How do we get from #offtowesternu and the first day of school, to #purpleandproud families three generations deep? Three parts story-telling, season liberally with video loops - and ask your audience to say "when". You’ll need a kitchen built for teamwork, and the right tools will make your job a lot easier. Western’s community-first approach to social media brings together more than 100 staff and faculty through meet-ups, “bootcamp” and ambassador training plus a campus-wide Hootsuite implementation.

1. Play the
Ponies:
people, puppies &
mascots for the
social media win at
#WesternU
Communications & Public Affairs

2. • Digital at Western University
• Co-Founder of #PSEWEB
Conference
• Media & Public Interest, BA’06
📍melissamae.ca/about/speaker
Melissa Mae Cheater

3. • 700+ Western social media
profiles engaging our
audiences & sharing the
Western experience
• Managed by 125+
community
managers
• Social Media
Leadership Group
Social Media at #WesternU

4. • 610,991 subscribers
• 67,276,965 views
– 40,000,721 on Facebook
• 45,000 posts published
– 13.2% decrease
• 69,517 messages received
– 44,166 on Twitter
• 41,804 retweets
• 62,712 photos tagged
Over the last year …

5. #RIPvine

6. #HELLOgiphy

7. Case: CFREF Announcement
- Physically announced at
the University of
Waterloo
- Western’s showcase
was seen and shared
more than any other
university
- Shift to long-form digital
stories:
uwo.ca/brainsCAN

8. Case: Remember to Forget
• Research published in Ethics
and Information Technology
Ø Added to
Scholarship@Western
Ø Submitted to Western News
Ø Adapted to social media
(additional copy & creative)
Ø Seen by 35,408 people and
liked by 7,000+ on Facebook
+ web
+ print

9. Faculty + Investment + Digital

10. From #offtowesternu
and the first day of
school…
…to #purpleandproud
families three
generations deep
Communications & Public Affairs

11. #offtowesternu
Recruitment Social Media at Western University
Communications & Public Affairs

12. Engage, Serve & Connect
Future Mustangs through
the existing family of
Western University
profiles.
• Engagement & Customer Service
via Recruitment & Admissions
• Copy & Creative via
Recruitment Communications
• Digital Advertising via
Recruitment Communications
#offtowesternu

13. Phase One: Why Western?
September - January
Promote key messages through
engaging and informative
Facebook posts & paid
advertisements, Tweets,
Snaps and Instas.
#offtowesternu

14. Phase Two: Canada’s
Best Student Experience
February - June
Showcase how we offer Canada's
Best Student Experience through
dynamic Facebook posts & paid
advertisements, Tweets,
Snaps and Instas.
#offtowesternu

15. Class of 2021 Social
Group on Facebook
Connecting Future Mustangs online
in a safe, controlled environment.
#offtowesternu

16. Recent Engagement
Class of 2021 Facebook Group
4,172 members
Class of 2020 Facebook Group
5,102 members
Class of 2019 Facebook Group
5,222 members
#offtowesternu

17. #offtowesternu

18. #offtowesternu

19. #purpleandproud
Alumni Social Media at Western University
Communications & Public Affairs

20. • One relationship with Western
from recruitment through to
reunion
• Engage, Serve & Connect Western’s
worldwide alumni community through the
existing family of Western University
profiles
– Engagement & Customer Service via
Alumni Relations
– Copy & Creative via Alumni
Communications
– Campaigns, Stories & Resources
from Alumni Relations, Alumni
Communications, Advancement
Services & Development
#purpleandproud

21. #purpleandproud

22. New in 2016: @westernuAlumni

23. From official …
Engagement: 2.2%

24. … to relatable.
Engagement: 7.1%

25. • Weekly Twitter takeovers on
Alumni Twitter
• Drive engagement
• Foster authenticity
• Expand network reach
Process/Lessons/Tips:
• Application
• Guidance
• Takeovers:Tues-Fri, 8AM-8PM
• Staff Sign Off
#mustangtakeover

26. Walking the talk:
• Personifying the
brand by acting like
a human
• Being responsive –
we aim to respond
within 24 business
hours

28. Walking the talk:
• Go the extra mile & be
memorable à
kindness matters
• Listen – ensure
content is optimized to
the audience to remain
relevant, interesting,
and engaging

29. Extra mile:
Not me!

30. When you
stumble upon a
gem….act.
Student – Alumni
connector initiative

32. Preparing to amplify content via social media ambassadors
What’s next ….

33. #WesternU 1.0:
Official Accounts
• Created for Departments,
Centres & Institutes that
have the resources to
support a Social Media
presence
• Brand standards & service
policies apply
• Social Media Advisory
Group creates new
accounts

34. • Social Media Style
Guide
• Campus Social Media
Tool & Training
• Daily Social Media
Process
• One Business Day
Response Goal
Resources & Standards

35. 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer
“… the largest-ever drop in
trust across the institutions of
government, business, media
and NGOs. … the credibility
of leaders also is in peril …”

36. 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer
“Less than half (49%) of
Canada's general population
trust key institutions –
government, media, business
& NGOs.”

37. Bringing it back to People:

38. Bringing it back to People:

39. 17 ways to make social media more of a
hassle:
• Branded social media is not the real
MVP
• Adding social media to things adds
more work
• Adding all the social media to all the
things adds even more hard work
• The more social media we add the
less each social media does
• Social media is constantly changing
• Social media is a daily habit

40. Why? WHY?
• Reach actually hundreds of thousands of
students, staff, faculty & alumni via the social
websites & apps that they choose to use on a
daily basis
• Hear from ^
• Build and maintain relationships with ^

41. Individual
Accounts
• Independent & unbranded
• Owned by the creating
individual
• Put #WesternU in your bio,
not in your name
• @Tag your
Faculty/Department/
Program and hashtag
#westernu

42. Thank You.
Melissa Cheater
Digital Content Manager
Communications & Public Affairs
twitter.com/mmbc
linkedin.com/in/melissacheater
twitter.com/westernu & @westernuAlumni
facebook.com/westernuniversity
instagram.com/westernuniversity & @westernualumni