This document provides an overview of social media and recommendations for how organizations can utilize different social media platforms. It discusses blogs, Twitter, social networks like Facebook, media sharing sites, and emerging platforms. Specific case studies are presented showing how different organizations have successfully used blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and video sharing to engage audiences and achieve their goals. The document concludes with immediate actions organizations can take to start participating in social media.

1. © 2009 | New Media Strategies www.newmediastrategies.net Alex Redmond Leslie Bradshaw Business Development, Mid-Atlantic June 23, 2009 Communications Manager, Public AffairsDC Ag Communicators – Social Media Overview

2. Making Sense of Social Media: 7 Areas to Focus OnEmerging PlatformsWikipediaBlogsCloud ComputingTwitterMedia SharingSocial Networks2

3. BlogsNot “just a blog” – many considerations:Your organization’s blogInfluencer blogsEmployee blogsCoalition / member blogsCompetitor / adversary blogsPermanent, but imperfect – many decisions:SoftwareEngagement strategyMessage and positioningIntelligence and tracking © 2009 | New Media Strategies www.newmediastrategies.net

4. Blog Reading Habits of Capitol Hill70%Chiefs of Staff/Deputy Chiefs of Staff/Directors68%Communications Directors/ Press Secretaries47%Legislative Directors/Senior Policy Advisors/Counsel47%Legislative AssistantsLegislative Correspondents/Other42%Blogs* Source: National Journal Group, Washington in the Information Age

5. Local and National Blog ConsumptionLocal BlogsWonkette42%49%Red StateHotline On Call35%42%TownhallDaily Kos29%39%Local BlogsThe Corner24%32%Hotline On Call21%29%Talking Points Memo* Source: National Journal Group, Washington in the Information AgeBlogsThe NoteM. Malkin20%23%

6. States Have Vibrant Blogospheres, TooBlogs

7. Logistics

8. The 6 Steps to Planning and Executing a Digital CampaignSet goalsEstablish team rolesBrand and integrate campaign elementsScope, research, understand task at handEvaluate and select platformsDocument everything

9. #1 – What Does a Win Look Like?Basic metricsVideo views, comments and subscriptionsFacebook fans, Wall postsVisitors and link-backs to your site and/or blogBlog and Twitter buzz – quantity and impressionsTonal reaction (positive/negative)Benchmark reports (beginning/end; weekly/monthly)How engaged, lasting, meaningful was the experience? (qual.)Campaign-dependent metricsUnits soldActions taken (e.g., petition, contesting, etc.)Voters, constituents, consumers, students or decision makers influencedLasting, Google-able resourcesLaunching point for future efforts

10. photoNMS METHODOLOGY: This is How We Do ItAGGREGATEsocial websitesbookmarkingANALYZEblogsmessageFILTERboardssocial networksemergingACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCEplatformsvideo

11. #2 – Establish Team RolesTeam: Community / Communications ManagementRole: Communicates on behalf of the campaign, under their own name, everywhere online (think: touchy-feely spokesperson); Ensures that message and aesthetics are consistent across entire campaign (on and offline); supports Community & Profile team Involvement: 2 – 3 people Team: Profile ManagementRole: Populates profiles with content; works with / as Community Managers; maintains and interacts continuouslyInvolvement: 2 – 3 peopleTeam: Metrics, Reporting, Tracking, InnovatingRole: Ensures that goals are being set and met; makes recommendations to recalibrate based on results, emerging platforms and new goalsInvolvement: 3 – 4 people

12. CHALLENGE: Digital and Geographic DividesSolution: Communications TeamTactic: Point people in DC manage and solicit content from FarmersSolution: Profile Management TeamTactic: Meet with Farmers once a quarter to scope out an approved set of messages and topics; adjust and update as neededSolution: Editorial CalendarTactic: Create a master calendar for posting to platforms (e.g., blog post, tweets, etc.); receive posts from Farmers via Communications team (need only be emailed; “photo attached” would be great, too); post for / as approved FarmersSolution: Digital Press EventsTactic: Invite bloggers to the farm; encourage photo and video creation; create universal tag so content can be aggregated

13. 6 Tips: Social Media for AgricultureON THE FARM CASE STUDY: Leslie’s Family’s Farm © 2009 | New Media Strategies www.newmediastrategies.net

