ALL A-TWITTER: MAXIMIZING THE CULTURE AND OPPORTUNITIES OF TWITTER 

Esther D. Kustanowitz (@EstherK)

Leichtag Foundation Social Media Boot Camp

September 15, 2014

ONLINE CULTURE: FROM “TOP-DOWN” TO “UP AND OUT!”

Used to be just top-down: hierarchy undemocratic user impact: low

Now also bottom-up: peer reviews consumer feedback invested “prosumer” class

Next phase: Wonkavator

http://content9.flixster.com/question/46/64/76/4664763_std.jpg

“YOU KNOW THE WAY YOU KNOW ABOUT A GOOD MELON”

Determining that a brand, person or organization has value

Defining that value through living in the same narrative space, through: Encounter Engagement Deepening the Relationship Challenge Resolution

EN

CO

UN

TER

•Healthy skepticism

•First impressions – good or bad

•Immersion can be “too soon” – you learn too much

•Right organization/person at the wrong time is the wrong person/org

•Sense that the person/project adds a unique value

EN

GA

GEM

EN

T

• Connection

• Interest

• Dynamism

• Sense of Humor

• Relationship building through experiences

DEEP

EN

ING

RELA

TIO

NS

HIP

•Deeper investment – time & emotion

•Working together

•Partnership

•Shared experience creating history

CH

ALLEN

GE

•Period of instability

•Moment of dissent or distress, maybe a #fail

•“I am not your consolation prize”

•Acknowledging when you’re wrong

•Intense work to repair relationship

•Taking responsibility

•Showing value

RES

OLU

TIO

N

•Trespasses forgiven

•Equilibrium restored

•Understanding

•Compromises (sauce on the side)

•Happy relationship

TWITTER CULTURE EVOLVES TO RELATIONSHIPS MODEL

“What are you doing now?” Hashtags enabling easy following - examples

(celebrities, orgs & companies, brands) Twitter's role in discourse & social

information: news feed, conversation space, livetweet/broadcast of conferences, idea and link sharing; media campaigns and recurring challenges #lifeafterloss #ALSicebucketchallenge #NTCJews #JFNAGA

DEFINING TWITTER

140 characters shortened links responding proactive sharing of related pieces, not just

self-promotional immediate, open, accessible (not too techy,

multiple platforms, scheduling tools) adding value/being authentic opportunity to learn from and better

grow/support your audience/customers, respond in real-time

FACEBOOK VS. TWITTER

Facebook – distribution, sharing & discussion (deeper reach) a newsroom the water cooler/break room Jewish geography: school/camp/uni reunion evite.com

Twitter - consumption & distribution (wider reach) a cocktail party in a large room a convention a sports arena CNN news ticker Can be great for recapping story…

WHAT’S TWITTER GOOD FOR?

Brand identity/organizational presence Serious social awareness raising Keeping audiences engaged and interactive

Laurie Kilmartin tweeting her father’s decline #blamedrewscancer #whyistayed #whyileft #ALSIceBucketChallenge

Fun community-building - #HashtagWars on @midnight TV show (Comedy Central)

Why does it work? Knowledge of audience, ability to participate, "Wonkavator culture”

TOOL: STORIFY

http://storify.com/CLSPN_Networks/collaboratory-convenes-jewish-innovation-sector

TOOL: TAGBOARD

#WHYISTAYED #FAIL

…THE APOLOGY

ANOTHER BRAND TWEETING #FAIL…9/11

#SCANDAL

@MIDNIGHT - #HASHTAGWARS

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM #SCANDAL, #ALSICEBUCKETCHALLENGE & @MIDNIGHT?

What we can learn about engagement from these successful accounts and campaigns?

Why does it work?  Authenticity Doesn’t pretend to be something it isn’t Knowledge of audience Low bar to participate "Wonkavator culture” – communicates that the

feedback/participation of former “viewers” or “audience” is valuable content co-creators

PRACTICUM: TWITTER USE

Who’s doing it right and what could they do better?

Volunteers? (If not, we’ll look at @estherk @JewishJournal @leichtagfdn) What can we learn about these people or orgs

from their Twitter feeds? What’s missing from these feeds? How could they improve their reach or

messaging?

5 THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW

1. Aseh lekha rav – both rav and rabim2. Ulpan – social media regimen/cultural

immersion (coffee breaks, lunchtime, etc)Check Twitter 1x/dayRead Tweetstreams of people and orgs

you’re following –begin to participate in conversations

3. Think about Twitter as an outreach strategy and a conversation to build engagement

4. Create a Twitter content plan (w/flexibility to discard it)

5. Be open to input & inspiration from other places – how are TV shows, films using Twitter for engagement?

ANY QUESTIONS?