Social Media at NASA

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

John Yembrick and Jason Townsend, Office of Communications

Social Media Foundation at NASAAccording to the National Aeronautics and Space

Act (Pub. L. No. 111-314, 124 Stat. 3328 [Dec. 18, 2010]):

• Sec. 20112 (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

http://www.nasa.gov/connect

NASA Social Media by the NumbersNational Aeronautics and Space Administration

100+ account managers

10 NASA Centers: each with social media leaders

2 full-time leads at one center

11 part-time leads at other locations

2 full-time social media managers

467 social media

accounts and

counting…

http://www.nasa.gov/connect

What all has this resulted in?

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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2008: @MarsPhoenix

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

• 2008, 5th most popular Twitter account

~75,000 followers

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2009: First Tweet from Space

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

• 3rd mst popular Twitter account - ~75,000 followers

2009+: Integration into NASA Websites

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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2009+: Integration into Mobile Apps

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

2010: First Live Tweet from Space

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

2010: First Foursquare Check-In from Space

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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And a Foursquare badge earned by visiting NASA-related locations right here in your daily lives

So what happened?

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@NASA on Twitter• 2009 - ~1,000 followers• Today - ~3.38 million followers • 44 astronauts on Twitter

• @Astro_Mike has 1.2 million followers

NASA Page on Facebook• 2009 - ~150,000 likes• Today - ~1.64 million likes

NASA Page on Google+• 2009 – Didn’t exist!• Today – We’re in ~325,000 circles• Astronaut Ron Garan is in 2+ million

circlesNASA on Foursquare

• 2009 – Didn’t exist!• Today - ~450,000 followers

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/connect

How did this happen?• Provide GREAT content that will get people talking.• Social media is a conversation – spend as much time

listening as you do speaking.• 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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We Keep it Simple: Use Existing Ways to Engage

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/connect

• Webchats• Ustream chats• Tweetchats• Google+ hangouts• Comment forums• Web Streams• News Conferences• Ask a scientist events• Public Events/Outreach activities• Tours and open houses• Online contests and submissions• Expert interviews on other media

and social media sites• Hashtags• Etc…

We Take it Offline: NASA Socials• NASA has had great success

with inviting our social media fans to in-person, behind-the-scenes opportunities at NASA centers, facilities, and events

• We ask participants to communicate the events hashtag so users can follow and join the conversation online.

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#NASASocial

http://www.nasa.gov/social

We Promote Successful Online Conversation at Events

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/social

Physical Reminders

HashtagsSpeakers

Our Successful Events Rock LogisticsSoundbites & Tweetable

TakeawaysConversation Topics

Incorporate Your Online Audience Take Questions & Answer Back

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/social

But how where we able to do all this?• Pre-coordination and proactively planning

places for engagement– Getting out in front of the news is important– People will talk. If you give them a hashtag or a

place to chat, they will generally use it.• Make it relevant– We use the NASA Flagship accounts for the

aggregating the best of the agency and the program accounts for more depth and detail

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Two different approaches…National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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Both approaches work but speak to different audiences, thereby amplifying your exposure.

But Why? How does this help?• Spreads the word as widely as possible by going directly

to members of the public to tell your own story• As news organizations cut staff and trim coverage, we get

more news coverage……in more places, especially smaller, local outlets

• The diversity of participants helps connect us to non-traditional audiences to further share our message

• We get impactful in-person AND virtual participation leading to significant levels of worldwide…

ENGAGEMENT

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/social

But Why? It Moves Followers From…

Fans, Followers, Consumers

ADVOCATES, AMBASSADORS,

CREATORS, COLLABORATORS

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/social

“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 (group VP, Makovsky + Company)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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