Tips for enhancing your online profile as a councillor, with a particular focus on blogging. Delivered as part of the LG Improvement and Development's Leadership Academcy programme for councillors
Going Social: Fernie Chamber of Commerce Feb 24Aerin Guy
Going Social: a workshop designed to explore the possibilities of the web and social media for small business. Delivered to a lovely audience at the Fernie Chamber of Commerce on February 24, 2011.
In the ever-changing settlement landscape, there is a pressing need to innovate and find creative solutions for our participants. There is a body of research that suggests innovation comes from increasing network connections. Individual, organizational and societal success emerges from diversity in our networks and relations beyond our organizational, geographical, and sector boundaries. Integration Summits, conferences, member meeting are held across the country but are often too few and far between. Connecting through social media facilitates connection with colleagues during those in-between times (and adds a little fun to it as well).
In this workshop, MEALO and MIRSSA are combining efforts to offer language and settlement professionals increased opportunity to connect via Web 2.0 tools, using a practical and hands-on approach. The Building Community with Social Media workshop is framed for the connection of leaders in language and settlement organizations.
The workshop will outline positive effects of expanding networks. Participants will be introduced to several types of Web 2.0 tools used to connect with language and settlement professionals: social bookmarking, (micro) blogging, and social/professional/learning networks. The workshop will end with considerations of individual vs organizational online presence.
Extending Your Voice Online: Navigating the Social WebSara Holoubek
Sara Holoubek's presentation on the the Social Web as part of the Woodhull dinner series.
From blogging to facebook to twitter, self-publication has never been more accessible to the general public. However, most of these powerful tools don't come with instructions. Learn best practices for extending your voice, building your platform and creating a personal brand.
Going Social: Fernie Chamber of Commerce Feb 24Aerin Guy
Going Social: a workshop designed to explore the possibilities of the web and social media for small business. Delivered to a lovely audience at the Fernie Chamber of Commerce on February 24, 2011.
In the ever-changing settlement landscape, there is a pressing need to innovate and find creative solutions for our participants. There is a body of research that suggests innovation comes from increasing network connections. Individual, organizational and societal success emerges from diversity in our networks and relations beyond our organizational, geographical, and sector boundaries. Integration Summits, conferences, member meeting are held across the country but are often too few and far between. Connecting through social media facilitates connection with colleagues during those in-between times (and adds a little fun to it as well).
In this workshop, MEALO and MIRSSA are combining efforts to offer language and settlement professionals increased opportunity to connect via Web 2.0 tools, using a practical and hands-on approach. The Building Community with Social Media workshop is framed for the connection of leaders in language and settlement organizations.
The workshop will outline positive effects of expanding networks. Participants will be introduced to several types of Web 2.0 tools used to connect with language and settlement professionals: social bookmarking, (micro) blogging, and social/professional/learning networks. The workshop will end with considerations of individual vs organizational online presence.
Extending Your Voice Online: Navigating the Social WebSara Holoubek
Sara Holoubek's presentation on the the Social Web as part of the Woodhull dinner series.
From blogging to facebook to twitter, self-publication has never been more accessible to the general public. However, most of these powerful tools don't come with instructions. Learn best practices for extending your voice, building your platform and creating a personal brand.
Effectively Market Your Events and Your CommunitySarah Page
Presentation given during the Texas Midwest Community Network annual conference in Abilene, TX on October 23, 2013. Presentation is entitled "Effectively Market Your Events and Your Community".
Social Media Presentation for Student Support Servies at JDCCCarol Bates
This presentation covers the fantastic five: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Presented by carolhbates for Student Support Services at Jefferson Davis Community College.
Great social media execution is a powerful new weapon in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) that can lead to top search rankings for your company. Today, over 50% of Google searches for major brands turn up user-generated content, blog articles and other social media related content. However, most fail to deliver even close to the desired results.
Of the three pillars of SEO (content, architecture, and links), it’s the “link authority” pillar that’s usually the weakest. If only it weren’t so darned difficult and time-consuming to acquire high quality, relevant links! Yet without such links, you won’t be able to earn the trust, authority and importance required to rank well in search results, and your optimization efforts will fall short.
So, how do you solve this?
To answer that, author and consultant Stephan Spencer shares how to deploy a structured process via social media that can help your company be found – and stand out – in search engine results.
To contact Stephan directly or look at more of his videos, interviews, and articles, check out his website at www.stephanspencer.com
Alternative search engines; Library 2.014 presentationPhil Bradley
This is the bare bones presentation that I gave at the Library 2.014 conference on October 8th 2014. If you're looking for different search engines to try out, you may find some good ideas here.
