Building digital communities for your heritage project

1. Building digital communities for your heritage project Tehmina Goskar | tehmina@goskar.com http://tehmina.goskar.com | @tehm Key Heritage Skills, Swansea University, 6 Dec 2012

2. before you start What do you want to do? Who do you want to do it with? Copper Day (http://www.copperday.org.uk/)

3. how do people communicate? Using the right tool for the job Real people, communicate vs broadcast Communication Clutter (http://www.ddb.com/)

4. http://www.connectingwithconsumers.net/

5. your digital landscape Communities Content Discussion Distribution http://costaricacloseup.com/designstudios/

6. millions that don’t… 7.82 million adults never used the internet 10% lower than 2011 “This is not just about getting more people online, but about building the skills of those who are online,” Martha Lane Fox (UK Digital Champion) BBC Online (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20236708)

7. 488 million users regularly use Facebook mobile. (source: All Facebook) • 69 percent of follows on Twitter are suggested by friends. (source: Web Analytics World) • 30 percent of users who make a public post [on Google+] never make a second one. (source: Jeff Bullas) • 52% of mobile internet users online multiple times daily (in several short sessions) vs. 45% on computer (in several long sessions). (source: Our Mobile Planet) intelligence on digital communities It’s not all about big numbers You are a heritage project, not Coca Cola If you build it, will they come? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-honigman/ http://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/mobileplanet/

8. digital engagement in arts and culture Importance of getting information from ‘trusted brands’ 76% ‘enjoy finding out about topics/subjects of interest (e.g. bird watching, WWII, fashion)’ 51% ‘enjoy finding out about my family history’ 51% ‘enjoy finding out about the things that I collect’. 25 hours: Online leisure time (1) email (2) searching for info (3) shopping; Creating content last 12 hours: Watching TV (apart from sport and movies) MTM, Digital audiences: Engagement with arts and culture online, Nov 2010 | Image: Angleseacoparledi (Anglesea Archives)

9. MTM, Digital audiences: Engagement with arts and culture online, Nov 2010 ‘Please indicate whether you have done any of the following using the internet within the past 12 months?’ • 33% Found out more about artist/performer or event/exhibition • 21% Viewed the work of others (e.g. reading blogs, watching YouTube) • 20% Purchased tickets • 16% Watched or listened to a clip of a recording of an arts performance/exhibition • 15% Found out how to improve creative skills • 13% Investigated ways of taking part (e.g. lessons, classes, clubs or societies) • 8% Watched or listened to a full recording • 7% Uploaded something creative or artistic that they created • 7% Used a forum for discussing or sharing or commented on a blog • 6% Downloaded software or mobile phone apps • 6% Actually use the internet or mobile phone to be creative • 5% Publicised something related to arts and culture Sample: 2000 adults

10. MTM, Digital audiences: Engagement with arts and culture online, Nov 2010 • Museums: • Over two thirds interested in learning more online about an exhibition or object • Over half interested in a virtual tour. • Libraries: • Three quarters want to learn more online about what is available (e.g. exhibitions, literary events, music etc) • Over one third interested in virtual tours (e.g. round the library). • Literature: • Most interest in ‘learning more about a performance or learning how to do something’ and ‘viewing a five minute clip of a performance’. • Visual arts: • Most appealing is ‘watching a five minute clip’ and very high interest levels for ‘learning more about a performance or learning how to do something’ and ‘taking a virtual tour’. • Archives: • Audience with highest interest in ‘learning how to do something’ and ‘subscribing to a regular service’ • Relatively high interest in ‘learning more about an exhibition or object’.

11. The original Bagpuss by Peter Firmin, 1974 high quality, clear content Easy to access Easy to share

12. visual cue or brand Unites website, social media channels and print Design accordingly Have more than one version suitable for banner and an avatar

13. blogs for heritage projects It’s your content. You can analyse it. Low cost. Hosting and domain name. Participate in other communities to bring people to your content. Aggregate your ‘back channels’ e.g. Twitter feed, YouTube videos. Give visitors easy opportunity to share content Keep updating for the duration of your project. Wordpress, Blogger require little technical expertise to set up.

14. Case-study: Copper Day 5 March 2011 www.copperday.org.uk

15. what did we want to do? • Raise awareness of historic copperworks • Celebrate 200 years of the HafodCopperworks • Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Lower Swansea Valley Project • Hold a free event for local communities • Share knowledge freely • Collect memories • Get diverse organisations to collaborate

17. analysis of event Access to heritage Activities and sources

18. analysis of blog 1 Jan – 22 Mar 2012

19. visitor flow…

20. after Copper Day • Still receiving comments to Memories section, latest in October 2012 • c.150 unique visits a month; 65 sec duration • No new content since April 2011 • A time capsule, incorporated into Copper Project’s learning legacy site www.welshcopper.org.uk • What next? http://www.copperday.org.uk/memories/

21. Community management • Web forums, Facebook Pages/Groups, LinkedIn, mailing lists • Is your project about generating content or generating discussion? • Lead-in time can be long—longer than the life of most heritage projects • 30 Page Likes required by Facebook to access stats

22. Lifetime value of a member • Most communities have a terrible newcomer to regular conversion ratio. • 100,000 unique visitors > 1,000 might sign up > 700 might complete registration > 250 might contribute > 50 will be active after 1 month > 5 will be active after 6 months. http://www.feverbee.com/

23. Case study: DigVentures Site Hut http://digventures.com/

24. it didn’t work for the community Discussion happened here 250 Venturers 120 on site Less than 10% in Site Hut Accessed 176 times

25. Urrrr shit……….hahahaha • Be prepared to moderate or close comments • Beware of trolls: people whose sport it is to be deliberately provocative online • Watch out for SPAM. Scrutinise comments in your forum or blog before publishing.

26. pls RT Fast and furious Of the moment discussion (backchannel) Relentless Must keep going Have conversations, don’t SPAM Welcome people and #FF Give your project a hashtag #History51 Sharing research: Copper slag walls, Amlwch @copperhistories

27. the humble mailing list • Yahoo Groups, Google Groups, Jiscmail • Communities of common interest • Group for Education in Museums (GEM) • Museum Computer Group (MCG) • Mining History • Advertise your project, event, survey, generate leads. Is industrial heritage education at risk?

28. digital photo culture Serious about photography Powerful tool Rivaled by Facebook, Instagram, Twitter for instant sharing Elegant way to present photographic archives Start a group Can be embedded Flickr meets Documenting Newlyn Pilchard Works, now closed.

29. be part of a community yourself Do your homework by becoming a user of heritage content See what works for you and what does not Keep your audiences in the forefront of your mind

30. let’s continue the chat http://tehmina.goskar.com