The document outlines the importance of creating an online presence for conferences, addressing factors like audience building and meeting grant requirements. It provides a checklist of essential tools such as Gmail, social media platforms, and event management systems, alongside advice on integrating them with existing online identities. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for strategic planning and effective communication through social media to enhance conference engagement.

1. Creating an Online
Conference Presence
Shawna Reibling
Knowledge mobilization officer, ORS
@LaurierResearch
November 7, 2013

2. Agenda
1. Why create an online presence for
conference?
2. Link with your online identity
3. Checklist of Tools
4. Spread the word

3. Why create an online presence?
• You received a grant to hold a
conference
• Your funder expects it
• Build audience for your work
• Meets your grant requirements
• Reach International audience

4. Questions to consider
• What kind of conference am I having –
is a call for papers necessary?
• Who am I trying to reach?
• Do I need a online
presence?

5. Questions to consider 2
•
•
•
•
•
How much “lead time” do I have?
How much time can I spend online?
What resources do I have?
What is my existing online presence?
Am I starting from scratch?

6. Link with your online identity
• Sponsor organizations
• Profiles of organizing committee
• Etc.

7. Web Identity at Laurier
•
•
•
•
www.wlu.ca/faculty/name
Ask ITS
i.e. wlu.ca/education/kmoreno
Wlu.ca/childlab

8. Slide via msteeleworthy@wlu.ca

9. Create online publication
identity: Google Scholar
• Step 1. go to www.google.com/profiles
• Step 2. Follow these instructions:
www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Google-Profile

10. Checklist of Tools
1. Gmail account
2. Facebook
3. Twitter
4. Hootsuite
5. Wordpress.com
6. Domain name
7. Eventbrite.com
8. Google analytics

11. Checklist of Tools
Domain name
Gmail
account
Wordpress.com
Hootsuite
Twitter
Google Analytics
Facebook
Eventbrite
Wordpress.org
Other SM
Platforms

12. Track Accounts!

13. Gmail Account
Choose something short and easy
It will be shared (it’s not yours)
Record the birthday and gender in your spreadsheet
Can you use it for other things?

14. Facebook
Create a page or a group
* Need to link it to a person’s account as admin
Have multiple admins

15. Twitter
Choose something short and easy
It will be shared (it’s not yours)
Record the birthday and gender in your spreadsheet
Can you use it for other things?

16. Hootsuite
Use this tool to:
-Post conference updates to Facebook, Twitter, etc.
-Moderate tweets during conference
-Pre-create timed tweets
-Hashtags
-Built in
analytics

17. Wordpress.com
• .com hosts your site as www.name.wordpress.com
• Display Twitter (hashtag or account), Facebook
• Updates, information sharing, Hashtag notification
• Costs:

18. Wordpress.com
• Additional Costs:

19. Domain name
• Choose something short and easy
• .com is available through wordpress
• .ca is available through other providers, then reroute
through wordpress (not through their domain
package)

20. Eventbrite.com
• One time event or repeating?
• Create organizational profile
• When choosing a link, choose
something short and easy or just
call it Link to Registration
• For multiple (concurrent) sessions
use multiple dates feature or notes
• Payment: Paypal is easiest

21. Eventbrite.com

22. Google Analytics
• Can’t be used with wordpress.com
• Can be used with wordpress.org or other web
platforms
• Not available on WLU webpages

23. Spread the word
• Will you ‘live tweet’?
• Will you have a ‘Twitter wall’?
• Hashtag at the conference

24. Engage in Social Media
Listen before
starting a
conversation

25. Contact me
Web: wlu.ca/research/kmb
Email: sreibling@wlu.ca
Twitter:@LaurierResearch