Using Web 2.0 to Interact with Target Audiences Greg Silva, RIHEAA CariAnne Behr, Mapping Your Future ®

Web 2.0 "Web 2.0" refers to a perceived second generation of web development and design, that facilitates communication, secure information sharing, interoperability, and collaboration on the World Wide Web.” generationweb developmentdesigncommunicationinformation sharinginteroperabilitycollaborationWorld Wide Web Source: Wikipedia.com

Tactics RSS Chat, messaging (IM and text) Blogging, micro- blogging* WikisNet meetings Podcasts Social networking sites*

Methodology Determine target audience Decide what want to communicate Determine method/medium for audience Manage the social environment (collaboration and sharing)

Importance Social media networks are not going away and cannot be ignored. Over the past year, major brands ignored activity resulting in damaging their brand’s reputation. This is where our target audiences are and how they prefer to receive information.

Facebook More than 400 million active usersMore than half of the users are % of active users log on any given day Facebook.com, statistics

Usage Facebook Fanpage People link up as a “like page” Provide updates, messages, and resources directly to customers Real time Teaser message with link from your homepage

Serve as a Resource Don’t just promote your own institution, but provide links to other resources that might benefit your audience. The majority of people receive their news and information from social networking sites.

Facebook Ads Target a specific geographic audience: Example: WTGRI.org had video contest; winner from East Greenwich High School Targeted all people on Facebook from EGHS and put our ad on their homepage Cost is under $1,000, and you get thousands (if not millions) of impressions (views)

Twitter Micro-blogging Send and read others’ updates (“tweets”) Becoming just as large as Facebook and MySpace Base age of users: year old professionals

Flexibility Breaking news Broadcast news and information Conduct research Crisis communications Live tweeting/reporting Find and solve customer service issues Point to other interesting resources Organize meetings Share images

Customer Service Example: Dunkin Donuts gets notified every time their name is mentioned in a tweet and will respond to them, if needed. A customer complained her coffee was cold twice when purchased at the DD near her house. DD responded to her personally with an apology.

Tweets Up to 140-character messages Sent to followers Viewers: ▫Followers ▫Anyone who searches keywords included in tweet ▫Anyone following #hashtag (if one is included) ▫Anyone who searches your name, views all your tweets

Perfect Tweet Short Personal Uses abbreviations

Key symbol ▫Precedes name you want to reference in your tweet is giving a presentation today” ▫Can indicate a reply Direct messages ▫Letter D space and then name “D sshildebrand” ▫Only able to send to someone following you Re-tweet To re-send interesting message from other person, cut and paste message, preface with capital “RT”

Hashtags Create by prefixing a hashtag # or * Example #MappingYourFuture Searching or following this tag produces all messages that include it Hashtags.org – to view some of the more popular discussions.

Build a Following Be social. Target a specific audience by following them. Look at who their following and who is following them. Tweet relevant information. Re-tweet other people’s relevant information.

Monitor Software Tweet Deck Yahoo Sideline Web tools TweetMeme Monitter Twitterfall Twopular Twilert

URL Shorteners Converts a long URL to a short one and redirects users to original page. Some tools also measure clicks. Built into several monitoring applications Bit.ly TinyURL SnipURL

Communities Build communities of individuals interested in same topic. Example - Journchat –Weekly conversation between journalists, bloggers, and PR practitioners every Monday 8 to 11 p.m. Eastern. Participate by following hashtag #journchat.

YouTube Video sharingVideo sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips.video clips Unregistered users can watch the videos Registered users are permitted to upload an unlimited number of videos. Accounts of registered users are called "channels".

YouTube Create a channel and reach out to similar channels to build audience (like Twitter and Facebook) Post videos you want your audience to view Example: WaytogoRI.org has our two commercials as well as our video contest finalists on the page Post training videos

YouTube Post VodCasts (video podcasts) Brand the homepage ▫Colors ▫Logo

MySpace 130 million active users down/#continued 77% of users under the age of 34 Users spend an average of 266 minutes per month on site /

Searching

Refine the Search

MGSLP’s Success MySpaceFacebook Profile Hits 900+n/a Friends Contacts Call-ins 121 Blog/Wall postings 20 Instant Message 02 Began October/November 2008 *Statistics as of April 30, 2009

LinkedIn 35 million professionals Information Ideas Opportunities

Measuring Social Media Mapping Your Future measures: Number of fans on Facebook Number of friends on MySpace Number of followers on Twitter Number of re-tweets we receive Blog views on MySpace Number of clicks on Bit.ly

Mapping Your Future’s Success MySpage – 1,002 friends Facebook – 789 fans Twitter – 57 followers Blog views on MySpace – 3,576 total

Contact Information Greg Silva Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Authority (401) Sherry Hildebrand Mapping Your Future (512)