul>Evidence

Facilitating The Discussion <ul><li>The blog
post about the paper can engage a wider audience … </li></ul>and encourage discussion and debate .. Evidence and provide links to discussions taking place elsewhere

The Evidence <ul><li>Statistics for the
University of Bath Opus Repository </li></ul>Blog post SEO ??? Evidence

The Evidence <ul><li>Second most downloaded
resource in Opus had been linked to from UK Web Focus blog </li></ul>Evidence 735 views total

A Comparison <ul><li>Does a blog
post generate a ten-fold increase in the number of downloads? </li></ul>Evidence

What Can Twitter Offer? Twitter
Evidence

<ul><li>Evidence of the importance of
Twitter for driving traffic to blogs </li></ul>The Evidence Evidence UK Web Focus Blog: Total of 250,00+ views. Average 250/day over 3.5 years But how do they arrive at the blog? Evidence

“ The Power Of Passed
Links” <ul><li>The Value Of Twitter Is In “The Power Of Passed Links” </li></ul><ul><li>Wilson predicts that at current growth rates, Twitter “will surpass Google for many websites in the next year.” And that just as nearly every site on the Web has become addicted to Google juice, they will increasingly try to find ways to get more links from Twitter. Because Twitter equals traffic. … </li></ul><ul><li>Moreover, he asserts that these Twitter links “convert better” than search links because they are often pre-filtered and come in the form of a recommendation from someone you are following. </li></ul><ul><li>TechCrunch, June 2009 </li></ul>

The Evidence <ul><li>To conclude: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Social
Web is working </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Predictions are coming true </li></ul></ul><ul><li>But concerns over: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Sustainability </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Interoperability </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Accessibility </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>“ It’s not for me” </li></ul></ul>

Sustainability <ul><li>See advice in Guide
to Web Preservation : </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Risk assessment </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Backup copies </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Acceptance </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Risks for in-house services </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>… </li></ul></ul>

You Don’t Need To Blog!
<ul><li>Perhaps blogging & twittering (and speaking at conferences) is best left to those with a passion for user engagement? </li></ul><ul><li>Suggestions: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Encourage the enthusiast </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Lightweight bureaucracy: “Don’t be stupid”, emerging patterns of Twitter usage , … </li></ul></ul>Concerns

You Might Need a ‘Policy’
<ul><li>Dangers: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>A policy is bureaucratic, </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Fails to understand new technologies </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>… </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Dangers of no policy: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Over-the-top reaction </li></ul></ul><ul><li>A lightweight policy: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Mosman Council page describes “ who is tweeting on behalf of the Council (the web team based at the Library); why they are doing it; their reply policy and how to stop them following you ” </li></ul></ul>Concerns

Policy For Blogs in the
Cloud <ul><li>Policies for UK Web Focus blog </li></ul>Concerns

Risk Management <ul><li>JISC infoNet Risk
Management infoKit: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>“ In education, as in any other environment, you can’t decide not to take risks: that simply isn’t an option in today’s world. All of us take risks and it’s a question of which risks we take ” </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Examples of people who are likely to be adverse stakeholders: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>People who fear loss of their jobs </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>People who will require re-training </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>People who may be moved to a different department / team </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>People .. required to commit resources to the project </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>People who fear loss of control over a function or resources </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>People who will have to do their job in a different way </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>People who will have to carry out new or additional functions </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>People who will have to use a new technology </li></ul></ul>

Towards a Framework <ul><li>“ Time
To Stop Doing and Start Thinking: A Framework For Exploiting Web 2.0 Services ”, Museums & the Web 2009 conference </li></ul>Note also JISC’s Scenario Planning work Biases Subjective factors Intended Purpose Benefits (various stakeholders Risks (various stakeholders Missed Opps. (various stakeholders Costs (various stakeholders <ul><li>Sharing experiences </li></ul><ul><li>Learning from successes & failures </li></ul><ul><li>Tackling biases </li></ul><ul><li>… </li></ul><ul><li>Critical friends </li></ul><ul><li>Application to existing services </li></ul><ul><li>Application to in-house development </li></ul><ul><li>… </li></ul>