The social media strategies we implement for businesses are largely usable by individuals seeking to improve their career.
Unless you’re planning your retirement party, you are a career seeker and the strategies in this deck can be used by you.
Does your website still say ‘Coming Soon’ or ‘Under Construction’? Are you still promoting the Christmas Mass from 2008? In this session you’ll learn how to create a great website and more importantly how to maintain it and keep people coming back.
These are the raw slides from a recent advanced social media marketing presentation I gave. The objective is to show the audience how to integrate their social media marketing to get better results in less time.
Writers Workshop 2015 - Joining the Conversation: Fundamentals of Social MediaMelanie Parlette-Stewart
f you are serious writer, having an online social media presence is something that can work to your advantage. You can use social media to market a book, yourself, or an organization. Social media is one of the most important tools we can use for marketing and communication. Learn about popular social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, and blogging. This workshop will explore best practices for engagement and getting the conversation going. Other issues covered will include managing risk, analytics, picking the best tools for your strategy, and privacy.
Whether you’re building a community or a personal brand, this workshop will provide you with tips and tools to get you started on developing an effective social media plan.
A Presentation that helps Professionals to understand how they can use LinkedIn to maximise their visibility within their networks.
Prepared by Stretch Marketing.
Profitable Prospecting with Social MediaMaura Neill
What does real estate marketing look like in today’s world? Marketing for clients and lead generation have changed dramatically in the past decade, and we’ve entered a new frontier. Reaching clients and potential customers used to be a costly venture – with long printing wait-times and pricey postage. Today, online marketing options offer us a free way to keep in touch with our current spheres and reach potential new clients, but the rules are different. This new school of marketing, with its multitude of social media platforms and opportunities, requires a new kind of marketing savvy and can be overwhelming to navigate. This course teaches you how to combine tools like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube (and more!) along with email marketing and blogging, with the tried-and-true marketing techniques you already know. The class will teach you to:
- Develop an online brand that expresses who you are and helps you maintain a consistent online presence.
- Create a social media strategy that works for you and incorporates the platforms with which you are most comfortable.
- Combine “old school” techniques, like direct mail and print advertising, with new school opportunities, like your Facebook business page and blogging, to create a more cost-effective and optimized approach to marketing.
A presentation by John Hayes for the IDeA and FutureGov Networked Innovation event on 16 June. Outlines the history of IDeA support for online networks for improvement, efficiency and innovation and a glimpse of the future.
Effectively Market Your Events and Your CommunitySarah Page
Presentation given during the Texas Midwest Community Network annual conference in Abilene, TX on October 23, 2013. Presentation is entitled "Effectively Market Your Events and Your Community".
Social Media Presentation for Student Support Servies at JDCCCarol Bates
This presentation covers the fantastic five: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Presented by carolhbates for Student Support Services at Jefferson Davis Community College.
Great social media execution is a powerful new weapon in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) that can lead to top search rankings for your company. Today, over 50% of Google searches for major brands turn up user-generated content, blog articles and other social media related content. However, most fail to deliver even close to the desired results.
Of the three pillars of SEO (content, architecture, and links), it’s the “link authority” pillar that’s usually the weakest. If only it weren’t so darned difficult and time-consuming to acquire high quality, relevant links! Yet without such links, you won’t be able to earn the trust, authority and importance required to rank well in search results, and your optimization efforts will fall short.
So, how do you solve this?
To answer that, author and consultant Stephan Spencer shares how to deploy a structured process via social media that can help your company be found – and stand out – in search engine results.
To contact Stephan directly or look at more of his videos, interviews, and articles, check out his website at www.stephanspencer.com
Alternative search engines; Library 2.014 presentationPhil Bradley
This is the bare bones presentation that I gave at the Library 2.014 conference on October 8th 2014. If you're looking for different search engines to try out, you may find some good ideas here.
The social media strategies we implement for businesses are largely usable by individuals seeking to improve their career.
Unless you’re planning your retirement party, you are a career seeker and the strategies in this deck can be used by you.
Does your website still say ‘Coming Soon’ or ‘Under Construction’? Are you still promoting the Christmas Mass from 2008? In this session you’ll learn how to create a great website and more importantly how to maintain it and keep people coming back.
These are the raw slides from a recent advanced social media marketing presentation I gave. The objective is to show the audience how to integrate their social media marketing to get better results in less time.
