“Your Data-Driven Social Media Strategy”: A Web Conference Presentation

It’s not often that I can consider a new year’s resolution accomplished inside of its first week. However, I am incredibly pleased to announce that I will be presenting at the Web 2012 Conference at Penn State University this June!

After the HighEdWeb conference in October, I started reflecting and putting notes together. I realized I had been looking for a magic-bullet answer that doesn’t exist. It was this that led me to my proposal for the Web Conference at Penn State. And with the acceptance of this proposal, I can officially say that I’ll be road-tripping it to Pennsylvania this summer. Maybe I’ll see you there!

Your Data-Driven Social Media Strategy

When you work with social media, you hear a lot of talk about measurement. How do we measure our efforts? Which efforts do we measure? Which things can we assign numbers to? What do the numbers mean? What action do we take as a result of the numbers?

In some cases, numbers present themselves to us in a pretty little package like Facebook Insights. Sometimes, numbers exist without an obvious value. What does a Klout score really mean in the grand scheme of things? And then there are things that have no number assigned to them at all. After all, how is good customer service reflected in percentages or stats?

At the most basic level, the quest for social media measurement should be about finding data to inform our work and help us build better online communities. This idea of “measurement” is something that should be employed from the get-go. We cannot wait to measure or evaluate our social media business until after it’s been conducted.

In my presentation, I’ll explore ways data can inform a social media strategy: setting goals, choosing social media channels, messaging and communication, evaluation, and adaptation.

From HigherEd Live: “Inside Facebook’s EdgeRank Algorithm”

Seth Odell wasn’t lying when he said that EdgeRank “sounds like math,” and therefore sounds scary. It’s true. Nevertheless, EdgeRank is something that we can’t ignore. Today’s episode of HigherEd Live, “Inside Facebook’s EdgeRank Algorithm,” featured Chad Wittman, founder of EdgeRank Checker. I’ve talked a bit about EdgeRank before, but it was really interesting getting information and advice from the proverbial source.

Below are my notes from today’s episode of HigherEd Live. UPDATE: Video now included! Thanks to HigherEd Live for linking my blog post.

What is EdgeRank?

It determines what users see in their Facebook Newsfeeds.

EdgeRank Algorithm =  Affinity x Weight x Time Decay.

Affinity. Relationship with the object that’s created. What is the relationship between the user and your Page? Facebook tracks everything about an interaction: clicking links, visiting a Page, anything a user can do to create something tangible in the Facebook universe. Affinity applies to relationships between users, Groups, and Pages.

Weight. Measurement of the value placed on pieces of content like photos, links, videos, or posts.

Time Decay. As content gets older, Facebook views it as less important. So, newer content is more likely to be seen in a user’s Newsfeed.

Why is understanding EdgeRank so important?

1. There is a threshold to pass in order to appear on a user’s Newsfeed.
2. If you can capitalize on EdgeRank, you can get prominent placement on a Newsfeed.

How do we increase EdgeRank?

• Create relationships with users and get them to connect with you more frequently. Engagement will increase EdgeRank and EdgeRank will increase exposure. Pages should engage users and include calls for action. Facebook wants you to create great content, and you will be rewarded if you do so.
• Understand your audience and know what they want. For example, a higher number of mobile users might be more likely to engage with photo content than with video content.
• What to do when mandated content is less than exciting? Get creative. A link that must be posted might get more clicks if you share a photo or video with it.
• Consider the best time of day to post content. Do users typically engage with you in the morning? In the evening?
• To best engage a huge audience, you might be best served by breaking Pages down for audience types. Should you create a separate Alumni page? Departmental pages? Student Life? EdgeRank may change the “one page to rule them all” perspective.
• Tell your audience how you’d like them to respond. “If you like this, please share it.”

Additional Findings

• EdgeRank Checker has concluded that comments carry more weight than likes. The more time it takes to engage with content, the more weight the interaction will have.
• Polls: anyone who answers a poll is considered a “story-teller.” Unfortunately, poll data as related to EdgeRank is not readily available.
• After recent reports that Facebook was penalizing content posted through third-party applications, Facebook acknowledged that this was a known “bug.” It’s been reported that the bug has been fixed. So far, early data shows that the bug may have, in fact, been fixed.
• As more applications are integrated into the Newsfeed and Ticker, the space will become more competitive.
• Wittman believes that EdgeRank may very well be the next SEO.
• Facebook’s new initiatives are always pushed up higher to increase exposure. Now, stories from Storify and other applications are highly visible.
• EdgeRank is determined per person and per object. Each interaction makes a difference.

