1. What is Social Media?
And does it matter?

2. About Me
Director, Metronet
• Librarian
• Project Manager for 23
Things On a Stick/More
Things On a Stick
Prior to Metronet
• Consultant to libraries on
special projects
• Worked with various MN non-
profits

3. Why Me

4. The social me
Minn23 on Delicious
@annws
Nings (Social Networks)
http://anncomments.blogspot.com

5. More…
Wikis
http://metronetpresentations.pbworks.com/

6. In the beginning of the Web
• Static Web sites
• Source of information/simple answers
• Limited media--photos & illustrations
• One-way communication
• Needed design & coding skills
• Access to a server
Image: 'Macintosh SE'
www.flickr.com/photos/51512551@N00/3359491617

7. In Web 2.0
• Social & Interactive
• User-generated content
• Encourages & facilitates communication
• Collaborative
• Tools for productivity & online “cloud” of apps
• Tools for creation & communication
• Hosted services

8. The new social Web 2.0 tools to make it
easier
• Communicate
• Create
• Collaborate
• Connect
Image: 'motion gears -team force'
www.flickr.com/photos/17258892@N05/2588347668

9. What Is Social Media?
Social media is people
using tools (blogs video)
and sites (facebook
twitter) to create and
share content. It is the
new way to connect and
converse online.

10. Why It Matters
• Changing how people communicate, create, & interact
• Word-of-mouth via these tools is powerful
• It’s affordable
And….
• Everybody’s doing it…and not just who you think

11. 78% of people are reading
blogs, an increase from 66%
in the previous study
48% of the people surveyed
listen to podcasts
Image: 'Gathered for the IHR
Headphone Roundup'
www.flickr.com/photos/95601478@N00
/193617487
Image: 'Morning in the Spengler household'
www.flickr.com/photos/74105777@N00/78600196

12. 83% of people are
watching online
video
57% of internet users
are members of social
networks
Image: 'My social network'
mage: 'online video ecology; in a grid' www.flickr.com/photos/49503019876@N01/1804295568
www.flickr.com/photos/63313714@N00/3256724981
Data Source: Universal McCann- Power To The People - Wave3. March 2008

14. It is Expected…
All organizations are expected to be part
of the online community.
Build your online presence & identity as
a credible expert person/organization.
Image: 'Blue Mountain Center (September 2007)'
www.flickr.com/photos/73218431@N00/1693341532

16. Some of the Tools
Today’s Tools Other Tools
• Blogging • Podcasts
• Microblogging • TodaysMeet
• Social Bookmarking
• Social networks
• Event/calendar sites
• Video sharing • Screencasting
• Photo/Video sharing • & thousands more
• Wikis • http://www.go2web20.net/
Image: 'Pablo's cubism period began at three'
www.flickr.com/photos/73645804@N00/2475349116

17. Blogs
• Regularly updated Web sites that usually contain links
and comments
• Accepted as a source of news, information, & other
content
• Allow interaction through comments
• Sort of the new Web newsletter--but anyone & everyone
can have one
• Most recent posts first
• More than 1,000,000 posts to blogs each day
Image: 'We â™ blog'
¥
www.flickr.com/photos/11583872@N00/167783571

18. Ways to Use Blogs
• Update frequently with
hyperlinks to deeper info and
resources
• Provide news & information to
constituents http://redcrosspdx.blogspot.com/
• Involve staff and take
advantage of their info &
expertise
• Recruit & involve volunteers
• Document volunteer
contributions
• Keep constituents informed http://www.tsa.gov/blog
• As a place for constituents to
comment and contribute
• Report back from an event
• Testimonials from clients,
volunteers, donors…

19. Doing It Right
• Establish an identity
• Update frequently
• Friendly tone
• Authentic
• Informative
• Encourage comments
• Be responsive to
comments
Image: 'Right Button'
www.flickr.com/photos/35468141611@N01/85977206
耀

20. Popular Blogging Tools
http://www.blogger.com/ http://wordpress.org/
http://www.typepad.com/ http://www.tumblr.com/

21. Twitter
• IM/Micro-blogging tool that asks one simple
question - What are you doing right now?
• Posts are 140 characters
• You follow your friends
• Read/Tweet on IM, mobile text, or the Web

22. Ways to Use Twitter
• Stay connected at conference to find
better sessions
• Follow others at conferences with #
• Industry gossip
• Pointers to resources, blog posts
• Drive traffic web page/blog or
comments
• Ask a question, get an answer
• Get referrals for products, locations,
movies, whatever
• Ad hoc collaborations
• Sending reports in an emergency
• Getting/sending news

