The document discusses how universities can use social media to strengthen their communities and brands. It provides examples from various universities of how to engage audiences on social media through events, contests, photos and videos. Specific tactics mentioned include Facebook races between rival schools to gain likes, using hashtags for photo campaigns, and integrating social media with other marketing. The key lessons are that engagement levels matter more than audience size, platforms should complement each other to reach goals, and social media can influence conversations and even save lives in emergencies.

1. Build. Engage. Integrate.
Using Social Media to Strengthen and
Protect Your Community and Brand

2. Using Social Media to Strengthen and
Protect Your Community and Brand
Eric Page
Assistant Director
Creative Services
The University of Iowa

3. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is
there to hear it, does it make a sound?

4. Race to Black Friday
The Race to Black Friday was a Facebook
fan race between the University of Iowa
and the University of Nebraska to see
which school could attract the largest
audience on Facebook before kickoff of the
Heroes Game on Nov. 25.

6. By the numbers
 Totallikes = 52,144 (up 245%)
 New likes = 37,527 (up 1,089%)
 Unsubscribes = 1,058 (up 622%)
 Wall views = 179,972 (up 649%)
 Post views = 8,818,305 (up 431%)
 Post feedback = 73,798 (up 1,578%)

7. More numbers
 Monthly active users increased from
12,917 to a peak of 54,144.
 Age 25+ audience grew from 53% to
63%

8. Promotion
 YouTube videos featuring
our mascot, Herky
 Daily/weekly graphics
 Mass email, business cards,
Facebook ads, cross
posting, audience sharing,
publication features

9. YouTube videos
Black and Gold Swan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHMBcSEpDSE
Herky Knows the Drill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qEd4_CbDmo
Cheerful Chemistry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ny3fBsMlwg

10. Big Ten Facebook growth
Northwestern
Nebraska
Iowa
Illinois
Minnesota
Purdue
Indiana
Wisconsin
Michigan State
Penn State
Michigan
Ohio State
0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 400,000 450,000

11. It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but
rather the level of engagement that matters.

12. Your Audience is Your Brand
Engage your audience(s) in a way that
inspires members to share elements of
their experience so that the collective
interaction across your social media
platforms tells your institution’s story in
a positive, authentic way.

13. Examples of Engagement
 Texas A&M
 Scavenger hunt
 Baylor Athletics
 http://www.baylorboldrewards.com/
 Ohio State
 O-H-I-O photos

14. Some things we do at Iowa
 Facebook posts
 From the Archives
 Did You Know?
 Word Association Wednesday
 Faculty Features videos
 Fill in the Blank Friday
 Regular photo galleries from campus
 Football games
 Foursquare
 Mayor of the Week

15. Themed events
 Commencement
 Welcome Week
 Halloween
 Homecoming

16. It’s steak and potatoes, not steak and steak.

17. Integrate platforms
 Have a goal
 What are you trying to accomplish?
 Have a plan
 Platforms should work together to reach the
goal, complementing each other rather than
delivering identical content.
 Integrate with traditional media

18. What’s the point of all this twittering anyway?

19. True value of social media
 Penn State and Syracuse
 You can’t control the conversation, but you
can own it and influence its direction.
 Virginia Tech
 Social media can save lives.

20. Thank you
Eric Page
Assistant Director of Creative Services
The University of Iowa
@highedcm
http://www.highedcm.com