Final project for Social Media Marketing and Communication at Clark University: a proposed social media strategy for the AFS-USA Returnee Initiative

1. AFS-USA Returnee Initiative Social Media Strategy By Alexa Lightner RI Communications Task Force Intern

2. Background of the Returnee Initiative Mission “The AFS-USA Returnee Initiative engages Returnees throughout the Returnee Life Cycle by providing resources, support and opportunities for their growth, development and connections thus encouraging a life-time of participation within the AFS community.” (AFS-USA, Inc., 2011) Formed in 2009

3. The Returnee Initiative Communications Task Force aims to create a social media strategy to help the Returnee Initiative accomplish its mission

5. Remember that social media needs to be authentic, organic, and experimental

6. Listen to the community, act on feedback, and be flexible: “Building a strong community means paying attention to what that community thinks and does.” It also means keeping the community in the loop and maintaining a dialogue with it at all times. (Betancourt, 2010)

8. Using Online University Alumni Networks as a Case Study Returnees are to AFS as alumni are to universities, so researching best practices for alumni engagement in social media can provide valuable insight!

9. 9 Ways Universities are Engaging Alumni Using a LinkedIn group sponsored by the university to help alumni find jobs Connecting current students with alumni to help them transition by: Sponsoring Wikis for alumni and students to collaborate on shared topics Allowing students to join the LinkedIn group before graduating Making fundraising personal with Tweets and Facebook pages Tweeting to alumni about donating Creating pages with live updates about $$ raised and donors to post about donating in their FB statuses Teaching older alumni how to use social media with training sessions incorporated into alumni events Going where the alumni already are Some schools have created their own social networking sites, but many have joined the social networks where alumni are already active Creating widgets about the school that alumni can post on their own sites Allowing alumni-generated content, such as photo contests on Flickr Promoting the official group (as opposed to the alumni-generated groups) on the school’s alumni website and with targeted campaigns Collaborating with Google Maps to allow alumni to map their locations (Lavrusik, 2009)

11. Provide a venue for Returnees to conduct personal and professional networking

12. Raise awareness about the Returnee movement using overlapping, consistently-brandedsocial media platforms that suit different Returnee demographics and preferences

14. National Facebook Page

15. RI National Facebook Page Strategy Objective To build a large, strong, and personal Returnee network by creating a forum and hub for the Returnee movement to reconnect and collaborate. Aggregate localevents Encourage conversation Post LinkedIn job opportunities and national AFS volunteer/job opportunities Provide a venue for delivering information to Returnee Coordinators Serve as a bridge to more information about getting involved with the Returnee Initiative

16. RI National Facebook Page Strategy Examples of Content Discussion forums Map of localFacebook pages (like the one pictured by the Bare Escentuals Facebook Page) Status updates (linked to the Twitter) with: National volunteer opportunities/opportunities to get involved with the Returnee Initiative Returnee-related news articles Links to opportunities on LinkedIn Polls to get feedback and generate discussion ​Posting of localevents from the local Facebook pages

18. Blockwild Map App for mapping local Facebook events

19. Friends Map App to map where the page’s fans have checked in to Facebook places across the country

20. Customizable tabs using the Static FBML App for:

22. RI Local Facebook Page Strategy Objective To create a local AFS Returnee social media presence by creating new or adding to existing locally-oriented Facebook pages, which: Grow and adapt organically to local Returnee needs Allow for local Returnee networking Sponsor and promote local Returnee-related events and opportunities Pass on information and updates from the national Returnee Facebook page Consolidate existing local returnee pages (if any) Initiated and monitored initially by Returnee Coordinators, who serve as brand ambassadors

23. RI Local Facebook Page Strategy Suggestions/Examples of Content Posting of local Returnee meet-up events Posted local volunteer opportunities locally-specific discussion forums

24. National LinkedIn Group

25. The Current AFS Returnee LinkedIn Presence Searching for AFS on LinkedIn yields the following groups that could incorporate AFS-USA Returnees: 467 Members 2,363 Members 201 Members 152 Members 106 Members 43 Members 31 Members 11 Members

26. Because it was the largest Returnee-specific group, I asked the AFS Intercultural Program Returnees group what it wanted…

27. ... and it wanted consolidation!

28. From the Founder of “AFS Intercultural Program Returnees” LinkedIn Maya Broadfoot has sent you a message. Date: 4/11/2011 Subject: RE: AFS Returnee Group Hi Alexa- I think the vision for the group is pretty simple, just connecting AFS returnees and providing a forum for questions, networking, job searches, etc. I think this group is not terribly active, I have posed some questions before and other members have as well, but it isn't very interactive at this point. Likely because, I haven't had time to really work at it. If someone within the AFS organization is interested in leading the discussion, I would gladly cede ownership! I think consolidating groups would be a great idea. Maya

30. Accesses an older, more professionally-oriented demographic than Facebook and Twitter

31. Bridges the age gap between younger and older Returnees

33. National Twitter Page

35. Topics could include: Returnees in the news, the job market, AFS news, diplomacy, study abroad opportunities in college, etc.

36. Re-posts from the national Facebook page

38. RI Local Twitter Strategy Objective To correspond with and enhance the local Facebook pages’ objectives by: Reposting updates and opportunities from the corresponding local Facebook page Reaching a slightly different social media user demographic than Facebook Suggestions/Examples of Content Notifications of Returnee events organized through the corresponding local Facebook page Posts of geographically-relevant information Re-posts from the corresponding local Facebook page @Mentions to local returnees

39. Works Cited AFS-USA, Inc. (2011). Returnee Initiative. Afs wiki. Retrieved April 11, 2011, from http://www.afswiki.org/index.php/Returnee_Initiative Betancourt, L. (2010). 8 things to avoid when building a community. Mashable, Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2010/01/05/community-engagement-pitfalls/ Collier, M. (2009, February 01). Why your community-building and social media efforts aren't working. The Viral Garden: Blurring the Line Between Company and Customer, Retrieved from http://moblogsmoproblems.blogspot.com/2009/02/why-your-community-building-and-social.html Howes, L. (2011). 7 ways to maximize linkedin for business. Webinar, https://www2.gotomeeting.com/join/546443603/106883489 Lavrusik, V. (2009, July 23). 10 ways universities are engaging alumni using social media. Mashable, Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2009/07/23/alumni-social-media/ Topper, H. (2009, December 1). How to build a social media campaign. Businessweek, Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/nov2009/ca20091130_155161.htm For links to all the above articles as well as other helpful and related articles, visit my saved websites on Digg.com - http://digg.com/alexalightner