A Social Media Blueprint for Multicultural

Communications

Effective Multicultural Communications in Social Media

Presented by Rosie Taylor – Rosiemedia on May 3, 2013 at

3CMA Regional Conference, Miami Beach, FL

Been There, Done That

• I found Social Media for Gov’t can be tough

• There were no standards, no budgets, no staff – lots of “no”

• But we can still do this…

• They eventually got used to the idea.

See it as a Blueprint

Make It Part of the Blueprint

• The strategy needs to fit into the overall communications plan for the City/County agency and not an afterthought.

• If it feels like an afterthought to you, it will feel like that to your audience.

• If you make it part of the plan, you have a strategy to come up with fresh content and deal with any crisis.

• Be diverse in content delivery across different social media channels and stay relevant.

Step #1: Where’s the bonfire?

• Know your constituents’ culture• Multicultural is more than Hispanic and African American – was

there a shift in your area? The Asian population saw a huge growth of 45.6% in the 2010 census. Did that affect your city or county?

• Where they get their information• Polls – Media Surveys – Does your community prefer radio still?

• Understand who the influencers are in the community – bloggers, activists. community leaders, local celebrities… Can they participate in and support your social media?

• Look at studies like Pew Internet

• Look at neighboring cities and counties

Step #2: Choose Your Channels

• Decide which social media channels will deliver that information in the format most used. Social media allows you to target messages down to smaller groups.

• Does it need to be more visual or conversational?

• Do I have a place on our website dedicated to this information in a translated format?

• Are these instructions that would work better in a demonstration on video?

• Research shows that multicultural audiences adopt mobile technology at a fast pace. BE MOBILE.

• Is our community Puerto Rican versus a generic target of Latinos? Narrow your focus and your content will be relevant.

THERE’S NO NEED TO BE EVERYWHERE. IT GETS DILUTED.

Step #3: Look through a new lens

• Find the content laying around think about these three questions as you look at the Cultural Landscape:• How will this look to my audience? No cookie cutter messages.

• Are the visual references confusing?

• Have a value exchange. Be ready to be part of the community.

• Was there some celebration or milestone that would help make this message more relevant? Know what’s important and what is a stereotype.

• Multicultural Social Media celebrates those things that make each group unique. More than ethnicity – it can be language, culture or a common set of values.

I’m Puerto Rican. Nov 19th or Cinco de Mayo?

Step #4: What gets measured, gets done.

• Have a goal in mind – Building the list, reducing calls for customer service

• Use a social media dashboard and measure, measure, measure.

• Measure your social media efforts and how it performed against your goals. Remember the big picture?

The Social Media Blueprint for Multicultural Communications

• Find the Bonfire & Engage the Influencers

• Choose the right Channels

• Look through a New Lens

• Measure, Improve, Measure

CDC Example: The Zombies!

• To reach a younger audience about preparedness:

Obama Administration & G+

• Google Hangouts with President Obama & Joe Biden; Cover Photo… notice the focus?

NYC @nycgob, not nycgov

• Not nycgov…

NYC as @nycgov

• Not nycgov…

How is Multicultural Different?

• A community that celebrates its own• language

• traditions

• values

It’s still about communication.

What’s Your Vision?