This document proposes a web and social media strategy to increase engagement for the Seattle Aquarium online. It recommends increasing user-generated content from staff, volunteers, and visitors through activities like livestreams, photo galleries, and video contests. It also suggests partnering with organizations to develop a mobile app and engaging local celebrities to promote the aquarium's message. A proposed editorial plan includes monthly reporting and themes highlighting the Puget Sound environment and wildlife. The goal is to promote the Salish Sea as a unique marine destination through the personalities and biodiversity found in the region.

1. Seattle Aquarium
Web and Social Media Strategy
Proposal by David Todd
May 23, 2011
http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmtodd
http://twitter.com/aquafiles
http://vimeo.com/23773654
206-734-5151

2. Competitive Landscape
Facebook Twitter Youtube Flickr
Seattle
Aquarium 3,198 check-ins 2,625 Followers 5,815 Channel Views
7,081 Likes 646 Following 105,887 Total Views
Shedd
Aquarium 5,402 Check-ins 7,564 Followers 28,961 Channel Views 2,841 Photos
60,293 Likes 3,928 Following 641,539 Total Views 545 Members
National
Aquarium In
Baltimore 5,825 Check-ins 8,181Followers 9,390 Channel Views 4,384 photos
24,231 Likes 3,038 Following 233,722 Total Views 775 members
Monterey Bay
Aquarium 53 Check-ins 9,974 Followers 69,670 Channel Views
110,354 Likes 417 Following 1,549,007 Total Views
Metrics as of 5/15/11

3. User-Generated Media Sources
Employee Generated Media

Increase staff, volunteer and guest engagement with our electronic
media

Staff - Give them ownership/recognition ie:

Joel's humbolt squid tales

Steven's seahorse quiz

Traci's otter facts
Volunteer Generated Media

Aquarium Volunteers - An army

Beach Naturalists - 200 this season

Divers:100+ passionate volunteer divers. Encourage them them to
contribute their Puget Sound photos/Videos to Aquarium media projects
Visitor Generated Media

Web Photo Galleries

Web Video Contests/Challenges

4. Additional Media Offerings
Live Web Cams:
Live Streaming Animal cams have become a popular meme

Ottercam – cute baby otters!

Cuttlecam

Sealcam

Birdcam
Vendor/Partner

USTREAM or JUSTIN TV channel for cost effectivness and to
leverage/engage their userbase

http://www.ustream.com

htttp://www.justintv.com
Mobile Phone Application

Partner with Project Noah (Location aware citizen science animal
spotting/mapping)

http://www.projectnoah.org/http://www.projectnoah.org/

If succesful, consider development of custom mobile app.

5. Direct Community Engagement
Continue engagement after and between Aquarium visits

Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Foursquare
Mix experiential learning with online engagement

Photo scavenger hunts with photo galleries/videos posted to Aquarium
web properties
Encourage user generated media projects

Simple animation/video projects that explore marine phenomena and
behaviors. Example:
http://creaturecast.org/archives/952-creaturecast-comb-jellies

6. Daily/Weekly/Monthly Editorial
Processes
Publishing Partner Calendar

Scheduled Partner posts/submissions
Editorial Calendar

Schedule Weekly Features

Opportunistic Features/Posts
Use Social Media Publishing/Stats Platform

ex. hootsuite,tweetdeck,sproutsocial
Monthly Stats/ Campaign Performance Evals

SWOT/Metrics

7. Online Media Outlets
Continually Feed Media Outlets

News:
 MSN/YAHOO
 Treehugger,
 Coolgreenscience
 huffingtonpostgreen,
 national geographic etc

Eclectic + Influencer sites:
 boingboing submitterator
 CUTE OVERLOAD
 I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER

8. Celebrity Spokesfriends
Enlist Local/National Celebrities with Social Media Profiles
Examples:
Pearl Jam
Seattle natives, rock stars, ocean advocates and
new fathers
Pearl Jam Oceans http://pearljam.com/oceans/
Collaboration with Conservation International
@ pearljam twitter followers 870,000 twitter
pearljam.facebook.com 3,848,903 likes
Dave Mathews
Presidents of the United States/Caspar Babypants

9. Editorial Themes
Seasonally based offerings/postings

Highlight the cycles of the Sound/Aquarium

Spring algae/zooplankton blooms

Harbor Seal Pupping Seasons

Hooded Nudibranch Hatchings

Salmon, Salmon, Salmon!
Behaviour and life-cycle based offerings

Protective strategies

Armor, camouflage and stingers

Reproduction strategies

Predator/prey interactions

Who eats who and how?

10. Marketing Campaign Pitch
Establish the Salish Sea/Puget Sea as an exotic
destination and our local marine creatures as exciting and
filled with personality and character
“Why fly off to fiji when we have”:
The world's Largest Barnacle!
The world's Tallest Anemone!
The world's Cutest Fish (Grunt Sculpin)
The Largest and the Smallest Cephalopods
Genuine Space Aliens (Wolf Eels)
...Right Here!
Possible Sideshow theme