This document discusses how to effectively use social media for student media organizations. It notes that social media allows reaching a large audience and transcends demographics. However, building and maintaining an audience for student media can be challenging due to limited time and resources. The document recommends knowing your target audience and which social media platforms they use most. It also suggests designating a team to manage posts and establish a consistent voice, tone, and posting schedule. The document provides a case study of NCClinked.com which uses social media to both drive traffic to its website and provide original social media content. Data analysis showed that boosted posts were more effective than organic posts at growing the audience and driving traffic.

1. CUTTING
THROUGH
THE CONTENT
CLUTTER
OR … HOW TO STAND OUT IN THE
CROWD
Dr. Kay O’Donnell, North Central College, Napervill

2. THE GOOD NEWS …
 Social media offers
channels for
reaching a larger
audience than ever
before.
 Social media
transcends age,
race, culture, socio-
economic status,
etc. unlike
traditional media.

3. AUDIENCE + BRAND
LOYALTY
 For student media this means: current
students, prospective students, alum,
extended family and more.

4. CREATING THAT LOYALTY …
 Takes time, patience
and dedicated effort
(and sometimes
money) to grow and
maintain an audience –
these can be in short
supply for student
media.

5. WHERE’S THE AUDIENCE? –
PEW ’15
 72% of online U.S. adults
 82% between 18-29
 31% of online U.S. adults
 37% between 18-29
 28% of online U.S. adults
 55% between 18-29

6. GETTING STARTED:
 Know your audience
 How do they get information?
 Pick the most relevant social media
forms for your audience: Twitter vs.
Instagram
 The 80% to 20% rule

7. 80/20 RULE AT WORK
80% 20%

8. MAKE A PLAN ~ THE BIG 3
 Designated person or, preferably,
team
 What’s your voice?
 what type of messages matter?
 tone/style of the content
 Schedule posts:
 routine/consistency is important

9. CASE STUDY: NCClinked.com

10. NCClinked.com
 The website is the product
 Maintains 3 primary channels (FB, Twitter,
Instagram) and 2 secondary (YouTube,
Pinterest)
 Social media serves two functions:
 drive traffic to the site
 offer original “social-only” content
 content serves to heighten NCClinked
brand

11. DRIVING TRAFFIC …

12. DRIVING TRAFFIC …
2½ year period

13. ‘ORGANIC’ CONNECTION:

14. ‘BOOSTED’ CONNECTION:

15. INSTAGRAM ~ ALL ABOUT
IMAGE

16. RAISING THE BAR

17. DATA TELL STORIES: lessons?

18. DATA TELL STORIES: lessons?

19. WHAT’S YOUR STORY?