Writers Workshop 2015 - Joining the Conversation: Fundamentals of Social MediaMelanie Parlette-Stewart
f you are serious writer, having an online social media presence is something that can work to your advantage. You can use social media to market a book, yourself, or an organization. Social media is one of the most important tools we can use for marketing and communication. Learn about popular social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, and blogging. This workshop will explore best practices for engagement and getting the conversation going. Other issues covered will include managing risk, analytics, picking the best tools for your strategy, and privacy.
Whether you’re building a community or a personal brand, this workshop will provide you with tips and tools to get you started on developing an effective social media plan.
A Presentation that helps Professionals to understand how they can use LinkedIn to maximise their visibility within their networks.
Prepared by Stretch Marketing.
Profitable Prospecting with Social MediaMaura Neill
What does real estate marketing look like in today’s world? Marketing for clients and lead generation have changed dramatically in the past decade, and we’ve entered a new frontier. Reaching clients and potential customers used to be a costly venture – with long printing wait-times and pricey postage. Today, online marketing options offer us a free way to keep in touch with our current spheres and reach potential new clients, but the rules are different. This new school of marketing, with its multitude of social media platforms and opportunities, requires a new kind of marketing savvy and can be overwhelming to navigate. This course teaches you how to combine tools like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube (and more!) along with email marketing and blogging, with the tried-and-true marketing techniques you already know. The class will teach you to:
- Develop an online brand that expresses who you are and helps you maintain a consistent online presence.
- Create a social media strategy that works for you and incorporates the platforms with which you are most comfortable.
- Combine “old school” techniques, like direct mail and print advertising, with new school opportunities, like your Facebook business page and blogging, to create a more cost-effective and optimized approach to marketing.
A presentation by John Hayes for the IDeA and FutureGov Networked Innovation event on 16 June. Outlines the history of IDeA support for online networks for improvement, efficiency and innovation and a glimpse of the future.
Slides from the Philanthrophy 2.0 workshop in Calgary & Edmonton, Alberta (November 2009).
You've probably heard of Philanthropy 2.0, but what exactly does it mean? And more importantly, how can it work for your charity? Check out this slideshow to find out!
Highlights:
- Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 overview
- A look at some popular tools
- Best practices of other charities
- Web 2.0 myths
- Tips on where to get started
Learn about some of the Web 2.0 tools that everyone is talking about and the fundamentals of a great website. We’ll tell you the good, the bad and the ugly. We’ll tell you what’s easy, what’s challenging, what you can try for free, and what might not be worth your time.
Consists of 2 workshops to help you get acquainted with online philanthropy:
* Philanthropy 2.0 – Web 2.0? What's Web 1.0? Learn about the difference as well as the basics on some of the more common social media tools being used including, Facebook, blogs, YouTube, Twitter and CanadaHelps Giving Pages. Find out how other charities are taking advantage of these tools and how yours can too!
* Websites 101 – Your website is one of the most important communication vehicles you have - is it working for your organization the way it should? Take your website from good to great by learning the fundamentals of what makes for a really good website, one that is user-friendly, attractive and drives up online donations.
A presentation I gave to Colgate students who work in the summer for non-profits. It works better with me there, but what can you do? There is even a mistake in it. Or two.
Social Media for Attorneys was presented December 2012 at the NAELA Illinois Unprogram by Phil Sasso (http://philsasso.com) of Sasso Marketing, Inc. (http://sassomarketing.com).
The sessions covers what to avoid as a time waster and what can be worthwhile including LinkedIn, Blogging and Twitter.
More resources at philsasso.com/naela
Understand how to incorporate blogging into your classroom and improve writing along with some tricks from teacher and edublogger Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher.
These are the slides for my presentation at WebContent 2010, Building and Running an Online Community.
The presentation is about a a few of the practical issues you'll run across when thinking about an online community, such as:
* When should you open your site to members
* How to set and enforce community guidelines
* What sort of features to build
Similar to Enhancing your online profile, for councillors (20)
Presentation on using social media for crisis communications to the Warning and Informing working group of the Surrey Resilience Forum on 7 November 11. Part of the Future Surrey programme www.futuresurrey.com
Coming to the Local DirectGov really useful day? Then you can use this template to share your groups work. Much better than a flip chart!
