There are No Gurus

A Few Do’s and Don’ts for Getting the
     Most Out of Social Media



                           Dave Tyler @dtyler321
                           March 21, 2012
Why that name for this presentation?
•   I’m not really that smart
•   There’s too much to know
•   The field is changing so rapidly
•   Those who calls themselves gurus or experts
    are selling something.
A few ground rules
• Some of what you hear will sound contradictory
• None of what you hear is “THEright answer.”
• Some of what you hear will probably be invalid in
  6 months
• I’m not going to recommend you use any
  particular platform
• Your mileage may vary
Have Goals
• What are your goals? Recruitment? Increased
  Enrollment? More Likes?
• Social Media is a tactic. Not an objective.
• Pick a goal, then figure out best platform to
  help achieve that goal.
• Numbers are nice, results are better
You Can’t Do Everything
Find a Friend
       • Someone who can help
         you learn
       • An advocate
       • Maybe lots of
         someones
       • Get S.M.U.G., if you
         can.
       • Find cheap student
         labor
Don’t let your sites
become this
Be Proactive and Responsive.
• Don’t ignore your page
• Post Regularly
• Provide answers
• Even the tough stuff.
• It’s okay to say “I don’t know. I’ll look into that for
  you.”
• If you’re not talking someone else is doing it for
  you
Be Conversational
• Write in English, skip the jargon
• Social Media is not a press release or a white
  paper or a dissertation
• Be lighthearted (where appropriate)
• Start conversations, don’t just react.
• Ask questions.
Be Authentic
   • Don’t try to be something you’re not.
   • “Authenticity builds credibility slowly, but
     shameless promotion can destroy it quickly.”*
   • Use the resources at your disposal to build that
     credibility.
   • You don’t need to hit people over the head w/
     marketing messages or admissions deadlines.


*Greg Perfetto& Jeff Arnold of
AdmissionsLab.com
Don’t Be Rude
• It only takes a minute to become a meme
• Ocean Marketing
• Even the rude people on
  your page most likely just
  want a response
Add it to your job description
• “When am I going to do my work?”
• THIS IS YOUR WORK!
• Carve out 15 minutes in the morning and/or
  afternoon.
• Or try the Google approach- 50 min work
  followed by 10 min. of putting out fires.
• Increases your value to your organization
Watch. Explore. Measure.
• Don’t just plunge in headlong. Observe first.
• Your communities will tell you what they want.
  Listen.
• Use the stats functions of different platforms
• Google Analytics
• Consider a service, if you can afford it.
  – Hootsuite, Radian 6, IceRocket
Don’t Link Your Accounts

• People will catch on
• If you catch an error & delete post from one, do
  you remember to delete from the other?
• Different social media outlets treat content
  differently.
• Different audiences receive content differently.
Don’t Run From Your Mistakes
Don’t Be Afraid to Fail
            • You can only learn from
              the experience
            • What will it really have
              cost you? Social Media
              is cheap
            • You’ll still seem cool
              and edgy
Questions? Complaints?
•   @dtyler321, dtyler@brockport.edu
•   Facebook.com/dtyler321
•   Slides at www.slideshare.net/Dtyler321.
•   BLATANT PROMOTION ALERT: Read
    www.link.highedweb.org

There are No Gurus: A Few Do's and Don'ts for Getting the Most out of Social Media

