1. Social Media and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th District Northern Region Right Tool... Right Level… Right Audience

2. Purpose Purpose  Over the past several years, the Coast Guard has been engaged in social media.  As an early adopter of social media, the service has seen the social media landscape evolve. K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th Northern District Northern Region

3. Purpose  During this time a best practices strategy has emerged.  This presentation is aimed at sharing a strategy that will allow the Coast Guard Auxiliary to deploy its social media to the membership. K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th Northern District Northern Region

4. The Coast Guard & Social Media The permeation of online social networks into the standard communications toolkit presents Coast Guard communicators with enhanced access and increased opportunities to educate and engage ever-growing and influential new audiences. These social media tools also offer direct two-way engagement which allows us to “listen” and consider feedback. K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th Northern District Northern Region

5. Coast Guard Auxiliary Social Media Strategy Coast Guard Auxiliary Social Media Strategy  The U.S. Coast Guard Commandant’s vision for social media will guide our strategy.  Our social media program will complement our media relations efforts as part of a comprehensive communications plan to educate and engage our publics.  We will utilize best practices to deploy the right tool at the right level for the right audience. K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th Northern District Northern Region

6. K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th Northern District Northern Region

7. Why Facebook  Facebook has emerged as the dominant social media-networking site.  It affords the Auxiliary the opportunity to communicate our message in words, pictures and video to target audiences we might not otherwise reach through traditional media outlets.  As our stories progress from the unit to national level, we will incorporate the rest of our social media toolkit both to maximize our exposure K.C. Murphy DSO-PA 5 th District Northern Region

8. Our Social Media Toolkit:  All Coast Guard Auxiliary units will have the opportunity to establish and maintain a Facebook page and/or Twitter site.  A Facebook presence will allow the unit to establish a direct link to the local community, our membership and any local Coast Guard units. K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th Northern District Northern Region

9. Unit Level Social Media Strategy Auxiliary Unit Commanders and Public Affairs Officers will also engage directly with District level Public Affairs staff to ensure appropriate adaptation of unit level stories, images and video for use on district and national level social media sites and outreach to district and national level media outlets. K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th Northern District Northern Region

10. District Level Social Media Strategy  District Public Affairs teams will create social media content related to regional initiatives.  In collaboration with units within its own area, has the option of managing a robust set of social media tools: blog, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, LinkedIn and others. K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th Northern District Northern Region

11. District Level Social Media Strategy  The District Public Affairs Team will work with Auxiliary Unit Commanders and Public Affairs Officers to solicit social media content and to shop that content to social media sites.  The District Public Affairs Team will work with their respective National Social Media Teams. K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th Northern District Northern Region

12. National Level Social Media Strategy In collaboration with District Public Affairs Teams, the National Social Media Team will develop a set of standards for the use and maintenance of Official Coast Guard Auxiliary Social Media sites and tools. K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th Northern District Northern Region

13. Deploying Social Media  Auxiliary Social Media Sites have developed sequentially from the National Level down  District D5NR Facebook Page now on-line  Division Facebook Pages under development  Flotilla Facebook Pages in the planning stages K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th Northern District Northern Region

14. Conclusion  This evolution of the Social Media program is a testament to the leadership of Admiral Thad Allen and represents Admiral Bob Papp’s embrace of social media as an effective communications tool.  The Auxiliary’s Social Media Program is being driven by the AUX National Public Affairs organization. K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th Northern District Northern Region

15. Following the principles of Right Tool… Right Level… Right Audience, the Coast Guard Auxiliary will de-centralize our focus and use of social media tools to complement our media relations program and maximize our impact with unique audiences. K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th Northern District Northern Region Conclusion

16. Social Media and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary K.C. Murphy District Staff Officer-Public Affairs 5 th Northern District Northern Region Q&A