I think my favorite piece of advice from the episode was this:

If you don’t have anything awesome to say, wait to post until tomorrow when you do have something awesome to say.

To-Dos Turned 2012 Resolutions

I’ve never been one for New Year’s Resolutions, but as 2011 draws to a close I find myself perpetually adding to a “next year” to-do list. I need to start writing this stuff down or: a) I’ll go crazy; and/or b) I’ll forget.

1. Care about Google+
2. Dive into LinkedIn for alumni
3. Initiate Social Media Ambassador program on my campus
4. Implement Foursquare “101 Things” project with Student Life
5. Start monthly social media reports over from scratch
6. Present at a conference
7. Write more
8. Craft more
9. Learn more about my camera and take more pictures

These are in no particular order and I will likely be adding more before 2012 arrives. If and when I start checking things off this list, I’ll share. You’re all going to hold me accountable. Right?

Image source: Judgmental Observer

“Share Event” Returns to Facebook

My recent post about changes to Facebook events received quite a few comments. It seems I wasn’t the only one horrified at the prospect of losing the Share function for my Pages’ events. Today, I have to thank Matt Saunders for bringing me some good news: “All is right now with Facebook Events.”

It’s true! Check it.

Phew.

Joining the Awesome of Higher Ed Music Critics

The clock is running out on 2011. This time of year is so busy with projects that it’s easy to get lost in the pile of work to be done. Lucky for me, at least one of my year-end projects is going to be really fun.

Along with a very impressive list of higher ed music junkies, I’ve been asked to help compile a list of 2011′s best albums for the blog Higher Ed Music Critics. While I cannot reveal my personal list of top albums just yet (I’ve been sworn to secrecy, and also I haven’t exactly finished), I have compiled a list of three reasons this project is awesome.

1. I’m catching up on music I’ve missed.

Until Spotify came into my life, it wasn’t often that I listened to new albums in their entirety. Aside from artists I’ve been following for years, I only invested in new albums when they came highly recommended by others. Thankfully, there’s been no shortage of recommendations from my higher ed friends.

2. New (to me) music is on the way.

Take a look at the list of contributors to the Higher Ed Music Critics. If these names aren’t familiar to you, allow me to tell you that we’re going to get really good insight from this group. A few of these folks have introduced me to artists that I now count as my favorites. I’m excited to see where they’ll guide me, and you should be excited, too!

3. I get to talk music with some awesome people.

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you know that I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been adopted by the higher ed web family. I’ve learned so much about my work and myself since connecting with these people that are so passionate and inspired. Every opportunity to build deeper relationships within this community is something I’m so thankful for.

Facebook Events Now Include the Option to Join, but Not Share

Without warning and almost as if by magic, Facebook Events are different than they were this morning.

Aside from some formatting tweaks in the details section, you may have also noticed that the RSVP options available to users have changed. No longer is one prompted to accept or decline an invitation. Instead, potential guests are presented with this.

On the heels of Facebook’s Subscribe feature, this new Join button presents a confusing option. This button, by default, is shaded blue with a check mark, appearing to indicate that a user has already “joined” an event. Does this not look like something to un-check if you don’t wish to “join” the event? Turns out, though, that clicking this button tells Facebook that you’ll be attending said event.

Your Event options will now appear as follows.

To change your RSVP, you’ll need to click on that little gear icon to access the Event settings.

And where is the option to share an event? I find the update to the RSVP process slightly annoying, but nothing I can’t live with. What I simply cannot live with, however, is the inability to Share a Facebook event. I need to be able to share events on behalf of my institution, and I absolutely need users to share my events among themselves. Isn’t sharing the entire point of Facebook? I am hoping this is just a temporary glitch that will be fixed shortly. I am not alone.

Let’s all keep our collective eye on this one, and cross our fingers that the option to Share an Event is not gone for good.

UPDATE: I’ve updated this post to include the following graphic shared on Twitter by @citylifematt. This is a great road map to to Facebook’s Event updates.

