Created by George Creasy (Societies Officer) and Laura Dickens (Campaigns Coordinator) at Warwick Students' Union. This session was delivered 26th August 2015 to the Membership Services Conference, organised by WIDAR and NUS to representatives from Students' Unions across the country. The session explores different social media; getting the most out of Facebook and Twitter; Vlogging and Blogging; Instagram; Periscope; YikYak; Snapchat and provides advice on how to deal with internet abuse.

1. Students’ Unions
in the Age of Social Media
George Creasy, Societies Officer, Warwick SU
George.Creasy@warwicksu.com
Laura Dickens, Campaigns Coordinator, Warwick SU
Laura.Dickens@warwicksu.com
@WarwickSU

2. Today’s Session
 Setting The Scene
 Getting the most out of Facebook
 Getting the most out of Twitter
 Vlogging – what it is and how you can use it
 New Social Media Strategy:
 Instagram
 Periscope
 Yik Yak
 Snapchat
 Example of a Snapchat Campaign
 Exercise (5 minutes)
 Dealing with Trolls and Backlash - TWAP

3. Setting the Scene

4. Setting the Scene

5. But Where Is The Engagement?
Warwick SU has 16,497 likes.
Top story:
506 likes (3%), 75 shares (0.4%)

6. Setting the Scene
 Social Media usage is on the
increase,but the main Facebook
users are those aged 25-34
 Facebook engagementfor aged 18-
24 is decreasing
 Facebook remains the most
popular social media
 So whereare the Under25s?

8. Getting the Most Out of Facebook
 A central hub for key updates
 Videos (Instant)
 Photos
 Algorithms
 Groups
 Betterto be in than out
 Posting at key points of the day..

9. Source: https://blog.dlvrit.com/2015/03/best-times-to-post-on-social-media/
Best Time to Share?

10. • Quality vs. Quantity?
• It’sall about the Balance – and
the contentwhich you are
puttingout
Source: https://blog.dlvrit.com/2015/03/best-times-to-post-on-social-media/
Best Time to Share?

11. Getting the Most Out of Twitter
 Clever hashtagging
 Autoplay videos
 Replying to people with pictures or videos
Pictures/Screenshots/Videos
 Direct Message members to answer queries/questions
 Playing with Algorithms
 Twitter analytics: www.analytics.twitter.com
 www.analytics.twitter.com
 https://chenhaot.com/retweetedmore/

12. Twitter Analytics (i)
• Find out what has been the most attractivestory to your followers
• Find out their level of engagement – and how they engaged
• Monitorwhat styles are suiting them best – photos and videos are likely to
have higher engagement
• Analytics are available for each tweet, so you can see how each one faired,
and work out best times of day for postingetc.

14. Twitter Analytics (ii)
• Helps you discover if you’re reaching those who you are hoping to with the
messages you’re producing.
• Gives an idea of the different interestsand demographicsof followers

15. Retweets Tool:

17. Vlogging
 300 hours of video are uploaded to Youtube every
minute(!)
 Usurv surveyed 1,000 UK adults and found people are
more likely to share (39%), comment (36%) and ‘like’
(56%) an online video than a text article.
 Vlogging,or video bloggingis absolutely huge on
YouTube.

18. Vlogging
Why?
 People see videos as more engaging and entertaining
 Embedded videos into Facebook and Twitter autoplay
 Time
 Information easily absorbed
 Try running a vlogs campaignas opposed to blogs, and
compare the stats!
 But it’s good to balance – make use of vlogs and blogs

21. Facebook Videos
• Facebook reported 3
billion video views
per day (Jan 15)
• Upload your videos to
more than 1 platform

22. 4 Apps SUs Could Be Using
Snapchat Instagram
Periscope Yik Yak

23. Instagram

24. Instagram
 Share photos and videos - customisable
with filters and creativetools
 Share widely by using hashtags
 Has over 300,000,000users and counting
 Traditionallyfaces,food and filters,but
many opportunities for SUs…

25. Instagram
How Can This Be Used by SUs?
• Increase transparency
• Reach unengaged or unsure students
• Show what Officers do
• Share key information and updates
• Create specific hashtags
• SU Campaigns
• Union Democracy events – e.g. All Student Meetings
• Union Elections – specific hashtags
• Events and Updates for Clubs and Societies
• Promote the work studentsare doing
• Gather a following

26. Examples of Potential Usage
Participation and
Recognition
• Showing lots of pictures
of and aroundthe
Students’Union and
Officers.

