This document discusses opportunities and threats for universities using social media. It notes that social media can help universities address issues like declining enrollment through student recruitment and engagement of alumni, faculty, and community. However, universities must consider legal issues and ensure high quality content. The document advocates for universities to build their brand and differentiate themselves through social media by capturing hearts and minds of their community.

1. User generated PR

2. Opportunities and Threats for Universities in the Social Media Context

3. Why Social Media?

6. Fractures within our physical social network

7. Need for community

9. Need to talk

13. What’s Social Media

14. “ It’s all about helping people to express themselves and connect with each other” David Gammel, CAE

15. Company controlled information + external Events

20. Word of Mouth

21. Buzz

22. Brand Communities

25. Content

26. Blogging and social networking sites have experienced explosive growth over the past few years

29. Social Media (especially Blogs) are strongly influencing search engine results and can drive traffic to important topics

31. “ Blogs, Podcasts, RSS-feed news releases, online video sharing, virtual worlds and microblogging are emerging as PR resources.” Tony Sapienza, November 2007

38. 8 Million Users in July 06 30 Million Users in July 07

39. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_24/b4038404.htm

43. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_50/b3963001.htm

45. Universities and Social Media

46. “ Unlike commercial organizations, higher education lacked the “marketing” function completely.” Elisabeth Scarborough, SimposonScarborough

47. “ Declining enrollments, increased competition, and decreases in government funding are some of the more pressing issues of most universities today.” Karen Lancendorfer, West Michigan University

48. “ Higher Education is a broad marketplace and no university can rest on it laurels.” Robert Lockwood/Jerry Hadd, Gallup Management Journal July 2007

49. “ Student recruiting and admission, alumni giving, community relations, faculty engagement, staff culture, and the student experience.” Robert Lockwood/Jerry Hadd, Gallup Management Journal July 2007

50. PR and Social Media

51. “ PR Professionals will miss opportunities to use social media to extend an amplify their broader PR objectives...” Tony Sapienza, November 2007

53. “ Social Media provides a unique opportunity to reach new audiences and communicate to these audiences in novel and direct ways” Tony Sapienza, November 2007

55. http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/mainstream_media_web20.php

57. Integration

58. “ Dramatic institutional change can occur only by capturing the hearts, minds, and souls of all those individuals who comprise the academic community. Engagement, ownership, trust, confidence, integrity, passion, and well-being are some of the key ingredients to fostering an interconnected, collaborative, and efficient institution.” Alex Gallup, Chairman of The Gallup Poll

61. Differentiation

62. “ The emotional and psychological dynamics of an educational institution as a whole influence and shape the perceptions of is brand in the marketplace.” Robert Lockwood/Jerry Hadd, Gallup Management Journal July 2007

63. “ Branding is more then... Assessing Pantone colors in logos, creating marketing materials or selling licensed merchandise.” Robert Lockwood/Jerry Hadd, Gallup Management Journal July 2007

67. “ Institutions must accommodate nontraditional students, an aging student population, more online and distance learning and a broader spectrum of student needs.” Robert Lockwood/Jerry Hadd, Gallup Management Journal July 2007

69. Content

79. Manifest V0.1 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// I am a hard bloggin’ scientist. This means in particular: 1. I believe that science is about freedom of speech. 2. I can identify myself with the science I do. 3. I am able to communicate my thoughts and ideas to the public. 4. I use a blog as a research tool. That means in particular, that I - express my thoughts, - get in contact with others, - have a sketch of my process online, - get feedback and new ideas from others. 5. I trust myself. 6. I surf a lot and I read a lot. 7. I blog once in a day/week/month. 8. I give comments once in a day/week/month on other blogs. 9. I am self-aware and critical. 10. I refer to the people who done the work first. 11. I give love and respect to the people.

81. You

82. Legal issues, bad content and low quality

83. Who needs Harvard??? http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1226150,00.html

86. The one school that seems to face the least competitive threat is going to great lengths to do what we think all schools must do... Robert Lockwood/Jerry Hadd, Gallup Management Journal July 2007

87. BUILD A STRONGER BRAND

88. Stefan Erschwendner I stefan.erschwendner@ddb.hu Download the presentation at: www.eranium.at

89. Backup