Using Social Media to Connect and Engage

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Stephanie Schierholz, Office of Communications

http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Why Social Media?• More ways to tell your story.

• When used well, you can use social media to build relationships.

• Reach people where they are instead of requiring them to come to you.

• The conversation already is taking place; you cannot help shape it if you are not a part of it.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Social Media Challenges

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Social Media Challenges for Gov’t

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Social Media Foundation at NASAAccording to the National Aeronautics and

Space Act:• Sec. 203. (a) The Administration, in order to

carry out the purpose of this Act, shall—– (3) provide for the widest practicable and

appropriate dissemination of information concerning its activities and the results thereof

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Integrating Social MediaWhere does social media belong within your

organization? Who is going to own it?• Tends to be either Web/IT or Communications• At NASA, it’s within the Office of Communications

– The purpose is to engage the public.– Communications officers are trained to know what

information is releasable and what is not.– It gives the Communications team feedback and a better

sense of what messages are communicated effectively.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Who Else Needs to be Involved?

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Getting Started with Social Media• Survey the options and your organization’s

resources; what makes sense?• Start small, with one account or one platform.• Outline a basic strategic plan.

– “Let’s experiment” counts, but you’ll still need to be deliberate.

• Jump in so you can learn by watching and interacting with others.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Incorporating Social Media• You learn by doing.• Look for those who are doing it well and see what

you can copy and apply.• Social media are most effective as communication

tools during a crisis, but you must have a presence before the crisis hits.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Social Media is Not a Press Release• Social media is a conversation – spend as much time

listening as you do speaking.• Provide GREAT content that will get people talking.• Do not automate your content.• If you start a conversation, participate in it;

don’t start it and walk away.• Ask for and enable feedback – respond to mentions

on Twitter, comments on blogs, Facebook, etc.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Basic Social Media Engagement• Be present.• If necessary, set a calendar appointment to check

and respond to mentions and comments.• Focus on your audience. What do they want?

Not sure? ASK. • Look at what they are clicking/commenting on.• Be real and admit mistakes – it builds credibility.• Empower your people to respond and interact.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Provide a Personal Perspective• Personalize

interactions: – Be human in your posts. – Don’t be afraid of

emoticons or emotive words.

• Anthropomorphized accounts can work well to create connections: @MarsPhoenix

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Visible spokespeople can reinforce messages and respond through personal/professional accounts: @Lori_Garver

Rules of Engagement• Don’t “buy” likes; quality is better than quantity. • Quantity will result from quality interaction. • Find your amplifiers. Notice who is retweeting and

sharing your information. • Notice HOW people are sharing your posts. Their

edits can tell you what they find important.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Indentifying Opportunities• Build upon what you already have• Make it easy to find your social media accounts• Make it easy to share your content• Recognize the unique value you offer and make it

available• Take it offline

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Build on Existing Assets

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http://mobile.nasa.gov

Mobile version of www.nasa.gov

NASA Televison

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/ntvhttp://www.youtube.com/NASATelevision

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Make Social Media Easy to Find

Make it Easy to Share

• Tweet the title of the story and URL• “Like" the story on your Facebook profile

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/news

Share NASA videos tooNational Aeronautics and Space Administration

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http://www.nasa.gov/videos

Switch to a new player in 2010 (VMIX) that emulates YouTube has made our videos much more popular

1,500 videos online = about 7.4 million plays in 2010

What Is Your Unique Value?

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/connect

• Insight• Expertise• Imagery• Data

NASA Blogs NASA blogs give website

visitors perspectives from all over the agency – from the NASA administrator to the web team “Behind the Page”

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/blogs

Chat with NASADec. 21, 12-5 a.m. ETChat room at capacity

(250) within 5 minutes until 4:30 a.m.

3,208 questions received, 2,393 answered

Total of 3,174 chat participants

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/connect/chat

Twitter Chat

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http://www.twitter.com/NASA

A picture is worth…

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto

NASA Apps

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http://www.nasa.gov/apps

Take it Offline:Host an out of this world Tweetup

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

What is a NASA Tweetup?

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

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NASA Tweetups are in person…

Bring together people

who follow @NASA

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

Tweeps Come from Far and Wide…

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http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

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NASA Tweetups are virtual and online…

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Enabling and encouraging interaction with their followers

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

Same hashtag: #NASATweetup Same account: @NASATweetup

How does the community find each other?

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

Successful Tweetups are special and memorableProvide unique or exclusive:

InformationSpeakersAccess Setting

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

Successful Tweetups rock logisticsShort (sessions) Connected (WiFi)

InteractivePowered

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

Out of this World: Moving people from…

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/connect

“You may not have a spaceship, but your company has a fan base. They won't think of themselves as fans until they're in a room with like-minded people. They won't think of themselves as members of a community until YOU bring them together.”

- David Rosen, @davidhrosen (Director, Burson-Marsteller)

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Your Title Here 36

http://www.nasa.gov/connect