1. Social Media Best Practices WHAT WE’VE LEARNED

2. Whether starting or maintaining a social media initiative, we’ve learned it’s wise to:

3. Figure out if & why you need a SM initiative in the first place What are FB & Twitter good for, anyway? Who will manage it? Will they have time? What are your objectives?

4. Put goals before tools. Clarify goals and guidelines: WHY are we doing this? HOW will this tool be used? WHO are the resources? WHERE to go to get help?

5. Get admin buy-in ASAP. Why? Positions you as go-to person/group for social media Ensures project will be supported Allows you to carve time out of your job for it Makes effort more organized Protects YOU from risk

6. Agree on what social media is. Voice of the institution (we) Voice of a real individual (I) vs. More condensed version of website vs. Unplanned conversation Vetted informationvs. Organic opinions Org-focusedUser-focusedvs. Dull as a bag of hairOccasionally more interesting than a bag of hair vs.

7. Use the right tool for the right job. + interactive + info-rich - interactive - info-rich Dean Tweet CAES Facebook OIT Blog Helpdesk Wiki CAES website

8. Choose the right person for the job. Communicates as part of job Comfortable with the tools Has time for it Understands objectives Is not insane

9. Have a plan for dealing with problems. Clearly state expectations on page Monitor content all day Respond promptly to comments Admit when you don’t know something, find someone who does Involve multiple people from around organization

10. Have a plan for dealing with problems. Offer clarification, more information, more resources, sympathy Turn critics into advocates Let audience self-correct Push problems down on screen with new posts Delete when all else fails

11. Be a trainer and a resource, not a guard. Respond promptly to comments Admit when you don’t know something, find someone who does Involve multiple people from around organization Offer clarification, more information, more resources, sympathy Turn critics into advocates Let audience self-correct Delete when all else fails

12. “Never let a serious crisis go to waste.” http://www.caes.uga.edu/about/budgetImpacts.html

13. QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?