The basics of setting up a web strategy and communication action plan for an LLP project

This project was financed with the support of the European Commission. This publication is the sole responsibility of the author and the Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

http://www.web2llp.eu

Gary Shochat P.A.U Education

In today’s session:

PART 1

• Why should I create and implement a web strategy for my LLP project?

• What channels, platforms and tools should I use and why?

• The basics of setting a web strategy

PART 2

• The basics of a online communication action

• Integrating different Channels (Web & Social Media)

• Frequent issues and questions for LLP projects

It can help you to achieve:

• Better dissemination of your project outcomes.

• Visibility of your project results.

• Exploitation and sustainability of your project outcomes.

• Re-use of project activities in new contexts (provided that copyright issues are acknowledged).

Why is a web strategy needed?

Isn’t having a simple website enough?

Let’s look at some Statistics…

Out of the online adult users of the internet, how many use social media?

ANSWER: 91% !!

How much time do people spend on Google per month in comparison with

Facebook?

ANSWER: People spend TWICE as much time on

Facebook!!

As a matter of fact…50% of research on the internet is done on google and the rest is done ‘in parallel’ through social media and thematic portals

Promotion & web: A cross-channel , cross-platform effort

• Web strategy and Social Media Strategy (SMS) go hand in hand.

• Dissemination and promotion through web and social media are becoming common but DO NOT replace offline efforts (yet!)

Where do I start?

• WHO? What is my audience? – Identify Target

• WHY? what is my plan of action? – Set Goals

• WHAT? what tools + channels + content (messages) will I use and how are they combined?

- Choose Tactics

• HOW? how will I measure success?

– Define indicators and target metrics

Defining your target audience

Be as specific as you can! This will determine:

• Website content

• Website look and feel

• Channel selection

Example: www.elearningpapers.eu VS. www.elearningeuropa.info

Example: http://opendiscoveryspace.eu/index.php

Example: www.generation1992.pauservers.com VS. www.erscharter.eu

Defining My Goals

How does your website or SMS benefit your target user’s needs?

Be Creative!

Some possible goals

Q: I set up a website and I have a frequently updated blog, I hardly have any resources left for the task so do I really need to use social media?

ANSWER: 22.5% !!

Yes you need social media for dissemination

Corporate vs. Participative

People use social networks and dedicated professional portals

and hubs to communicate; harness their strength to disseminate and fortify your position and THEN bring them to your website.

What tools can I use? 1. social networking sites; (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Ning) 2. Blogs 3. microblogging tools; (e.g. Twitter) 4. presentation repositories (e.g. Slideshare) 5. video sharing tools; (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo) 6. social bookmarking applications; (e.g. Diigo, del.ici.ous) 7. web 2.0 picture repositories (e.g. Picasa, Flickr) 8. RSS feeds One extra application considered useful to LLP projects: 9. shared web 2.0 public libraries (e.g. Mendeley). Two more features enhancing SM presence 10. easy sharing services (e.g. the “Add this” button) 11. SM Widgets

Detailed action plan

• Brainstorm…check budget…brainstorm…check budget (repeat till you are either satisfied or project ended)

Target audience Goal Task Resources Timeline and

frequency

Monitoring

mechanisms Human:

partner(s)

Material:

channels

Teachers Interact with target audience/ Receive feedback on a recently finished study

Enhance conversation on the project’s Facebook Page fuelled by Facebook posts and tweets

- All partners (or partner X) - Facebook wall and Twitter

Two months starting from (yyyy.mm.dd) Once a week

Activity of the FB wall documented from the inbuilt Facebook insights

Your key to web strategy happiness:

FLEXIBILITY !!