“Getting the Word Out – Communicating With Your Students in

Today’s World”

Do not forget the basics:

Primary Source of Information

Secondary Sources of Information

Primary Sources

Paper lettersE-mail

When do you obtain email addresses?Assign an institutional email address… but how

do you ensure they check it??Keep subject line consistent and identifiableBe able to handle rejected email addressesBe able to produce a paper letter if student

requests

Why a Secondary Source?No longer a one way street

GenerationalMillennials are the heaviest usersBaby Boomers are the fastest growing users

People now spend more time on social networking sites than on e-mail

Why? What’s in it for You?Meeting students where they are

Larger reach with fewer resources

Common questions Shorter lines

Gives you a competitive advantage

If you’re not out there, who is?

Secondary Sources:

Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Newsletters, text messages, phone messages, etc.

Facebook, Texting, and YouTube were the most widely used

Many were blocked from accessing social media sites at work

Used social media more in their personal lives

What’s going on today?Facebook has over 500 million users

If Facebook were a country it would be the 3rd largest

An average Facebook user spends:• 55 minutes a day• 6.5 hours a week• 1.2 days a month

More than 30 billion pieces of content shared each month

What’s going on today?YouTubeReceives over 2 billion viewers each day24 hours of video uploaded every minuteMore than half of YouTube users are under age 20To watch all the videos currently on YouTube, a

person has to live for around 1,000 years

Twitter80% of Twitter users use Twitter on mobile

devicesOver 50 million tweets in 2010Over 100 million current users

Social Media: How do you begin?What resources do you have available

• People• Content (text, videos)• Tools• TrainingMake it official: Have requirements and approval

process for an official university social media account.

Have whoever approves the account designated as an administrator

Crisis management/handling negative sentiment & mistakes

Things to RememberNot just a duplication of your website- BE

INTERACTIVE!

Make sure the information here is also made available through your university’s primary source

Should be treated a little more professionally than other typical social medial accounts.

Use relevant keywords in “About Us” box

Check for format and spelling!

Keep posts short and to-the-point

Include FAQs, Photo Tabs, Events, Deadlines, Links,

Use e-mail or your listserv to announce your page

Promote

Facebook and Twitter icons on your website

Cross-promote

Hosts contests to gain followers

Weekly updates to retain fans

InteractUse your website to push informationMake students, faculty, alums your advocates

Security and PrivacyPersonally Identifiable Information (PII)

Privacy settings

Encourage students to use caution

Social media is public

What’s on the horizonMashableSocial Media TodayTechCrunchThe Next WebSocial Media Examiner

ResourcesFascinating Social Media Facts 201021 Creative Ways to Increase Your Facebook Fanbase