Case Studies

Presenters
Tim Jones, N.C. State
Michael Petroff, Emory College

This session the presenters shared ideas about including the entire university in messaging and taking an event and turning it into an opportunity for messaging to a wide variety of constituents.

Tim talked about State's decision to put strategy before tactics. Something that was difficult to do during the initial rush into social media. The healthy "communication ecosystem" is one where every channel supports every other channel. "The goal of communication is not to communicate but to influence actions and outcomes," he said.

He described how State took an event, 125th anniversary, and made it more than an event by deciding on the messages for the event and sharing with the university community how to talk about that event in an effective way - making the theme general enough that every school/ department could apply it to its messaging.

They created examples of print, email, social media pushes, blog posts and news releases to help the campus talk about the university. This messaging architecture will help them as they launch their capital campaign in 2013, he said. Everyone will be spreading the same message

Nice tip: Use a question on twitter as a fun way to link to research.

Focus was a big issue in this session. Social media channels need focus. A good case for keeping the. WF News Center twitter focused on news. Tim said that the way to earn credibility on social channels is to stay focused and not try to be all things to all people. Cultivate relationships with reporters by focusing Twitter and FB channels on news. People will learn to trust your channels with consistent content.

Focus=Credibility

State is testing google plus to refine focus on even more specific areas of research they want to highlight.

Mark also talked about connecting brand to messaging to audience. It requires collaboration and patience.

The content drives discussion as to what platforms to share content on

Mark gave great ideas for orientation

Help alumni reconnect by posting older photos of move in days and orientation. Ask alumni to send photos

A welcome class of 2016 site where community can leave messages

Repurpose content such as move-in tips, things to do when you arrive...we have other new student content as well

Build excitement 2 weeks before

Use the event to promote new administration (photos of new provost meeting families)

Create page where students can leave advice for entering students on FB page

Have students submit move-in orientation photos for possible posting on web

Repurpose content and storify-- especially good for parents and grandparents who don't use social media

#wfuwelcome

Collect flip cam video during the event

Recap and extend content life by updating storify

Plus to using storify is that it looks good on mobile...especially good for universities w/o mobile friendly sites. Send link directly to storify rather than embed for best mobile results.