23. What to Tweet
• Announce a new blog entry
• Random facts about
organization or cause
• Research releases
• Event reminders
• Breaking news
• Reply to others’ Tweets
• Re-tweet interesting tweets

24. Good Tweets
• Informative
• Useful news
• Entertaining
• Make sense in 140
characters
• Ask
• Answer
• Share
Image: 'Tweet and Toot Cover'
www.flickr.com/photos/45097561@N00/2902947614

25. Social Networks
Online Communities of people who share interests
and/or activities, or who are interested in
exploring the interests and activities of others.
People may visit a lot of sites, but for many, their
social network is their online life.
From Wikipedia
Image: 'Communication'
www.flickr.com/photos/44586678@N00/1459055735

26. Popular Social Network Sites

27. • Features like Facebook/MySpace with your pet as the focus
• Games, prizes, sharing….

28. Nings
• Focus around one interest or topic
• Can be open or invite only
• Users have same options--posting, email, blogs, updates, etc.--
as in other networks
• Ning.com

29. Ways to Use Social Networks
• Establish a simple Web presence
• Promote specific actions or petitions
• Consolidate existing, unofficial social networks related
to your organization
• Connect supporters already using social networks
• Encourage & respond to feedback quickly
• Informal outreach & communication
Image: 'my friendwheel'
www.flickr.com/photos/40571485@N00/658281511

30. Image Sharing
Video & Photos
• Sites that allow users to upload and organize
photos or videos
• Users can share their photos and videos with
only people they choose or with the world
• Viewers can comment on photos/videos
• Users have (some) control over how photos and
videos are used
Image: 'Scrapbook page, 1986'
www.flickr.com/photos/31794493@N00/3260237814

31. The Big Two

32. Other Photo/Video Sites
www.vimeo.com
http://blip.tv/
Even more
• Shutterfly
• Snapfish
http://photobucket.com/
• Kodak Gallery
• SmugMug

33. Ways to Use Photo/Video Sharing
• Share organization/staff
photos
• Create slide shows to embed
elsewhere
• Share conference keynotes
• Host photos for use in
newsletters and other
publications
• Find others’ photos for your
use (Creative Commons)

34. Wikis
A wiki is a collection of Web pages designed to
enable anyone with access to contribute or
modify content.
Wikis are often used to create collaborative Web
sites and to power community websites.
From Wikipedia
Image: 'Where to Find a Good Wiki'
www.flickr.com/photos/37996646802@N01/1627257

35. Characteristics of a Wiki
• Collaborative--members can upload, edit,
comment
• Multimedia--embed photos, videos, slide shows,
podcasts
• Multiple pages with navigation features
• Public or private
• No HTML knowledge required (usually)
Image: 'Wiki'
www.flickr.com/photos/35237092540@N01/3275981110

36. Ways to Use Wikis
• Collaboration--proposals,
curriculum, documents…
• Project management
—conference, event,
fundraising…
• Web page
• Deliver content for CE or
other event
• Knowledge base for staff,
practioners, others
• Intranet for staff—policies,
procedures, schedules…

37. Wiki Tools
http://pbworks.com/
http://www.wetpaint.com/
http://www.wikispaces.com/ http://tinyurl.com/63vvq

38. Image: 'Puzzle'
www.flickr.com/photos/95148379@N00/2982166215

39. Similarities of the Social Tools
• Promote communication
• Interactive
• Collaborative
• User-generated content
• Can embed results in other
tools--blog, Web sites…
• Easy to learn
• Easy to use
• Ever-evolving
• Free for at least basic
features
Image: 'Puzzle'
www.flickr.com/photos/95148379@N00/2982163921

40. Rules of Social Media
• You can’t control the conversation; be willing to
give up control
• Listen to your constituents
• Get involved--build relationships
• Ask questions to encourage engagement
• Be honest & be authentic; no made up names or
profiles
• Think long term--it’s a commitment
Image: 'Puzzle'
www.flickr.com/photos/95148379@N00/2983020562

41. Social Media is Not for You if…
• You think it’s a waste of time
• The Internet in general is a mystery
• You don’t already have a dynamic Web presence
• You don’t know why you would use it
• You don’t have a lot to say about your organization
• You expect immediate results
• You can’t commit the time & energy it will take
• You don’t like change

42. Getting Started in Social Media

43. The Key
You can't understand the social media tools and
sites like Twitter, Facebook, and blogging just by
reading articles or reports about them….
Image: 'Login'
www.flickr.com/photos/13957977@N02/2460905893
耀

