Using Social Media to Promote Mission & Vision Mike Wiser ISEA Editor/Communications

Should I be here? Yes. Of course. But the people who will get the most out of this are ones who want to start group pages for their UniServ Unit or their local. Especially those who don’t have/aren’t active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It’s for people who want to use a social media to recruit and activate members. This is not about your personal FB, Twitter or Instagram. Although there’s overlap, that’s not the point of this workshop.

What is it?

Toolbox

For BIG jobs

And smaller ones

Our focus We’re most concerned with social media as a member communication tool. As a way to get news and information to our members & to inspire them to action. We use three popular tools to do this: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Facebook Facebook users create personal profiles through which they can add other users as friends, exchange messages, post status updates and photos, and receive notifications when others update their profiles. The ISEA has a Facebook page where we post original and member-shared content

Twitter Twitter is a microblogging site. Users set up an account and share 140- character posts. They can also link to news articles, photos and other online content. Posting is called a tweet, re- posting is a retweet and groups are created with a hashtag # symbol. ISEA has a Twitter where we post original and retweet member content. Follow us and #Iowasea. We also have a hashtag just for the conference #iseasc14

Instagram Instagram is an online mobile photo- sharing and video-sharing service. Users can take pictures and videos, apply digital filters to them, and share them on a variety of social networking services, such as Facebook and Twitter. ISEA has an Instagram account you can follow at IowaSEA. We will follow back.

Why do it?

Social media users Because we’re increasingly online. Nearly 3 in every 4 people in the United States use social networking sites according to the Pew Research Center.

Social media demographics Social media use cuts across gender, education and income lines. The only significant difference is age. Many of these younger members prefer to get their news and information over social networks to the exclusion of other media.

More engaged

Reminder #1

Let’s get started

Facebook Internet users: Go to Mobile users: Go to the mobile store and find the Facebook icon to download. It will look like this:

Facebook tips Keep FB posts short and conversational. The most effective way to use your FB is to post regularly. Try to post once a day or three or more times a week. Posts with pictures & links > posts with pictures > posts with links > posts with text only. Use your logo in posts. Share posts from the ISEA and the NEA. Use it to promote meetings, events and other activities your local is involved in. Encourage members to “Like” your posts and don’t be stingy with your “Likes.” Some things are better handled offline. Be judicious in your posts and replies. Don’t vent or bring drama online.

That thing about “Likes”

What it does? When a user clicks the “Like” button, the content appears in the news feed of that user's friends. The button also displays the number of users that liked each piece of content, and may show a full or partial list of those users. For an administrator, the more people who “Like” your post, the more people it reaches. For instance an ISEA post on the publication of the state’s “Gray Book” had 1 “Like” and reached 76 people. While an ISEA post of Jean Hessburg and her daughter, Grace, cleaning the “Teacher Boulder” on the Capitol grounds had 107 likes and reached 3,652 people

Some pages to get you started The Iowa State Education Association The National Education Association Your UniServ page Your school district page Your school district sports teams pages Iowa Department of Education Newspapers In Education Education Writers Association Education Commission of the States

Reminder #2

Twitter Internet users: Go to Mobile users: Go to the mobile store and find the Twitter icon to download. It will look like this:

Basic Twitter lingo Feed: A Twitter feed is essentially your account. Tweet: A tweet is a 140-character message you create and send out over your feed. Follower: A follower is someone who follows your feed. Retweet: A retweet happens when a follower tweets one of your tweets to their is when someone types your feed name in their tweet. You can track these in notifications or set it up so you get an whenever your feed is mentioned. DM: Is short for “Direct Message.” You can send DMs to other accounts if you follow one another. These don’t show up in the regular feed. Hashtag: People insert hashtags to provide context, and to make them easily searchable for people looking for updates on a specific topic. Anyone who searches for your hashtag can find all the tweets in that subject area.

Twitter tips Share links to press releases, images from events and other information in 140 characters or less Tweet directly to members of the media and bloggers to encourage them to cover your events Tweet directly to local organizations you want to partner with in your efforts that might be able to help you spread the world Tweet directly to elected officials – Statehouse and Congress – with action you want them to take Use hashtags to promote events #iseasc14 or if you’re trying to reach groups #iowasea #iaedfuture #iaedchat

Hashtags and accounts to get you started #iowasea is the ISEA’s hashtag #iaedfuture for info on education policy and studies #iaedchat Three Iowa principals host an education chat every Sunday night at 8 p.m. #iapolitics #ialegis #iagov are all worthwhile for Iowa political news There are many others #edreform #commoncore #stopcommoncore #eddata is the ISEA’s the main account of the National Education U.S. Secretary of Incoming NEA President Lily Eskelsen ISEA President Tammy Wawro There are

Reminder #3

Instagram Instagram is mobile. You can view your account from a desktop, but you can only upload from a mobile device. So pull out your mobile devices, go to the app store and download it. It looks like this:

What is it?

Instagram growth

Instagram tips Member photos – parade walks, building meetings, door knocking and even envelope stuffing in the office – are great ways to build unity and purpose. Use captions to promote advocacy. Connect Instagram with your Facebook and Twitter accounts to cross-post and reach a larger audience. Take photos of logos, t-shirts and placards to get messages out through your Instagram account Use hashtags, but use them strategically and wisely Play around with filters and Instargram editing apps like Aviary and Snapseed to create more interesting photos

Follow ISEA On Facebook On On Instagram: IowaSEA

Reminder #4

Questions? Mike Wiser