They’re Here! Google+ Brand Pages

Whoa. It’s happened. Google+ has launched pages for brands. I share this information with you because, as with any new opportunity, it’s important to know about potential opportunities. I’m a little nervous, though, about how many brands are going to jump into Google+ with no real plan of action. To Google’s credit, I really appreciate the emphasis they’re placing on personal connection. This video captures it nicely.

Also featured in this video is the Hangout, which I once upon a time categorized as the only stand-out feature with potential for use in higher ed. I will say that my interest is piqued. I think it will take careful planning and building of communities on Google+ before Hangouts or brand pages make sense for institutions, but I’m definitely curious to see where this goes.

You can find a few more details at SimplyZesty, which is where I heard the news. There’s also good coverage on Inside AdWords. Worth noting is the ability for users to search with the plus symbol (+) to receive Google+ results. Once again, I guess we’ll see where it all goes.

“Prospective Sally, meet Ambassador Joe,” a Medley of Lessons from 2011 HighEdWeb

It’s been percolating. All of that HighEdWeb knowledge-y goodness. My nearly four days in Austin, Texas for the 2011 HighEdWeb Conference was educational and, better yet, inspirational. No matter how much we focus on our online communication efforts in the office, it’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day. Learning from and sharing with colleagues from around the country was priceless.

I have pages and pages of notes from a fantastic line-up of presentations (you can find summaries of many of the sessions thanks to LINK), and many tweets chronicling the experience. There’s been so much to mull over. What can I do better? What new initiative can I propose? How can I better use the tools available to my university? It wasn’t until I was back in the office that my light bulb officially blinked on.

The conversation was in a staff meeting, and it was about upcoming recruitment events. “What if prospective students were invited to campus by current students?” our wise director asked. Yes, what if?

What would that look like?
How would it be implemented?
What kinds of connections could be made?
How might we foster those connections?

Two HighEdWeb presentations immediately came to mind during this meeting. In “Beyond Blogging: Create an Integrated Online Student Ambassador Program“, Mallory Wood urged us to employ involved and passionate students to help tell our universities’ stories. She shared great examples, especially from the Rochester Institute of Technology, where student ambassadors document their college experience through video blogs on 5 RIT Students. We also learned from Kevin Prentiss in “Tying it All Together Part Deux” that students want to connect with others like themselves. They want to be heard. And we should facilitate that connection at the university-level. Specifically (at least in this case), “Prospective Student, meet Current Student–and many other current students as well as some more prospective students.”

My light bulb?

Let’s recruit some student ambassadors, train them, and let them loose. Yes, they can blog and provide authentic and personal content that will help potential students and parents make their application decisions. Our ambassadors can spread news and tell us what we’re missing. They can attend the events we cannot and keep us in the loop. But they can also serve as that all-important connection hub. “Prospective Sally, meet Ambassador Joe, who will be happy to answer your questions about the university and introduce you to other current students with your interests.” So, what if prospective students were invited to campus by current students? Maybe this group of ambassadors can help us make this happen.

So much to think about. It’s exciting. Time to make brainstorm. Stay tuned.

Image source: Wikipedia

2011 HighEdWeb Conference: Day One and Blogs for Link

The 2011 HighEdWeb conference is happening now. Yes, right now. Day one was filled with an amazing selection of sessions with some of the most creative and innovative names in higher ed. I have a growing collection of notes that I plan to compile into a conference recap blog when I get home. However, in the mean time, I suggest you follow the as-it-happens conference coverage on Link: The Journal of Higher Education Web Professionals.

I had the privilege of blogging a couple of today’s great sessions for Link. In the first,  ”Customer Sevice & Social Media: You Can Do Better,” Mike Petroff gave great advice for using social media to build customer relationships.  Later, Martha Gabriel explained the “Interdependency of Search and Social to Create Engaging Strategies“

You can find links to my posts on Link below:

Customer Service & Social Media: You Can Do Better

Interdependency of Search and Social to Create Engaging Strategies

If you’re not lucky enough to be in Austin, Texas this week, I encourage you to follow along. There is a wealth of information at your fingertips. Follow the #heweb11 hashtag on Twitter. Stay tuned to Link for continued coverage of conference sessions. And, by all means, if you have a question for anyone here, let me know! I’ll be happy to do some scouting on your behalf.

“See” you all Thursday!

Photo: [in]spire Conference

Just for fun, here’s a photo of me at last week’s [in]spire Conference. I had a really good time! Thank you to UM-Flint’s University Outreach for inviting me to participate.