44. You need to Participate
• Read blogs
• Create a blog
• Join Twitter to follow people & tweet
• Join a social network & participate
• Explore photo & video sites
• Upload your photos
• Make stuff w/photos
• Explore & edit a wiki
Image: 'weekend07_04.jpg'
www.flickr.com/photos/67561937@N00/505772429

45. Start with a Personal Interest
• Read & comment on blogs that cover
your hobby
• Browse photo sites as you plan your
vacation
• Watch YouTube and read the
comments
• Set-up a wiki to play
Image: 'looking up'
www.flickr.com/photos/53611153@N00/255775613

46. Do 23 Things On a Stick
http://23thingsonastickblogspot.com
http://morethingsonastick.pbworks.com
Easy way to play & learn.

47. Ready for next jump--
organizational research & planning
Image: 'Faded Hop scotch set at my old elementary school'
www.flickr.com/photos/69831536@N00/411038015

48. Organizations don’t have to participate in
every social media platform
Image: '234 social media marketing examples'
www.flickr.com/photos/31884970@N00/2909140600

49. Pick 1 or 2
• Do your research
• Understand the
tool’s strengths
• Understand its limits
• Set up accounts to
participate

50. Start by Listening
• Search for keywords on Twitter, subscribe to
search results with RSS, follow people

51. Find People to Follow
http://wefollow.com/
Search keywords to find
people
• Nonprofits
• Minnesota
• Hunger
• Banker
Start following
Start tweeting

52. Facebook Research
• Are there others like you
on Facebook?
• What are they doing?
Groups, Pages, Causes?
• Do they have many
fans?
• What are the
discussions?
Image: 'Facebook HQ'
www.flickr.com/photos/87267387@N00/691552110
藳

53. Once you are comfortable with the
tools & communities
You are ready to use them or advise
others how to use them
Image: 'looking up'
www.flickr.com/photos/53611153@N00/255775613

54. Resources to Make It Happen
• Willingness to try something new
• Administration support
• People who can write & engage
• Time to plan, write, evaluate,
adjust
• Commitment to keep it going
• And the biggest resource…
Image: 'bright paperclips'
www.flickr.com/photos/63943575@N00/9984261

55. Time, time & more time
• 5 hours/week to start listening
• 10 hours/week to participate
• 10-15 hours/week to generate buzz
• 20+ hours/week to build community
• May take anywhere from 3-6 months to see
results
Source Beth Kanter http://beth.typepad.com/
Image: 'Curioso elemento el tiempo'
www.flickr.com/photos/51597402@N00/2744390812

56. Make a Plan
• What is your goal--what
do you want to happen &
when
• Who is involved
• Is everyone on board
• Is someone in charge
• Policies on who & what
Image: 'I have a plan. (186/365)'
www.flickr.com/photos/26582481@N08/3234624436

57. Who are you talking to?
• Who is the audience you
want to reach
• Where is your audience--
Facebook, Twitter, or
somewhere else
• What do you want to say
• Who will say it
• How will you say it
• How often will you update
Image: 'Alphabet 05'
www.flickr.com/photos/49968232@N00/89097084

58. What Are You Saying?
• Audience-focused, not organization-focused
• Here are results from our work
• This is what it means to you/what you can do
(send money, volunteer, contribute)
• This is what your money, volunteering,
contribution means
Image: 'BarCamp AMS 2005 Opening - 35'
www.flickr.com/photos/35034347371@N01/54381130

59. Evaluate Regularly
• What have we learned?
• What is working?
• Have we seen results?
• Should we change
anything?
• Do we still want to do
this?
Image: 'Pressure Gauge'
www.flickr.com/photos/58685748@N00/130693756

60. How will you measure results
Outputs are easy
• For blogs: how many views,
unique visits, time spent on
page, comments
• For Twitter: Followers, re-
tweets of your posts, replies
• For Facebook: Fans,
comments, discussions
Image: 'Free coiled tape measure healthy living stock
+photo+Creative+Commons'
www.flickr.com/photos/40645538@N00/3209939998

61. Harder to Measure Impact
Did using social media make a difference?
What were your goals?
• More visibility?
• Improved profile in
community?
• More volunteers?
• Greater community
engagement?
• More donations?
Image: '27'
www.flickr.com/photos/86176561@N00/34493476

62. Jump In & Have Fun!
www.flickr.com/photos/88637726@N00/904035517

63. Metronet
Ann Walker Smalley
651/646.0475
ann@metronet.lib.mn.us
@annws
metrolibraries.net
metronetpresentations.pbworks.com