Workshop: Using the Internet and Social Media to “Gain and Retain” VFC Convention April 13, 2015 By BJ Thomas McMillan VFC Membership Chair

WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA? A platform to build social networks among people who share interests, activities, backgrounds or real-life connections. A means of SHARING – thoughts, news, photos, etc. A means of CONNECTING (or RE- CONNECTING) with family, friends, family and friends of your family and friends, strangers – and members of a group.

A social media site may be: Individual-centered -- the social action starts with one person and his/her profile – then fans out to his/her family and friends – and possibly their family and friends. Group/community centered -- individual taps into a pre-set group of like-minded persons (similar to what was called bulletin boards, listserv’s, or forums).

Social Media Sites May Allow Users To: Use tools to find people – or let people find you. Share thoughts and news Post photos/videos Post articles/photos/videos from websites you visit Comment on the posts of others Send private s/messages Engage in chats/IM (some w/live video)

So HOW Can Social Media Be Used to “Gain and Retain” Members? Post news of your Chapter, links to newsletter. Alert members and potential members to Chapter meetings and activities. Post photos/videos of Chapter activities. Post “clipped” articles – from NARFE HQ, newspapers, other websites – of interest to Federal workers and retirees. Alert people when advocacy actions are needed. Members and potential members can write comments, ask questions – start a conversation.

Social Media Sites of Potential Interest for NARFE Chapters Networking: –Facebook – 1 billion users –Google Plus – 300 million users Visual bulletin board –Pinterest – 250 million users Short Messages –Twitter – 500 million users

Social Media Sites (cont.) Video: YouTube – 800 million users Blog: Blogger (owned by Google) Schedule Events: MeetUp Photo-mail: Instagram – 300 million users

Facebook Can be set up as a Page or a Group Page – One to many and many to one –Can be set up as Regular, Community, or Non- profit/Organization –Postings can be visible to public OR limited to members of an organization –Regular Page – postings distributed to those the Chapter has approved as “friends”. Friends are shown on Chapter’s Page. –Community/Organization Page - postings go to individuals who “like” your page.

Facebook (cont.) Group – Many to many –Can be public, Secret (known only to members), or Closed (existence is public, but must be approved to view postings) –Group members can submit comments, hold chats, collaborate on docs, issue invites to group events

Facebook Examples Regular Page: Las Cruces, NM ChapterLas Cruces, NM Chapter Community Page: Colonial Beach; PeninsulaColonial Beach Peninsula Non-profit Page: NARFE Region X; Strawberry Chapter 1224 Plant City, FLNARFE Region X Strawberry Chapter Public Group: MD Chap 1888 White OakMD Chap 1888 White Oak Closed Group: MO Chap 1457 Lees SummitMO Chap 1457 Lees Summit

Google Plus Google’s answer to Facebook – you receive the posts of people you “add” to your Circles. –Unlike Facebook, where you can approve/decline “friend requests”, people can add you to their Circles without any approval. Examples: –Chapter 65 San FranciscoChapter 65 San Francisco –Federal Employee Benefits CoordinatorFederal Employee Benefits Coordinator

Best Uses: Facebook/ Google Plus Updating Chapter Members about Chapter meetings/activities – past and upcoming. Sharing photos of Chapter activities Republishing – and sharing with your “friends” -- info of importance to members – and potential members. Encouraging short comments – in response to postings.

Pinterest “Pin” good stuff you find on the Internet to boards. Can have separate boards with different themes/categories for each. –Ex: Create one board for Congressional actions, another for your Chapters activities, etc. DEMO: YouTube video on Pinterest.YouTube video Linda McMillan’s site – her boards.Linda McMillan’s site DEMO: How to “pin” an item. Must find people to “follow” your boards.

Pinterest – Best Uses for NARFE Chapters “Pinning” and then “sharing” articles found on the Internet of interest to Federal employees and retirees. Ex: Articles from Washington Post, from Causey, from NARFE Hotlines, etc. Can also share photos/news of your Chapter

Twitter 140 character messages called “tweets”. (Can also embed photos, videos, and links to articles) Designed primarily for smart phones. A substitute for blasts. Each new user is assigned –In basic search, can find people only by their addresses OR their Tweets from users you follow will show up on your home page. Conversely, your tweets will show up at your followers’ home pages.

Twitter – How It Works You can follow people, companies, news entities, your Chapter, NARFE HQ, etc. –You may get s for each Tweet you receive. Interesting tweets you receive can be re-tweeted to your followers. Tweets can be assigned a “#hashtag” – which is then used to collect together tweets – from anyone – on that same topic.

Twitter Examples NARFE HQ -- NARFE NY Federation -- Hashtag Federal Employee -- #federalemployee #federalemployee

Twitter – Best Uses for NARFE Chapters Quickly distribute info – via smart phones. Create hashtags for topics of importance to NARFE – and start a virtual discussion. Re-tweets: Chapter members following your tweets may “retweet” your info to potential NARFE members that you aren’t even aware of.

Blogs Blogger.com (Google) – others Can post extensive comments/thoughts about a topic – and encourage others to respond with their thoughts. Example: eChapter blogeChapter blog

Apps for Smart Phones/Tablets Many Social Media sites have versions designed for use with Smart Phones/Tablets Examples: Facebook, Twitter.

The UPSIDES of Using Social Media Reach younger members and potential members Better means of reaching out to unknown, potential members – than posting flyers. Can share important information: –more frequently -- than via a Chapter newsletter –more easily – than blasting an out to individual members

The DOWNSIDES of Using Social Media Must find someone to create your Chapter’s “presence” on a site. Must create awareness of your site – and entice people to “friend”, “like”, “follow” your presence. –Can be difficult to FIND persons to invite to follow you. Need to update and refresh your Chapter’s presence. May need to assign someone to respond to comments/messages left by others. May need to monitor for “undesirable” or embarrassing content. May get bombarded with s – from sites you’ve registered on.

TIPS When registering, think twice about providing accurate info – e.g., birthdate. Create a separate account – and password -- for use in registering/creating social media accounts/profiles. May want to limit who can SEE or MAKE posts/comments. May want to limit who has “management” rights. Use a “Dummies” or similar book as a manual. (Most sites have skimpy/no manual.) Ask for help/share advice – via the VANARFE Membership Google group.

Cautions Can be huge privacy issues. –In who can find you or see your info –In what the site does with your info Can lead to spamming and phishing May need to monitor your Chapter’s “presence” for undesirable content (e.g. comments posted by others) Research the social media site before you join (news articles, Wikipedia, etc.)

Final Thought You can also use Google Sites to design and post a Website for your Chapter –Chapter 92 Montgomery, AL –sites.google.com/site/narfe92/sites.google.com/site/narfe92/ Can also design and maintain a website through NARFE.org –BUT this website might not be found by Search Engines