14. DIGITAL PRESS EVENT CASE STUDY: IntelWorked with Intel to invite influential bloggers and media makers onsite to ISEF, resulting in:776 photos on Flickr160 blog posts and tweets Production of nearly 40 YouTube videos 20 audio recordings of interviews with attendeesHelped manage and organize interested online communities, facilitating new connectionsReached over 1.5 million viewersCreated lasting online resources and relationshipsShifted previous perceptions about Intel and its dedication to education

15. Specific Platforms

16. Twitter © 2009 | New Media Strategies www.newmediastrategies.net What is it?

17. Permanency of blogging

18. Utility of emailing

19. Sociality of Facebook

20. Agility of text / IMing

21. Why join?

22. Disseminate information

23. Converse and share

24. Build a network

25. Gain insights

26. Who uses it?

27. The media

28. Politicians

29. C-level executives; decision makers

30. Brands and organizations

31. Online influentialsIn Fact, Twitter Has Its Own Ecosystem & Economy

32. Organic Interest: Media & Blog Stories: 7,000+

33. Twitter Posts: 10,000+Results: 3.8 million Impressions

34. 55,000 Facebook users

35. 10,000+ Pledges

36. 16,000 video views

37. 100+ blog posts

38. 1,200 Tweets “The president made an offhand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics.” - Spokesman Bill Burton High-Profile Twitter Placements: John Mayer

39. Rosalind Wiseman

40. Chicago Tribune

41. Fox5 (lead to on-air)“I bowled a 129. … It’s like – it was like Special Olympics, or something.” - President ObamaMarch 19Jay Leno ShowMarch 20Story explodesMarch 31Special Olympics launches social media campaign with help from NMSTWITTER CASE STUDY: The Special OlympicsApril 1 - TodayConversation continues…

42. Social Networks © 2009 | New Media Strategies www.newmediastrategies.net What is out there?

43. Facebook – friends

44. Twitter – communications

45. Ning – organizations

46. LinkedIn – colleagues

47. MySpace – A & E

48. MeetUp – offline

49. So I have a page, now what?

50. Upload your contacts

51. Relax the reins

52. Spark two-way conversations

53. It’s a garden: plant, water, weed, maintain; repeat.News UpdatesTargeted AdsThousands of Click-ThrusShared LinksDozens of Wall Posts2,200+ MembersDonation Motivation:1 Twitter follower = 100 liters of water1 Facebook member = 100 liters of waterFACEBOOK CASE STUDY: ACC / Drinking Water

54. Media Sharing © 2009 | New Media Strategies www.newmediastrategies.net Video – what is out there?YouTube – massive reachVimeo – customizableViddler – interactivePhoto – what is out there?Flickr – open networkSmugMug – closed networkTwitter applications – Twitpic, UtterliWhy you need it:A picture is worth…Tell your story; create a lasting resourceMake it compelling; short and something you’d pass on Create assets to share with on and offline media outlets

55. “ALL CYLINDERS” CASE STUDY: C-SPANTransformed their image in the eyes of online influencers and tech communities

56. Reengaged their core political audience through embeddable video and blogger link-backs

57. Exchanged their limited advertising budget for social capital, search engine optimization (SEO), brand awareness and historical, lasting resources

58. 300+ blog placements; 600+ inbound links; millions of online viewsBlogsSocial NetworksTwitter Media Sharing22

59. Wikipedia © 2009 | New Media Strategies www.newmediastrategies.net What are wikis?

60. Collaborative resource

61. Relies on “wisdom of the crowds”

62. Not always accurate, buuuuut…

63. Read: Here Comes Everybody (Clay Shirky)

64. Why you need them:

65. Define the debate at point of research: Wikipedia

66. Replace internal intranets

67. Create a puzzle-piece mentality that encourages more participation and knowledge-sharing

68. Enable easy access

69. Document evolution and keep definitions dynamic (e.g., of your issue / organization) © 2009 | New Media Strategies www.newmediastrategies.net What tools are available?Google Docs Google Reader / RSSSlideshareDeliciousYouSendItTinyURLs (recommended: bit.ly)“Share This”Why you need them:Cost effective ($0)Accessible anywhereTime-savingSearchable; can make publicCloud Computing

