How do you decide which social media is best for your organization and how much time to spend on each?

1. Maneuvering the Maze of
Social Media Trends
CSPRC Spectrum Conference 2013
Jill Hampton

2. Jill Hampton
Web Producer – KTVI/KPLR TV
@JillSTL
jill.hampton@tvstl.com
stlouishampton@yahoo.com

3. My Mantra
Timely
~
Consistent
~
Relevant

4. My Mantra
Consistent
~
Relevant
~
Timely

5. Evaluate
• Just like any other public relations
campaign – create a marketing plan
• Use the plan to take stock of what you
have, where you want to go, and how you
will get there

6. Evaluate
>> Current situation
What are current numbers &
tools?
Strengths & weaknesses
>> Develop a theme
>> Identify your audience
>> Develop message(s)
>> Communication vehicle
How will you deliver
message(s)?
>> Set measurable &
reasonable goals
>> Key players
>> Develop a timeline
>> Set a budget
>> Evaluation criteria

7. Sample Plan
>> Current situation
We have a monthly networking event. We would like
to get more people to attend and made of aware of
our neighborhood and its restaurants.
What are current numbers?
20 people attend each month. Most of them are the
same people each time.
Strengths & weaknesses
S - The people who attend are loyal and good
evangelists of our message.
W – We would like new people to attend.

8. Sample Plan
>> Develop a theme
“Come to our monthly networking and learn more about our
neighborhood.”
>> Identify your audience
- Primary audience – young people who may want to move to
our neighborhood.
- Secondary audience – residents who have not attended an
event before.
>> Develop your message(s)
- Primary audience – have you been to our neighborhood?
- Secondary audience – have you been to one of our events?

9. Sample Plan
>> Communication vehicle
How will you deliver message(s)?
- Facebook – Regular postings of event information
& creation of event listing.
- Twitter – Regular tweets about event.
- Email – Email newsletter to all signed up about the
event.
- Pinterest – Pins of our locations.
- Blog – Article about each event – with photos of
happy people.
.

10. Sample Plan
>> Set measurable and reasonable goals
Increase regular attendance to 40 people per event,
from 20.
See at least 5 new people at each event.
Increase email newsletter list by 10% each month
over the next year.
>> Key players
Jill – web/marketing
Restaurant owners
Neighborhood residents
Neighborhood association board members

11. Sample Plan
>> Develop a timeline
Send out email newsletter the third Monday of each month.
Collect “prizes” from businesses at beginning of each month.
>> Set a budget
We can spend $20/month on Facebook advertising.
>> Evaluation criteria
Email newsletter clicks on event.
Number of people registered with Facebook event.
Number of people registered with EventBrite.
Number of people who attend event.

12. Evaluate
• Set clear goals – annual AND specific social
media campaigns
• Page views & unique visitors = $$$
• All roads lead to the main goal
• Everything you do gets checked against your
goal – will it bring eyeballs to your site?

13. Evaluate
• What tools do you want to
include?
Facebook
Twitter
Google+
YouTube
Pinterest
Instagram
Vine
Tumblr
Path
Bonfyre
“Have you
seen
YouTube?
We should
use it!”

14. Evaluate
• What content do you
already create?
Website
Intranet
Blog
Press releases
Presentations
Interviews
Case studies
White papers
Emails
PDFs
Articles

15. Evaluate
“I don’t know what it is or how it works – but I
think you should use it like this …”
• Check out a new social media tool like you
would a new event format, venue or software –
ask your PR friends
• PR is a small world. We all know a lot of people
in this business. We know a lot of things. We’re
pretty honest with each other.

16. Evaluate
• Are you on Twitter?
YOU SHOULD BE!
PRO TIP - Learn how to use Twitter lists
– and start following people and
subscribing to other lists.

17. Evaluate
• If you are not already using HootSuite or TweetDeck … start now!
HootSuite & TweetDeck help you keep an eye on
different lists at once – plus scheduling!
• If you do not know how to use the tabs on your browser … start
now!
Tabs will help you organize your computer
screen.
• If you do not already use more than one browser … start now!
With more than one browser you can log into
multiple accounts at once – more than one
instance.

18. Evaluate
• Be a copycat!
• Look for examples
everywhere.
• Look at lots of …
– white papers
– websites
– Facebook pages
– Twitter accounts
– Pinterest pages
– YouTube accounts
– magazines
– other events

19. Evaluate
• Now – evaluate your people. Take stock in what you
have and what tasks each can accomplish.
• Look for unexpected treasures –
- Your receptionist might take fabulous pictures
and love to help with people posts for you.
- The accountant might have a great Pinterest
account and can help with yours, too.
- Your super fan might always find the most
interesting person at an event.

20. Evaluate
Pro Tip – Don’t dismiss the super fan. After
vetting, you might find them very useful
evangelists for your cause. They can find things
to help you – articles about you, topics of
interest, interesting stories … and much more.
Plus – they will share your content with all of
their friends with enthusiasm.
(we all live for the RT!)
.

