Social Media For FRC Utilizing Social Media Marketing Strategies to Spread FIRST

Not just anybody... Hi, I’m Karen! Member of SWAT 771 since 2007 season Titles that I have accumulated: Co-captain, webmaster, tweeter, blogger, status-updater, awards writer, awards presenter, robot builder, drive operator, drive coach, overall troublemaker

About Social Media Web hubs that connect people IE. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, FourSquare, Gowalla, LinkedIn, Google+ A revolutionary way to spread the word of FIRST Think about the last time you were on the internet. What websites did you visit? How many of you visited facebook or twitter? Watched a video on youtube? These sites have enormous reach! These are the websites that your target audience is using. You have to go to your audience, they will not come to you. Think about the last time you were on the internet. What websites did you visit? How many of you visited facebook or twitter? Watched a video on youtube? These sites have enormous reach! These are the websites that your target audience is using. You have to go to your audience, they will not come to you.

Why Social Media? Four ‘B’s Be Found Be Relevant Be Accountable Be Engaging

Be Found Having a strong social media presences enhances SEO Search Engine Optimization Your goal? Dominate the first page of a search. It should be easy to search for your team using keywords

Be Found How to optimize searchability? Use tags. No really. TAG EVERYTHING! When you can’t directly tag - go label crazy Be specific when you are uploading documents photos: search st. mildreds our team comes up in the first 10 images

Be Relevant Remember your audience Keep up to date Have current content Content relevance For websites: use a platform that is easy to update This is very applicable to websites as well. They are not just a monument in cyberspace. They too can become forums for interaction. It helps to use platforms that are user friendly and also easy to update. (Talk about how we use to do it...) Prescheduling tweets. It helps! That way you always have something up. TAG EVERYTHING....that is relevant. This is very applicable to websites as well. They are not just a monument in cyberspace. They too can become forums for interaction. It helps to use platforms that are user friendly and also easy to update. (Talk about how we use to do it...) Prescheduling tweets. It helps! That way you always have something up. TAG EVERYTHING....that is relevant.

Be Relevant

Who is your audience? Potential sponsors Other FRC students and mentors Complete strangers who you hope to lure into FIRST

Your Audience

Be Relevant Your target audience is youth Think the I in FIRST: Inspire The audience will not come to you. You must go to your audience. Your relevant social media forums are where your audience spends their time Facebook Twitter Youtube

Be Accountable Track all your numbers There are many ways to keep statistics Use built in analytics tools Use outside analytic tools

Built in analytic tools

Outside analytic tools These stats are really useful for sponsors too. tweetreach.com

Be Accountable All your statistics will be beneficial to both your team and your sponsors Use them for Chairman’s These numbers are a measure of your effectiveness of influence

Be Accountable Everything on the internet is permanent Make sure you have a social media marketing strategy that incorporates how and who uses these mediums of communication, on your team

Be Engaging Be consistent In your username - Your overall branding

Be Engaging Your team website: User friendliness is important There are lots of studies available about what works and what doesn’t work

Be Engaging Interaction is key Social media breaks down physical barriers to communication Use it to reach out to rookie teams Reach out to international teams Think of everything you do as a dialogue

Be Engaging You are marketing with people Leverage your audience to advocate for you Be positive Reflects well in the long run People are listening. Always.

Final Notes Remember: At the heart of it all, people are ultimately sold by why you do something, not what you do or how you do it.

Connect with SWAT Youtube.com/frc771 facebook.com/frc771 Questions? Karen:

Some links... tweetreach.com (tracks stats about your twitter audience) bitly.com (tracks stats about your links) futuretweets.com (preschedule your tweets)

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