27. • Capture and update on
progress
• Show people taking part
• Show opportunities for
getting involved/ picking
up freebies
• Promote wins and
celebrate successes
• Capture some feedback
For Promoting Campaigns

28. For Union Democracy & Elections
Candidates’Campaigns
Gettingthe
vote out to
studentsat
different
locations

29. For Students, Societies &
Clubs’ Activities
Promoting
SportingEvents,
like the annual
Varsity
Promotingthe
release of the
Student
Newspaper
Promotingkey
news for
Societies and
Clubs to know
Promoting
FundraisingEvents
PromotingSociety
Events and
Conferences

30. Tagged Locations

31. Instagram: Pros
• Biggest users are 18-24 age group
• Linked to other social media platforms
• Photos automatically downloaded to camera roll
• Opt-in by following profiles
• Less pressure on user to ‘follow back’
• Higher quality content – more likely to ‘like’
• Fewer posts than other social media
• Ability to hashtag
• Ability to share exact location
• A higher engagement rate that Facebook – greater
“popularity”

32. Instagram: Cons
• Search function
• Oversaturation can lead to
apathy/disengagement
• Time
• Usually limited to photos, but can include
shorter and snappier text

33. Yik Yak

34. YikYak
 Like Twitter,but without the handles
(unless disclosed)
 Abilityfor students to sharethoughts
locally on everything
 Could be used for floating some ideas..
 But, we reckon it’s a good way to keep an
eye on what is bugging students, so SU’s
can become more proactive in Campaigns

35. Periscope

36. Periscope
 Owned by and linked to Twitter
 Broadcast live from wherever you are
 Broadcasts remain viewable for 24
hours
 Host live Q&A – live chat during
broadcasts and ‘<3’
 Share widely by using hashtags
 Over 10,000,000 users

37. How Can This Be Used by SUs?
• Behind the scenes
• Reach unengaged or unsure students
• Show what Officers do
• Create specific hashtags
• Live stream big Union events, democratic meetings,
Freshers Fairs etc.
• Promote and offer updates on SU Campaigns
• Promote Union Democracy events – e.g. All Student
Meetings
• Events and Updates for Clubs and Societies
• Gather a following
Periscope

38. Periscope in Action: Officer Q&A
Name your
broadcast.
Wait up to 30
seconds for people
to join in.
Read out and talk
about their
comments.

39. Periscope: Pros
• Rising social media platform
• In the moment – offers ‘behind the scenes’ and ‘exclusive
access’
• Human connection
• Linked to Twitter – automatic notifications
• Can Opt-in by following profiles
• Can search for local contentby using exact location finder
• All followers by default get notifications
• Ability to hashtag
• A lot of Universities have started using it during Open Days and
big events
• The next big thing (we predict)

40. Periscope: Cons
• Broadcasting is live
• Anyone can comment
• Viewers can only watch 1 scope at a time
• Recordings only stay live for 24 hours

41. Snapchat

43. ~50% of Snapchat users are between 18 and 24.
This is our demographic!

44. Snapchat: Attracting Followers

45.  A sense of urgency and excitement that Facebook just
doesn’t have anymore
 Reach new demographics
 It is much more engaging,as one must actively press to
view a video
 Behind the scenes
 Perfect platform to hold competitions and giveaways–
‘best snap wins x’ etc
Snapchat: Pros

46. Snapchat: Cons
 Snapchat has a reputationas an app for sexting – which
isn’t true!
 Leaves no lastingtrace – Photos delete instantlyand
stories delete after 24 hours*
 Time + Effort of manning it – It takes time and effort to
master good and creativesnaps
 ‘You had to be there’ – Unlike Instagram,snaps must be
taken from in the app in the moment, they can’t be
imported later

47. Snapchat Geofilters
Geofilters are special
overlays for Snaps that can
only be accessed in certain
locations (i.e on campus).
This one features Warwick
University’s new
(controversial!) logo.
A Freshers’ Week Snapchat
filter would be used hugely,
and screenshotted and
posted elsewhere – great
for branding!

48. Snapchat Storytelling

49. Snapchat in Action:
Creasy4Socs Campaign

52. Social Media Strategy
Strategy
Tactics
Think of your approach to Social
Media likean Umbrella.
The Strategyis the overarching
message and aim, thatwith which
you are trying to achieve or get
people engaged with. This should be
consistent.
The Tactics are the different Social
Medias and steps you take to get to
the aim. You need to always be
mindful of your overarchingmessage
when using your tactics.