70. What to watch for?

71. Aggregation (FriendFeed)

72. Portability (Facebook Connect)

73. Authentication (OpenID)

74. Integration (Google Connect)

75. Mobile (iPhone and BlackBerry apps)

76. “Life streaming” (Qik, USTREAM)

77. Status-o-sphere (Facebook, Twitter)

78. Blogosphere segmentation (state level, interest based)

79. What will continue to evolve?

80. Boundaries: Personal / Private / Professional / Organizational

81. Sharing: Anonymity / Transparency / Intimacy / Translucency

82. Connectivity: Portable / Integrated / Aggregated / Authenticated © 2009 | New Media Strategies www.newmediastrategies.net Emerging Platforms

83. Closing

84. 5 Things You Can Do ImmediatelyShare content, but not over email. Instead, use a single account on Delicious to store, share and tag relevant stories.

85. Tips: These can be public or private (just click the “do not share” box). Add unlimited # of tags to help build context. Detailed repository.URL:http://delicious.com (also: most stories have multiple “share this” functions)

86. Build a blogger media list; create an engagement strategy. Identify bloggers most interested in your issues and include them early and often on breaking news, surrogate interviews and other initiatives.

87. Tips: Treat bloggers like journalists, but don’t expect them to always perform like non-biased reporters. Consider having your surrogate’s blogs link back to the blogs on your list. Reciprocity rules.

88. URLs:http://blogsearch.google.com (more results) and http://technorati.com (includes authority)

89. Monitor Twitter. The most instant and social conversations going on about your issues are on Twitter. Blogs lag. Facebook is closed, sometimes blocked.

90. Tips: On Twitter, you can take immediate action. For key conversers, investigate the Twitterer’s # of followers and if they have a blog. Have a strategy to engage / respond if needed.

91. URLs:http://search.twitter.com (basic search) & http://tweetgrid.com (up to 9 terms at once) 5 Things You Can Do Immediately (cont’d)Place digital Op-Eds with influential blogs. Facing a limited “real estate” issue? Editorial Board uninterested? You can be just as effective by placing a guest post on state and / or national blogs. Once place, pivot back to MSM.

92. Tips: Have surrogates pen for the web – links, photos and embedded videos are excepted.

93. Sample sites:Huffington Post, Medical News Today, Health Bolt, My Family Doctor

94. Have Farmers maintain a daily / weekly “diary.” Basically a blog, but in established communities with lots of activity. More efficient; good workaround.

95. Tips: If your content is consistent and strong, and you’ve made contacts with the site administrator’s, you can get “front paged” (i.e., have your content featured on the homepage). To build credibility: make sure to comment on posts by others.

96. URLs for top diary sites:http://RedState.com and http://TheNextRight.com (right-of-center); http://DailyKos.com, http://MyDD.com and http://TalkingPointsMemo.com (left-of-center); http://SoapBlox.com (state level and left-of-center)6 Closing ThoughtsAuthenticity and transparency rule the day. When you are transparent, you are credible. When you are credible, you maximize your results.Try to workaround, not eliminate. Stuck on Twitter? Try a disclaimer: ‘Tweets from our friends do not necessarily represent the views of healthfinder.gov.’ Unable to access actual site? Use search engines.You get out what you put in. Social media is a like a pet, not furniture. Nurture, don’t walk away.The marketplace is now a conversation.Are you listening, do you have a voice? And like with any conversation, listening is key.It’s a relationship, are you committed? The true value of participating online is in the ability to build lasting, meaningful ties. To make it work in the long run, you need infrastructure. In order to circulate your content and maximize what social media has to offer, you need to have a plan and multiple pathways. Start slow, integrate and don’t over-commit.

97. © 2009 | New Media Strategies www.newmediastrategies.net Thank you. Questions?Leslie BradshawBlog: www.lesliebradshaw.comLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliebradshawTwitter: www.twitter.com/LeslieBradshawEmail: lbradshaw@newmediastrategies.netPhone: 703-253-0050 x 187Alex RedmondNMS Blog: www.newmediastrategies.net/blogLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ajredmondTwitter: http://twitter.com/AlexRedmondEmail: aredmond@newmediastrategies.netPhone: 703-253-0050 x 195