A survey of social media at Boston College in 2012 found that more than 300 departments, organizations and individuals were tweeting, pinning, posting or blogging on behalf of BC. That’s a lot of messaging. How can you begin to combat the silo-ization of social communication at institutions? The answer at BC was the Social Media Council, created to bring social media administrators together to collaborate and share best practices and cautionary tales. Learn how, in under a year, this innovative effort helped set a strategic direction for social media and helped break down communication barriers.

1. Silo Busters: BC Social Media Council*
*actual presentation may not be as fiery as depicted
Melissa Beecher
Social Media Manager |Boston College
@melissabeecher
beecherm@bc.edu
Photo Credit: demworks.org

3. • 2009:
• First two channels: Facebook and Twitter
• No budget, no additional staff
• Approach – organic: “try it, test it, evaluate it”
• 2014: Official “Boston College” Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Pinterest,
Google+, Instagram, 2 LinkedIn pages. Also: 2 blogs, iPhone app, mobile campus
tour

4. Decentralized
Communication Challenges
Piecemeal social,
lacking strategy
Varying levels of skill,
knowledge and success
Oversight of social
delegated to interns,
interested employee
Different people making
the same mistakes
So we took a survey…

5. Silos are a liability.
*Yes, there really are 336…I counted

6. 2012: #BCSocial is Created
• Encourage partnerships between senior administrators and junior communications professionals
• Think big, start small: 10 administrative departments
• No frills: one hour every six weeks: discussion, education collaboration, best practices, cautionary
tales
• No budget
Source: Altimeter Group, State of Social Business 2013

7. Resources
• BC Social Media Guidelines
• Social Mashup Page: bc.edu/social
• BC Social Media blog: bostoncollegesocialmedia.com
• Breakout training sessions – platform specific, each semester
• Exposure to legal counsel, social media experts

8. Indicators of Success
2013
• BC Instagram #1 among nation’s
colleges and universities
• Enterasys Networks’ social media
survey of U.S. News top colleges:
BC’s official channels placed at:
#17 nationally
#5 among mid-size U.S. schools
(7500-20,000 undergraduates)
#4 in New England
• #31 on Student Advisor list of
Top 100 Social Media Colleges

9. • Advancement/Alumni
• AHANA Student Programs
• Arts and Sciences/GA&S
• Athletics
• Admission
• BC Police
• Bookstore
• Campus School
• Career Center
• Carroll School of Management/Graduate
• Center for Corporate Citizenship
• Connell School of Nursing
• C21 Center
• Emergency Management and Preparedness
• Graduate School of Social Work
• Graduate Student Life
• Health Promotion
• Human Resources
• Information Technology
• Instructional Design and ETeaching
• International Programs
• Law School
• Libraries
• Lynch School of Education
• Marketing Communication
• Media Technology
• News & Public Affairs
• Residential Life
• STM C21 Online
• Student Affairs
• Student Programs
• Student Services
• Volunteer and Service Learning Center

10. 3.1 million
impressions,
7,100 positive
interactions
by 4,800 users

11. SMC is not….
Photo Source: wesdavenport.com

12. *Seagulls, friends and beautiful blue skies sold separately

13. Thank you
Office of News & Public Affairs
617-552-3350
Melissa Beecher
617-552-8047
@melissabeecher | beecherm@bc.edu