This document provides an overview of social media. It defines social media as interactive and user-generated content that is accessible and immediate. It then discusses key questions about understanding one's audience and goals. Statistics are presented on the popularity and demographics of social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, as well as the microblogging platform Twitter and geosocial services. The document concludes with tips on engaging audiences through creating inviting content, interacting with others, posting regularly, and tracking results.

1. Social Media 101!
Kris M. Markman, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Communication
Junior League of Memphis
September 28, 2011

2. Overview!
Definitions and key questions
Stats: Social networking sites, Twitter, geosocial
services
Inviting engagement

3. WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?!

4. Interactive
User-
generated
Accessible
Immediate

5. KEY QUESTIONS!

6. Who is your audience?
What services/sites do they use?
(www.pewinternet.org)
What do you want them to do?

7. SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES!

8. 65% online
US adults
are using
social
networking
sites (SNS)!

9. SNS usage 2011!
43% US adults use a SNS on typical day
Women are more likely to use than men, & are
more active
§ 69% of women use SNSs, 48% on typical day
Younger adults dominate, but older adults
catching up
SNS users have generally positive experiences

10. SNS usage 2011!
Facebook dominates SNS usage
§ 92% of SNS users use Facebook; 52% of them use daily
§ 29% use MySpace
§ 18% use LinkedIn
Nearly twice as many men (63%) as women (37%) use
LinkedIn
On average, LinkedIn users are older (40) than
Facebook (38) or MySpace (32)
Most highly educated users are on LinkedIn (38% with
grad school)

11. TWITTER!

12. What is Twitter?!
“Microblogging” service that allows you to share
short posts/links (140 characters)
Stats:
§ 13% online US adults use Twitter
– 33% Twitter users check daily (20% several times daily)
§ 64% are female, 36% male
§ Avg. age is 33
§ 25% black internet users on Twitter, 19% of
Hispanics, 9% of whites

13. GEOSOCIAL SERVICES!

14. Foursquare (https://foursquare.com/)
Gowalla (http://gowalla.com/)
Stats:
§ 83% of US adults own a cell phone; 42% cell
owners have smartphones (35% all adults)
– 58% of smartphone owners use geosocial or a location-
based information service of some kind (Yelp)
§ 12% of smartphone owners (5% of all cell owners)
use a geosocial service to “check in”
– Most popular with adults under 50 and minorities
– Less popular in households making at least $75k/year

15. ENGAGING AUDIENCES!

16. On a typical day…!
15% of Facebook users update own status
22% comment on another’s post or status
26% “Like” another user’s content

17. Create content that invites engagement
§ Ask questions
§ Share links
§ Live tweet events
§ Like and be liked; follow and be followed
Talk to people, not at them
Post multiple times/day
§ Use services like Hootsuite to manage multiple
accounts
Track and adjust
§ Watch for new services (G+), audience shifts

18. Questions/Discussion!
k.markman@memphis.edu
Twitter: @DiscourseMarker