  • 1.
    There are NoGurus A Few Do’s and Don’ts for Getting the Most Out of Social Media Dave Tyler @dtyler321 March 21, 2012
  • 3.
    Why that namefor this presentation? • I’m not really that smart • There’s too much to know • The field is changing so rapidly • Those who calls themselves gurus or experts are selling something.
  • 4.
    A few groundrules • Some of what you hear will sound contradictory • None of what you hear is “THEright answer.” • Some of what you hear will probably be invalid in 6 months • I’m not going to recommend you use any particular platform • Your mileage may vary
  • 5.
    Have Goals • Whatare your goals? Recruitment? Increased Enrollment? More Likes? • Social Media is a tactic. Not an objective. • Pick a goal, then figure out best platform to help achieve that goal. • Numbers are nice, results are better
  • 6.
    You Can’t DoEverything
  • 8.
    Find a Friend • Someone who can help you learn • An advocate • Maybe lots of someones • Get S.M.U.G., if you can. • Find cheap student labor
  • 9.
    Don’t let yoursites become this
  • 10.
    Be Proactive andResponsive. • Don’t ignore your page • Post Regularly • Provide answers • Even the tough stuff. • It’s okay to say “I don’t know. I’ll look into that for you.” • If you’re not talking someone else is doing it for you
  • 11.
    Be Conversational • Writein English, skip the jargon • Social Media is not a press release or a white paper or a dissertation • Be lighthearted (where appropriate) • Start conversations, don’t just react. • Ask questions.
  • 12.
    Be Authentic • Don’t try to be something you’re not. • “Authenticity builds credibility slowly, but shameless promotion can destroy it quickly.”* • Use the resources at your disposal to build that credibility. • You don’t need to hit people over the head w/ marketing messages or admissions deadlines. *Greg Perfetto& Jeff Arnold of AdmissionsLab.com
  • 14.
    Don’t Be Rude •It only takes a minute to become a meme • Ocean Marketing • Even the rude people on your page most likely just want a response
  • 16.
    Add it toyour job description • “When am I going to do my work?” • THIS IS YOUR WORK! • Carve out 15 minutes in the morning and/or afternoon. • Or try the Google approach- 50 min work followed by 10 min. of putting out fires. • Increases your value to your organization
  • 17.
    Watch. Explore. Measure. •Don’t just plunge in headlong. Observe first. • Your communities will tell you what they want. Listen. • Use the stats functions of different platforms • Google Analytics • Consider a service, if you can afford it. – Hootsuite, Radian 6, IceRocket
  • 18.
    Don’t Link YourAccounts • People will catch on • If you catch an error & delete post from one, do you remember to delete from the other? • Different social media outlets treat content differently. • Different audiences receive content differently.
  • 19.
    Don’t Run FromYour Mistakes
  • 20.
    Don’t Be Afraidto Fail • You can only learn from the experience • What will it really have cost you? Social Media is cheap • You’ll still seem cool and edgy
  • 21.
    Questions? Complaints? • @dtyler321, [email protected] • Facebook.com/dtyler321 • Slides at www.slideshare.net/Dtyler321. • BLATANT PROMOTION ALERT: Read www.link.highedweb.org

Editor's Notes

  • #4 5 things you must know!!!! To me that’s a danger sign. Sure they may be good, but….
  • #5 “The right answer” It will work, but it’s not the only way. These are nuggets I’ve picked up. In a lot of cases from other people. They work for me, and I hope you can apply them broadly
  • #6 SethMeranda, of University of Nebraska Lincoln calls this “measuring the bright and shiny” His point is it’s nice to pile up big numbers, but what do they really mean. Seth likes to bring social media and Google Analytics together to help measure results. If your goal is to recruit 1,000 new out of state students, can you do that by generating1,000 new out of state student likes on your facebook page? How many of those new likes click a link to your admissions pages from Facebook?
  • #7 Share This 274
  • #8 Establish footholds. See how they work. What are your audiences gravitating toward?
  • #9 They’ll have new ideas, tips
  • #10 Your social media presences require care and feeding. They’re like children. Don’t expect them to take care of themselves. When you let them take care of themselves they come home with boyfriends named “Snake” or end up phoning for bail money.We have some departments I won’t name….
  • #11 Don’t think “I’m done.” If you’re not talking, someone else is doing it for you.
  • #13 They’ll see through phoniness Guest posts from a professor? Admissions Counselor? Student?RIT Brick City Ambassadors. We’re emulating that at BrockportShare interesting articles on different topics. Adult Ed success stories perhaps? Then ask your audiences how they are coping as students.
  • #15 No matter how badly you’d like to gives someone a good verbal kick in the pants….one moment of satisfaction is not worth the headache you are about to create for yourself. It only takes a minute to become a meme
  • #17 You’re not too old, too busy, too set in your ways, It’s not a “nice thing to do” it’s a necessity.
  • #18 Imitation is a form of flattery. Adapt it. Mutate it.
  • #20 Red Cross used this as an opportunity. Community appreciated their honesty and candor. Has turned into a fundraiser. Pints for Pints.