This slide deck is deliberately plain and generic because we want you to put your group's stamp on YOUR presentation.
a quick set of online engagement and feedback examples from or about local public services... find more of this kind of stuff plus a bit of write up at socialgov.posterous.com
4. It’s not about tools or egos
By Mikelo on Flickr
...but the right tools and a bit of confidence
never hurts
5. An online profile
• Sharing relevant content with interested
communities
• Using your networks to promote
• Identifying new online networks
• Using the right tool for the job
• Helping people find you
6. It’s not just online
If you’re only building an online profile
online; you’ve failed Photo by Dmitry Baranovskiy on Flickr
7. Why are networks
important?
• Social proof
• May be key driver of behaviour change
• Cognitive surplus - and getting things done
• Helps you to spread your message
10. Clusters of My home town in TN
networks
LG Group in-laws
Dad’s family
Digi public
services in the UK Expats Uni
Local politics
only certain networks may help you with
some goals
11. Work blog
Personal blog
LinkedIn
Twitter
CoP Anonymous
networks
12. Your network is not the
same as your audience
By marfis75 on Flickr
14. And some of these interactions
are unexpected
My 3rd cousin in
Iowa
Head of a LocalGov
think tank in the UK
Overlapping connections amplify your message
15. Things to think about
• What online networks are you already part
of?
• What steps could you take to engage
further?
• Which will be the most helpful to you as a
councillor?
17. Why a blog?
• Easily discoverable. Search
engines love them!
• Designed to be engaging
• Can take a highly personal
approach
• Easily shareable content,
readers can share with their
networks
by AnnieMole on Flickr
18. Here’s how
• Several free platforms
• Easy to use
www.blogger.com
• Lots of looks
• Reliable
• Can set up in minutes
www.wordpress.com
19. Cllr Andrew Wallis, Ind, Cornwall
The hardest part to blogging is starting the blog and what subject you are going to cover. I started the blog
slightly tongue-in-cheek, but quickly realised this needed to change to a more professional approach, but
without compromising who you are. You should give a brief background to who you are and what roles you cover.
A blog should reflect the personality of the author. It should contain humour and a more down to earth
approach that people will find easy to read. Any technical issues should be briefly explained, but not to any
great length. My blog covers all issues that I face including policy and local issues. It’s a good way to engage
with your electorate. I also link my blog to Facebook and Twitter. In fact I get more hits via Facebook to my
blog than any other medium.
I do believe that you should try and make your blog apolitical, not easy for those who are in a party, but there
is nothing worse than reading a blog that is nothing more than repeating party mantra. I would also link other
to other blogs, no matter what party they are from. It gives your readers a more balanced view to some
important issues. You generally find that if you link a blog, they will link your blog from theirs.
An important aspect of blogging is to have fun. There is nothing worse in reading a blog when the author lacks
enthusiasm in what they write. Also, post regular and try to keep the post short(ish). You have more chance of
the reader reading the whole article that way. Use pictures. I did not start out using them, but now I try and
use a picture or two in every post. It makes the subject more engaging to your readers.
Allowing people to comment on your posts is a must. That way the reader feels like they have some ownership
of the blog. As long as you spell out a few simple rules to what you will allow to be published. It’s also a good
way to gather people’s views on a subject, especially when you might have to make a decision on that subject
later. I would also publish comments that disagree with what you write.
http://cllrandrewwallis.blogspot.com/
21. Tim Cheetham
• Blogger blog
• Local issues
• National politics
• some personal stuff
• Snarky style (not
everyone can pull this
off, but he does) www.cllrtim.blogspot.com
22. Sara Bedford
• Self-hosted WordPress
• a ‘general’ blogger - not
particularly focused on
council work
• great writer
• everything from politics
to social commentary to
recipes www.sarabedford.org.uk
23. Iain Roberts
• LibDem councillor
blogging platform
• Very council focused,
procedure, service
information
• a very local blog http://iainroberts.mycouncillor.org.uk/
24. James Cleverly
http://jamescleverly.blogspot.com/
• Blogger blog • email newsletter
• Beautiful design • mix of content
• Portfolio website • clear links to other
profiles
25. James Cousins
• Data
• procedural stuff
• personal stuff
• local issues
• some national politics www.jamescousins.com
• self-hosted WordPress
26. Plug your blog
• On leaflets
• On party websites
• On your council profile (if they let you)