21. Evaluate
• Take a look at the numbers … although you probably
have all along.
• Look at Facebook posts … shares, likes, comments.
• Look at Twitter RTs and replies.
• Statigram for Instagram.
• Ask other people what tools they really like.
• How did the numbers add up at the end?

22. Evaluate
• Assess each tool
How much you can handle with it?
How much help you can *reasonably* expect from those
helping you (if you have any).
• If a tool is not meeting your needs – dump it!
• When ROI diminishes - evaluate your options at that moment and
see when and if it’s time to drop it or re-tool it.
• If your tools are working well and you feel ready to expand – try
something new. There will ALWAYS be something new.
• Trying new things will help you learn more about them – you might
find something better – you will stay engaged.

23. Maintain Energy
• It’s hard to keep the momentum going.
Thankfully, the internet and all facets of it
are always changing, moving, growing.
It’s organic and ever-changing.
• It will never be the same … it will never
stop.

24. Maintain Energy
• Always look for new and different ideas – just as you are
for all other portions of your public relations.
• Keep a steady stream of ideas coming in.
Sign up for trade newsletters.
Regularly look through websites for inspiration.
Keep an eye on competitors.
Keep on eye on counterparts in other markets.
Share ideas with friends.
Be a lurker – it’s ok … on Twitter, Facebook,
Instagram, Google+, etc.

25. Maintain Energy
• Ask for Twitter handles and Facebook accounts – and
share and ask for RTs. Post pictures – and reciprocate.
PRO TIP – Sign up for online webinars. Many of them
are free and if you cannot attend, many of them will
either post the video later, post the Power Point, or
email you a white paper after the event.
All those free online webinars are sponsored and they want
to keep in touch with you. They will keep sending you
things after the event … like more white papers.

26. Maintain Energy
• Back to that copycat idea.
• Some things go crazy in one market and flop in
another.
• If it sparks your interest, it will likely spark your
audience’s also.
• It’s good to get creative. When you see
something that makes you look closer, see if you
can work it for your org.

27. Maintain Energy
• Play!
• Use your social media to be playful with your audience.
• Try one of these …
Poll
Survey
Photo Contest
Most Shared post or pin
Trivia
Facebook acquisition - WooBox

28. Maintain Energy
• Keep yourself sane by planning ahead.
Make an editorial calendar.
Take time to work on several at once.
• Use your HootSuite or TweetDeck to schedule as much
as possible.
• Create a project management system for your social
media so it fits the flow of your daily work and it doesn’t
seem like a chore.
• If it seems like a chore … change that.

29. A side note now …
… everything is about PEOPLE!
Your stories
Your photos
Your pins
• Always use the photo with the person in it.
Pictures with people in them will get more clicks.
Basic generic clipart graphics will get the fewest
clicks.
• Humanize your posts … and your communication … as
much as possible.

30. Maintain Energy
• Remember … everything goes back to your goal
= more page views.
• Keep the momentum going to keep the eyeballs
coming – and staying.
• Keeping the momentum going will keep your site
fresh … and keep people coming back for more.
.

31. Social Media Bandwagon
Enticement
“I bribe well with food – both ways …”
• I once gave out boxes of raisins to remind the ladies at my employer
about the upcoming blood drive.
• We currently give out “The Clicky” to the reporter who gets the most
page views on a story each week.
• Never be too good to bribe people. :-)
• A little healthy competition is good. Publicly post who is doing better.
Encourage the others to also participate – and be part of the fun.

32. Social Media Bandwagon
Make It Easy
• Start off small and work up to larger things.
• Ask for small amounts and work toward a goal of more – but you
don’t have to let them know that.
• They will always think it’s harder than it is.
• Once they get the hang, ask for a small bit more.
• When they get positive feedback – they will appreciate your
attention and will be proud to give more.
• Heap the praise! Let them know you noticed what they are doing.

33. Social Media Bandwagon
Make it professional
“The quality doesn’t have
to be good – it’s ‘just
the web’ …”
Back in the day … websites
were novel just to exist
and audiences had low
expectations.

34. Social Media Bandwagon
• An executive producer said 10 years ago
– “they must not be legitimate, because
they don’t have a website.”
• It’s the expectation now - everyone has a
website – and social media.

35. Social Media Bandwagon
• Yes, we all laugh at
silly cat pictures …
but we no longer live
in the day of
accepting bad videos
(unless of course it’s
that cat).

36. Social Media Bandwagon
When your employees and audience see a
quality product they will want to be part of it.
“Look worthy, not needy.”

37. Myths
• Younger people are “computer experts”.
• You can make something go viral.
• You *must* have a smart phone to run
social media.
• There are “social media experts” out there.

38. Thank you!
Please feel free to ask questions
… @JillSTL