Using The Framework <ul><li>Use of
approach in two scenarios: Use of Twitter & Facebook </li></ul>Note personal biases! Intended Purpose Benefits (various stakeholders Risks (various stakeholders Missed Opps. (various stakeholders Costs (various stakeholders Community support Rapid feedback Justify ROI Org. brand Community- building Low? Twitter for individuals Organisational Fb Page Marketing events,… Large audiences Ownership, privacy, lock-in Marketing opportunity Low? <ul><li>Critical Friends / Friendly Critics </li></ul><ul><ul><li>UKOLN blogs </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Email list discussions </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Learning </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Many blogs Engaging with a Twitter community </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Conferences </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Papers </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>… </li></ul></ul>

Making A Business Case <ul><li>In
groups you will now: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Prepare a case for funding (or approval) for implementation of a promotional strategy </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Note that you will provide a summary to a panel(ist) who will approve best submissions </li></ul><ul><li>The panel(ist) comprises: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>An enthusiast : a user of social media </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>A sceptic : it’s full of trivia </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>A neutral : who is open to persuading </li></ul></ul>E

Scenarios <ul><li>1 Institutional / Departmental
Challenges </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Wolves are at the door. Will Poppleton Uni survive? What about the IT Services department? What will you do? </li></ul></ul><ul><li>2 Opportunities for your Service </li></ul><ul><ul><li>You’ve launched a great new service. How do you promote it? You’ve an established (old media) marketing team </li></ul></ul><ul><li>3 Opportunities for your Project </li></ul><ul><ul><li>You’ve received project funding for 1 year – and no marketing budget. </li></ul></ul><ul><li>4 Opportunities for the Individual </li></ul><ul><ul><li>You are (or manage) a brilliant researcher. But they’re shy and hate the ‘marketing’ word (snake oil salesmen). What do you do? </li></ul></ul><ul><li>5 Your Choice </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Select your own scenario </li></ul></ul>Scenarios

Your Proposal <ul><li>You should prepare
your case and make a brief (2-3 mins) presentation. Your presentation should address the following issues: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>The key messages you wish to communicate </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>The user benefits </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>The resource requirements </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>The staff responsible for the work </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Approaches to sustainability </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>The tools you will use </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>The evidence to demonstrate value </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>The risks & approaches to managing such risks </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Ethical considerations </li></ul></ul>

Possible Additional Concerns <ul><li>Legal Concerns:
</li></ul><ul><ul><li>Tweets may be copyrightable – what are implications of Digital Economy Act? </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Accessibility Concerns: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Multimedia resources which are not fully accessible may infringe accessibility legislation. How do you respond? </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Sustainability Concerns (Services): </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Ning changes its T&Cs. How do you respond? </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Sustainability Concerns (People): </li></ul><ul><ul><li>A key member of your team, who was an early adopter of Social Web, is leaving </li></ul></ul>

You Presentations

Addressing Concerns <ul><li>Legal: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Don’t fret!
NB Oppenheim formula </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Accessibility: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Doing nothing could be unreasonable. NB holistic & innovative approaches (e.g. use of Twitter for captioning videos ) </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Sustainability (Services): </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Risk assessment. Plans for data migration. In-house concerns (AHDS, …) </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Sustainability (People): </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Policies on ownership of content. Mechanisms for migration of content </li></ul></ul>

What Next? <ul><li>We’ve </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Explored opportunities
</li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Considered ways of addressing concerns </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Looked at approaches for gathering evidence </li></ul></ul><ul><li>What next? </li></ul><ul><li>UKOLN work on evidence, value, … </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Want to participate? </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Want to host meeting? </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Want to suggest areas for discussion? </li></ul></ul>

Conclusions <ul><li>The Social Web: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Can
be used to enhance access to digital resources, real world resources and ideas and concepts </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Ignoring the potential may mean you lose out to your peers, competitors or rivals </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Can form part of your organisation’s mission and not just an added extra for dissemination </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>But there are risks </li></ul></ul>

Questions <ul><li>Any questions? </li></ul>