2. Delivering Your Messages in Today’s Online Environment American Library Association, PR Forum Kevin T. Kirkpatrick Executive Vice President Sunday, July 12, 2009

3. Agenda How is the Internet (and social media, specifically) changing the way we communicate with one another? How are libraries using the Internet and social media? Where do you start?

4. Credit: xkcd.com

5. Impact of Social Media Changing the way we communicate with each other, and how we connect with organizations we care about – Social networking has surpassed email as the most popular activity online. It’s huge, and growing fast – Facebook >200 Million monthly active users – Twitter >6 million users, growing at 1382%

6. Pros/Cons of Social Media BenefitsChallenges Incredibly cost effective versus traditional means of communication Faster, more timely Ability to customize audiences and content Easy to update, revise Can be more environmentally sustainable (e.g., reduced printing costs) Creating relationships! Can be overwhelming Growing fast, but still not dominant Some audiences not yet engaged (degree of disproportionality) Requires commitment (e.g., updating, responding) Sacrifices certain degree of control over content

7. Types of Social Media Communicate (blogs, podcasts, video, photo) Connect (social networks, texting, instant messaging, microblogs) Collaborate (Wikis, consumer-generated media, ratings, social news) Collect (tagging, social bookmarking, search) Customize (RSS, widgets, virtual worlds)

8. The Basic Idea Groups based on affinities and expertise Profiles serve as identities, share info about you Connections build the networks – friends, family, co-workers, partners Sharing via opinions, information, interests, stories, photos, videos

9. Your Website

10. Putting a “Face” on Your Library

11. Job postings Schedule changes Announcing events Connecting to other resources Promoting Holdings Starting discussions “Tweeting” Your Library

12. Wave of the Not-so-distant Future …

13. First Things First: Your Website Update the content (frequently!) Refresh the look and feel of the site Tell stories/communicate impact Add photos, photo essays Increase opportunities for interactivity (take action, email list, tell-a-friend, etc.) Add contact information

14. Tell-a-friend

15. Then, When You’re Ready… Join the conversation – Appropriately – Carefully – Transparently Try one thing right away – Update your website – Add “tell-a-friend” – Create a Twitter account – Start a Facebook page

16. Ask Yourself What’s your unique value? Why would people want to talk about you? Where are your audiences? Are they already doing something? Saying something? What can you offer to the world? How can you be a resource?

17. Keep in Mind Social media works best as a two-way conversation Great for customer service; less so for PR Need to stay on top of it