Digital-FirstWorking & Thinking

Steve ButtryNational Council for Marketing & Public Relations

March 10, 2013#ncmpr

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1. Communicate through news media2. Communicate directly in print3. Communicate directly by broadcast4. Communicate directly in person5. Communicate directly digitally

(website, blogs, social, apps, text, email …)

How do you spend resources?

Class of ‘72 is on Facebook

Thinking #digitalfirst1. Story (or press release) is a process

and a conversation, not a product2. How many ways can we share this?3. RTs, likes, shares, pins & links as

important (or more so) than front-page play or evening newscast

4. New gadget or social platform = tool for better communication

Working #digitalfirst• Work & think first for digital platforms• Communicate on all digital platforms

(web, email, SMS, social, mobile)• Experiment & take risks• Try new tools & techniques• Listen & join community conversation

Facebook tips for college PR• Consider engaging as person and as

college• Do all departments/schools/programs

need/want Facebook pages?• Conversation is more engaging than one-

way promotion• Tag people & orgs mentioned in posts

engagement

Photos engage better than updates

engagement

Be conversational (not just promos)

Twitter tips for colleges• Follow everyone on campus who’s on

Twitter• Set up & monitor lists of college users• Know & use faculty & student usernames• Use & promote regular hashtag(s) • Engage as person & as brand• Conversational, not just promotional

Save Twitter searches• College name (abbreviation, mascot,

etc.)• College hashtags• Mentions of president, prominent faculty• Tweets around campus (use Geofeedia?)• Set up alerts

Wide range of video• Heavily produced quality video• Livestream (Ustream, Qik)• Live webcam• Vine, Tout• Hangout (live on YouTube)• Web newscast or sportscast• Google Voice + still photos• YouTube, Vimeo (post & search)

Storify tips• It’s easy to learn; jump in and try• Can use as main story (lots of writing,

some social & web content)• Can be social sidebar (lots of social w/

some transitions, grouping)• List format works well• Great slideshow format

Storify tips• Notify people whose tweets you used• You can use links in text, don’t need to

embed them all• Embed in blog or story on website• See how it embeds (might need to push

down below intruding elements)

Pinterest, Instagram• Do you have your own accounts?• Curate content about your college• Share on other social accounts (Twitter,

Facebook)• Seasonal contests: campus scenes

Faculty, staff, student blogs• Build reputation in niche audiences• Help set them up• Coach in blogging techniques, SEO• Link from college website• Promote in social media

Don’t forget SlideShare

Under the microscopeLet’s examine your:• Facebook posts• Tweets• Pinterest• Blogs• Something else?

Think defensively• Save search for #yourcollegesucks• Buy & park domain for yourcollegesucks.com• Don’t waste time w/ trolls who aren’t getting

attention• Respond (on social media, blog comments,

etc.) to valid or sincere criticism

Plan a digital project• Campus event• Sports event• New major or program• New college president• Celebrity visit to campus• College mobile app

Follow-up• stevebuttry.wordpress.com• slideshare.net/stevebuttry• stephenbuttry@gmail.com• @stevebuttry