• In local networks
• with other blogging councillors, activists
• on other networks - and this can be automated
27. Maximise your hits
• Location, location,
location
• Link to others
• Say nice things about
people and then tell
them
• Cover local issues
• Be realistic
By .A.A. on Flickr
28. Let people find your
blog where they go
Your RSS publication
blog feed service
29. Things to watch out for
• Don’t be a muppet
• Don’t bully
• This stuff is permanent
• Beware planning and
data protection
• Do not put council logo
on your website
By Looking Glass on Flickr
30. A couple more things
to think about
• Naming your blog, social
media accounts
• Be yourself
• consistent blogging
• A clear comments policy
By drinksmachine on Flickr
31. So what about Facebook?
• Huge membership in the
UK (25+ million
accounts)
• 2nd only to Google in
Traffic
• Personal, pages and
groups
• Risks and rewards
32. Using Facebook
Personal For friends and family
Groups For activists, good for campaigns
Pages For supporters
33. What about Twitter?
• Can be a good source of
content
• Smaller networks (?), but
tend to be influential
• Great for networking
with other councillors
who are online
• Good for pushing
content
34. Neighbourhood
networks
• An excellent way to
improve your local
profile
• As good a listening post
as a talking shop
• Like a surgery online,
but busy!
35. But does it win elections?
• Probably not
• But how much does
being a great councillor
win elections?
• Has swayed close
elections
• Has raised money
(nationally)
• Does make it easier to
By arthit on Flickr
organise
36. Things to think about
• Identify a list of sites you want to link to
• Think about what you want to blog about
• What will your comments policy be?
• How will you let people know you’re
blogging?
37. Additional resources
• http://socialmedia.21st.cc
• Social media community of practice
www.communities.idea.gov.uk
• Social media examples www.socialgov.posterous.com
• List of hyperlocal sites: http://openlylocal.com/
hyperlocal_sites?country=England
38. Contact me
• ingrid.koehler@local.gov.uk
• www.twitter.com/ingridk
• www.ideapolicy.wordpress.com
Editor's Notes
This presentation was prepared for a communications module of LGID’s Leadership Academy - courses focused on local political leadership
An online profile can specifically be the information that you share about yourself on various tools. But this session is focused on your wider presence on the Internet - with a specific focus on your digital footprint. There’s a specific focus on blogs in this presentation - as a councillor’s basecamp.
So what is an online profile? Is it brand me? Is trying to package myself - as whatever? In a narcissistic way. No, it’s not about packaging yourself up in a PR kind of way. It’s about being yourself - but only a part of yourself to different networks. This isn’t deceitful, this is just understanding that you and what you do has great appeal to some, but very little to others. But it’s important to remember, that it’s not all about YOU. But sometimes it is. As a councillor you do have a particular message to get across and you needn’t be shy about it.
It’s important to know how the different online tools are beng used and who’s using them - but this isn’t about mastering Twitter or being the King or Queen of Facebook. This is about choosing and using the right set of tools to get your message across. The sad truth is that there isn’t a single social media tool which will help you conquer the Internet. But some will help you more than others.
It isn’t about ego either. As public servant and a politician, your online presence isn’t about how great you are. But lack of confidence is one of the biggest stumbling blocks to people succeeding online and sharing content.
Online needs to reflect what you do in your job as a councillor as a citizen and in your ‘real life’. It’s not about getting followers or readers - it is about supporting your citizens, sharing information. Much of the real work is done listening to constituents - but you can remember online, too.
People are not as influenced by facts or reasons as they would like to believe. Networks online have signficantly lowered the cost of organisation which makes it much easier for people to organise on local, national or international issues than ever before. This can work for you or against you.
OK - so let’s use my networks and my messages as an example. I have several objectives - some of them are related to my programmes of work, some are related to my personal life and I even have some political points to get across, too - but very, very carefully.
This is what’s called a social graph. It’s a map of all my connections on Facebook - and it maps the interactions betwen my friends. In my wider network, as in anyone’s wider network - there are clusters of people who have connections with each other. You could do this for any network, but Facebook makes this particulary easy and there are several applications which allow you to do this.
As a councillor all of the networks that you’re involved in - online or offline - can have some benefit to your online profile and the work that you do, but others will have little or no relevance - even if they want to be helfpul. Some of your networks - while congenial - can be detrimental to your political ambitions or your immediate message.
Different online tools and the audiences they reach will map differently with your networks.
Every member of your audience has a network - many of these will be online. Help make your readers promote your message to your network by making it easy to share.
There are different views about how political you should be. Some handle this very well and make it a feature of their blog. But as a councillor, you have your own local niche - so exploit this - don’t try to compete with the big political bloggers.
There are different types of accounts and features within Facebook - and councillors can use these in different ways.
There are a growing number of these local social networks - sort of like Facebook but only for a particular area. They share news, talk about issues. Councillors who engage with these positively have found their online profile grow. You can also link and share your blog or other online profiles here (but only do so when relevant!)