53. Exercise
In small groups: Think of a campaign where you could
integrate these social medias to increase awareness
 Pick a campaign you have ran or are going to run
 Which platforms will you use?
 How will you use them? Think of use cases and examples
 How often will you post/engage?
 Why will this be effective?

54. Trolls & TWAP

55. What is Trolling?
Trolling is an Internet slang term used to
describe any Internet user behaviour that is
meant to intentionally angeror frustrate
someone else.

56. “Why do People Troll?”
 The Union represents students. But students are all
different.
 Political reasons - by people who wantto be Officers;
disagreepoliticallyor with the directionof the Union.
 Those who love the freedom ofan internetkeyboard
and/or anonymity.
 Anyone who wants to share opinions.
 Those who do not understandwhat the Union is, does or
stands for.

57. What to Do if You’re Trolled
 Don’tpanic!
 What are they saying?
 What is the motive?
 Know your options – communicatewith the
Officer Team, Union Staff and the University.
 Keep screenshots- of all comments, messages
etc. – can be good for future training.
 Measureif worth responding to and the
potential consequences of responding.
 Don’tReact – TWAP

58. Ways to Tackling a Troll
Don’t React - TWAP
TEA
WALK
ACKNOWLEDGE
PLAN

59. Taming the Trolls:
Tips for Unions and Officers
 Don’t respondimmediately.
 Communicationis key. Use different appsto reach a wider
audience.The morevisible, the better.Use skills learned today!
 Constantlypost about achievements.
 Take a screenshot/copy of nicemessages you receivefromstudents,
save them in a file The Happy Folder.
 Be factual.Try and avoid emotional responses,especially to
criticism fromstudents.
 Take a judgementas to whether the commentis worth responding
to.
 Expect criticism.
 What you post in the heat of the moment – would you
want it reproducedin a Newspaper?

62. Dealing with Internet Trolls and
Negative Feedback
“Haterz gonna hate hate hate hate hate”
T. Swift, 2014.

63. Taking Things Forward:
Who Does What?
Officers
The Faces of the
Union
Union Marketing
Promoting and
Responding To
Anything Arising

64. Recap – Today you’ve learnt:
 Some interestingand amazing statisticsabout social
media
 How to make the most of Facebook and Twitter
 What vloggingis!
 How having a presence of new social platforms like
Instagram,Periscope and Snapchat can help you to better
engage your members
 How to deal with online trolls #TWAP

65. Any Questions?
@Creasy4Socs
@GeorgeCreasy
@GeorgeCreasy
@GeorgeCreasy
@Laura_Dickens
@LauraDickens90
@LauraDickens90
@LauraDickens90
Let’s keep in touch:

66. Good Blogs
 George’s Blog: www.medium.com/@georgecreasy
 www.medium.com/@thatswattsup– blog on why 18-24s
use differentsocial media
 www.slideshare.net/vaynerchuk/the-rise-of-social-media-
marketing - Gary Vaynerchuk presentationon the Rise of
Video – greatblogs on social media.

67. Fun Links
 http://www.motherjones.com/blue-
marble/2014/02/internet-trolls-sadists-psychopaths-lulz-
A Study by the University of Manitoba into the types of
Internet Trolls
 http://time.com/3950525/facebook-news-feed-
algorithm/- A study of the Facebook Newsfeed algorithm
 https://blog.dlvrit.com/2015/03/best-times-to-post-on-
social-media/- A study on the best times to post on Social
Media

68. Snapchat Links
 http://uk.businessinsider.com/snapchats-monthly-active-
users-may-be-nearing-200-million-2014-12?r=US&IR=T
 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-
2722816/Snapchat-popular-Twitter-Number-young-
people-using-app-DOUBLED-year.html
 http://venturebeat.com/2015/05/26/snapchat-has-
100m-daily-users-65-of-whom-upload-photos/
 www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2015-05-26/evan-
spiegel-reveals-plan-to-turn-snapchat-into-a-real-
business

69. Periscope Links
 http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/twitter-uk-chief-
how-to-succeed-with-periscope/5089768.article
 http://www.theweek.co.uk/64271/periscope-what-is-the-
point-of-the-new-video-app