Engaging without invading - Bournemouth

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Slides for session to University of Bournemouth's First Year Experience Special Interest Group

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studentdevpt.com

Engaging without invading:using social networking tools to connect with students

Stuart Johnson, University of Leicester

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We’re on the fringes

StudentDevelopment

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Needy students will seek us out

StudentDevelopment

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Traditional advertising reaches a few more

StudentDevelopment

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There has been massive growth in social media

Jan 2009 Jan 2010 % growth

68,557,534 133,623,529 95%

5,979,052 23,573,178 294%

Numbers represent unique visitors. Data from www.compete.com

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If Facebook were a country

0

200,000,000

400,000,000

600,000,000

800,000,000

1,000,000,000

1,200,000,000

1,400,000,000

Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population

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So we’re using social media…

StudentDevelopment

*NB. Facebook page not group

*

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…to help us reach many more

StudentDevelopment

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And they can communicate with us…

StudentDevelopment

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And they can communicate with us…

StudentDevelopment

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And they can communicate with us…

StudentDevelopment

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…and they tell their friends about us

StudentDevelopment

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…and they tell their friends about us

StudentDevelopment

“I think that the Facebook page is a great idea and I have since spread the word to mates and

got them to join”

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…who then follow our social media

StudentDevelopment

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And the number of ‘Likes’ increases…

29/06/2009 29/08/2009 29/10/2009 29/12/2009 01/03/2010 01/05/20100

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Total ‘Likes’

Unsubscribes

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…and so does the number using our services

StudentDevelopment

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But rather than them coming to us…

…they give us permission to go to them

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Our website traffic has gone up

Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

2007/08 2008/09 2009/10

studentdevpt.com *Facebook fan dashboard

But, meaningful content is vital

“Page admins who post meaningful content will retain fans, while admins who post spammy or low-quality material will lose fans and subscribers”*

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News and events feeds we automate

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55%32%

6%7%

But most of what we say is proactive

(automated)

(proactive/responsive)

(proactive/responsive)

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Tone of voice is important too

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And it’s having an impact here

21%

67%

12%

Have you ever gone to an event or done something as a direct result of information posted on our Facebook or Twitter accounts?

This happens a lot This never

happens

This sometimes happens

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And here…

A lot Quite a lot Not much Not at all0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Has your awareness of Student Development services improved since following us on Facebook or Twitter

Yes I knew a bit No

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Tips to engage*

• Start a conversation• Quick, direct and simple• Attach, attach, attach!• Announce, remind, excite• It’s about time

Remember• It’s not a magic bullet• They can turn us off

* Courtesy of David Morgan, see http://goo.gl/qXkQ

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What we’ve learnt

• We're definitely reaching more students this way

• A base of RSS news and events feeds is a good start

• But you've got to invest in conversations

• Our helpdesk staff do a great job

• Distance learners like it too