Objectives• Define new and social media– Provide examples of the tools
• Friends Groups and new media– Which tools will be the most useful to
Friends Groups for reaching young, diverse audiences
– Provide suggestions on how to use new media to recruit new members
– How to use the tools to compliment USFWS’s usage
– How to use new media to better engage the public with the refuge
But Why?Why is using social media
useful for your Friends Group?
Does it really help you reach a broader, more diverse audience than traditional methods like pamphlets and a simple website?
Will it help you connect with the next generation of conservation-minded individuals?
Ok, maybe we’re space-minded, but we are The Next Generation!
The Statistics Say It All• 8% of teens use Twitter
• 38% of teens share content online
• 73% of adult profile owners use Facebook
• 175 million people use Facebook every day
• YouTube has over 100 million viewers in the U.S.
• Men, women, whites, African-Americans, and Hispanics are all equally likely to use social networks
Stats from Pew Internet & American Life Project
Textbook Definition of New and Social Media
“New media is used to educate, organize, share, communicate, coalition build, and as an alternative to traditional print and broadcast news media.”- Wikipedia
“A group of internet-based applications … that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content.”- Andreas Kaplan, Michael Haenlein
Let’s Make this Simple!• Facilitate
communication• Online• Interactive• Customize,
personalize• Reactive• Always fresh
New media isso fresh!
Not All Tools are Created Equal
• Different social media tools were created for different reasons
• Some may work better for growing your Friends Group than others
• But which ones? And how?
Think about what you want to accomplish first, then choose the
proper social media tool.
You won’t accomplish your goals if you don’t start in the right places!
The Usual Suspects
TwitterFacebook
Flickr YouTube
Constant Contact
iTunes
Facebook• Who’s the popular-est of them all?
– #1 social network in the world since August 2008
– Coincidence? Facebook started out as a popularity contest!
• It’s not about agencies, places, or things. It’s about people.– You cannot manipulate the medium to
serve your purposes. You serve its purposes.• Connecting, gossiping, “stalking”• Making yourself look good
So how can your FG use Facebook?
Facebook• Create a Facebook group for
your Friends Group– Facilitate discussion, sharing, and
create a sense of community
• Post photos from FG sponsored events to your profile– Embed links to your FG page in the
caption
• Create Facebook events for refuge events– Invite family and
friends, and tell them to bring others!
• USFWS on Facebook
Twitter• Broadcasting tool
– Lots and lots of links– Very broad audience– Daily updates required to
be successful– Funnel for lots of
information– Large scale– Ideal for general
information
• USFWS Twitter usage• Not recommended for FGs
Flickr• Community for photo-
sharing– Free or $25/yr for
unlimited space– Connect with nature
photographers• Network
– Promote the refuge or your Group events
– Easy to use, easy to maintain
USFWS Flickr Usage
USFWS accounts upload photos taken by employees on refuges. They are all public domain.
Ways to Network on FlickrJoin Flickr groups and network with photographers. Maybe you can generate interest in joining your FG!
YouTube• Video sharing site
– USFWS will have “official” channel to upload USFWS employee generated content
– Free flowing, search-based tool
– Got a video? Upload it!– Can create a channel to
house FG videos, or share them on your personal channel
iTunes• Podcasts– Must have an
RSS feed
– Good for developing a radio/video show for iPods
– Best for frequently updated content
iTunes• Create content that
can be added to iTunes and synced on an iPod
• Don’t need to use the iTunes Store
• Create downloadable video or audio files that can be synced with an iPod, then share them with everyone you know, anywhere, any time!
• Tours, exhibits, interviews!
Constant Contact
“Ding” on the Wing
“Ding” on the Wing
Earthcaching