Harnessing Potential

1. Harnessing Potential Social Media: It’s about the conversation… Paul Tilley College of the North Atlantic

2. Topic 1: Social Media Strategy/Social Media Policy

3. You will: • Better understand the meaning, purpose and potential of Social Media for the Town of Clarenville • Better understand the concept of Brand in relation to the Town of Clarenville • Develop goals for social media to help develop the Clarenville Brand • Develop an understanding of Clarenville’sbasic communications' goals and how these can be facilitated using specific social media platforms • Develop an appreciation for managing the brand by using of social media – Social Media Policy • Appreciate the potential and the costs of utilizing social media as part of a comprehensive communications strategy Our Goals for Today

4. The meaning, purpose and potential of Social Media for the Town of Clarenville GOAL 1

5. Our Community’s Vision(Where do we want to go?) Clarenville will be a healthy and engaged community with civic-minded citizens and high quality municipal services. Clarenville’s Strategic Plan 2008…. p.3

6. Clarenville Statistics

7. Application Statistics

8. Social Media Statistics

9. The largest Social Media platform in Canada is Facebook. • Here’s the numbers: • Canadians on Facebook: 17.8 million • >50 access at least once a day • NL’s on Facebook: 271k • Clarenville • Town 6,800 • <10m 6,980 • <25m 7,580 • <50m 11,680 • <100m 129,780 • Mobile is fastest growing segment • 4200 Clarenville region on mobil;

10. Who are we talking with? • People between the ages of 25-45 and their families • People who want to be engaged in their community We will: The Town of Clarenville will be: • recognized as a versatile economic leader and • a progressive, youthful community with an • abundance of lifestyle opportunities. Social Media has a Role Achieving the Vison

11. Social Media Can help!

12. Social media (SM) includes web-based and mobile based technologies which are used to turn communication into interactive dialogue among organizations, communities, and individuals. (Wikipedia) • Social Media has two distinct features that separate it from traditional Webpages: • It is actively delivered to the recipient (the mailman vs. the post office) • It allows for two way communications What is Social Media?

13. One should not confuse private and business use of social media. • Platforms have a very strong business presence that the average user does not see • Use Social Media with a purpose in mind. • Need to listen and hear, engage and interact • Need to balance transparency and security • Need to ensure “singularity of message” • Need to develop skills and allocate resources. Social Media for Clarenville

14. When an organization is small, conversations are easy. As the organization grows these quality conversations become more challenging. • Social Media is now allowing for electronically mediated conversations. • Remember…Social Media is one important tool in a large tool kit – it is not a panacea but, if done right it is effective at creating conversation and it is cheap! Why Social Media?

15. “innovation and the • underlying social processes of communication are vital to growth in the global economy” A Commitment to Place Harris Centre p52 Does it work?

16. Better understand the concept of Brand in relation to the Town of Clarenville Goal 2

17. A brand can help a community group define itself; say what it stands for, and present its value to the community it serves. • A strong brand identity can take on a life of its own and become a magnet to draw people to our Town • Social Media with it’s ability to foster and maintain relationships can help establish ‘A Brand’ • It’s all about Communications! Branding - we know it when we see it

18. Develop goals for social media to help develop the Clarenville Brand Goal 3

19. Ensure high visibility & engagement • Raise awareness of community potential • Be welcoming to everyone • Develop Pride of Place • Distinguish Community as a destination of choice • Increase Town’s ability to communicate effectively • Build on community’s unique strengths Basic Communication Objectives for this Town

20. Develop goals for social media to help develop the Clarenville Brand Goal 3

21. Develop an understanding of Clarenville’s basic communications' goals and how these can be facilitated using specific social media platforms Goal 4

22. Social Media (SM) is the new “virtual water cooler”. • More companies realizing the need and ability to reach out to the public and customers. • Engages the real needs and passions • You can use niche networks and sites to research your field and build relationships. The Potential of Social Media in Branding (1)

23. The Potential of Social Media in Branding (2) • The key element of social media is that, unlike conventional media, such novel technologies permit users to participate and gain value from each other. • Instead of a message “broadcast” from a centralized organization or corporate entity, social media offer a more organic process of communication. “Crowdsourcing”

24. Social media can be especially effective when supplemented by the traditional tools. • It is most important not to approach Social media as a predator, but rather as a colleague with a similar thirst for community, knowledge and self-expression. The Potential of Social Media in Branding (3)

25. Is Social Media real?

26. build relationships of trust over time through viral videos, blogs and social networks (communities of common interests). In these networks, users get their information from one another, not from mainstream media, institutions, organizations or businesses. Social Media Lets one…

27. An ongoing conversation, resulting in a steady stream of information for: • Research • Feedback • Building Relationships • The nature of Social Media allows for the initiation of conversation by either party, a key differentiator from established broadcast channels. Social Media Involves…

28. It is only PART of a communications strategy • Social media is not free: It takes time and energy • People are the power behind social media • Evangelists vs. Antiracists • Importance of a Social Media Policy that is not overbearing • Not everything & everyone is nice Limitations of Social Media

29. Canada boasts some of the world’s highest internet penetration and social networking usage rates. • 3 out of 4 users use social networks regularly • Social Media has overtaken e-mail as the #1 activity on the web. • 93% of social media users believe companies should have a presence in social media. ZINC Research 2009-2011 Canadians and Social Media

30. Business vs. individual • Wall • Posting • Linking • Pictures • Conversation • Advertising • Metrics • Over 1 Billion people are on Facebook worldwide • 15.4 Million users in Canada • 237,000 users in NL • 3,600 users in Clarenville region • 50% visit the site daily • Widest range of opportunity of any Social Media Facebook

31. Over 500 Million people are on Facebook 10 Million users in Canada Immediate 144 Characters Mobile choice Twitter

32. Fast growing site with over 200 million accounts • 140 million tweets per day • Can “follow” tweets of selected people/organizations • 45% of business saw Twitter as important to their business – 83% expect to increase use in the next 6 months. • Main Success factors from a business perspective • Influence • Brevity • Accessibility (Mobile) • Interaction • Versatility • Second most popular Social Media Site Twitter

33. You own your own TV channel Millions of videos on everything Visual medium of Social Media YouTube Capabilities

34. Develop an appreciation for managing the brand by using of social media – Social Media Policy Goal 5

35. Businesses need a Social Media Policy that outlines the Goals and Objectives of their Social Media Usage and defines expectations of users who will represent the organization using it. • See: • City of Calgary • Social media policy templates Social Media Plan

36. L A Develop & Strengthen Relationships Listen Engage Add value with Content Social Media Strategy

37. Appreciate the potential and the costs of utilizing social media as part of a comprehensive communications strategy Goal 6

38. The biggest expense of Social Media is in Time • Are you prepared to invest the time?

39. Today we have developed: Better understand the meaning, purpose and potential of Social Media for the Town of Clarenville Better understand the concept of Brand in relation to the Town of Clarenville Develop goals for social media to help develop the Clarenville Brand Develop an understanding of Clarenville’s basic communications' goals and how these can be facilitated using specific social media platforms Develop an appreciation for managing the brand by using of social media – Social Media Policy Appreciate the potential and the costs of utilizing social media as part of a comprehensive communications strategy Review

40. Thank YouQuestions?