How do you consistently engage your audience? How do you tell a compelling story? This presentation shows, through the P-L-A-Y framework, just how you can make your stories move through social networks

1. for social media
Gavin Heaton
www.servantofchaos.com

2. In a village in Staffordshire,
UK in 2001 ...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45086087@N00/3357404284/

3. A girl wrote a message on a
red, helium balloon
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65032901@N00/322973662/

4. “Please return to
Laura Buxton”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28509342@N03/3824705562/

5. Where would
this balloon
land? In a lake?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32558319@N03/3910059222/

6. Perhaps it would
be caught in a tree
http://www.flickr.com/photos/91442554@N00/300308378/

7. A man found it in
his hedge. 140 miles
away in Wiltshire
http://www.flickr.com/photos/91442554@N00/4085608359/

8. He was worried that
his cows might eat
the balloon and
choke on it ...
He read the message
and took the balloon
to the 10 year old
girl next door
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66164549@N00/2574931629/

9. Her name ...
Laura
Buxton
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77316550@N00/3996458681/

10. The balloon had
travelled over 140
miles from one
Laura Buxton to
another Laura
Buxton

11. http://www.flickr.com/photos/99059891@N00/2493593844/

12. Laura sent Laura a letter,
suggesting they should
meet
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zappowbang/2048577203/in/photostream/

13. When they got together,
they were surprised at how
similar they looked
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14421410@N03/4223958425/

14. They styled their brown
hair the same way, wore
pink jumpers and jeans
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alicerosen/3913136038/in/photostream/

15. And they had each
brought along a pet
guinea pig
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035651615@N01/491178010/

16. Waiting at home, they
each had three year old
black labradors
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47264866@N00/2867323120/

17. And a bunny
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60509459@N00/3702920470/

18. Years later they remain firm friends
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28509342@N03/3824705562/

19. I’m sure you’ll agree that this is an
STORY
... and it is!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/70534377@N00/3722764423/

20. Told with microscopic focus
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41308227@N00/1953619977/

21. Facts that don’t support the
coincidences are ignored in
an effort to create patterns
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25716821@N04/3729772126/

22. Our brain is seeking a pattern that we
can recognise and respond to
http://www.flickr.com/photos/darwinbell/3999719025/

23. Each time a pattern is recognised,
dopamine is released - the chemical
trigger that produces a sense of
reward and pleasure
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31142611@N00/15002021/

24. As readers, as listeners, as people
engaged with the story, we are being
pulled further into the story with
each new revelation
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60589653@N00/3894628344/

25. Connections and revelations – this is
the world of social media.
A world that is brim full of
coincidence, happenstance and other
wonderful words
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hortensia/190375624/

26. http://www.flickr.com/photos/28509342@N03/3824705562/

27. We need to remember we
are talking about SOCIAL
media
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28509342@N03/3824705562/

28. User User User
generated generated generated
content filtering distribution
User generated context
http://www.servantofchaos.com/2010/02/simple-social-media.html

29. And that’s about building affinity
before relationship (as a child does).
It’s about P-L-A-Y.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eschipul/4239849264/

30. P -- for Power
Demanding of attention
Testing limits (boundaries around
behaviour, responsibility etc)
Controlling the controllable
Belonging
L -- for learning and curiosity
Skills development
Negotiation
A -- for adventure
Exploring an ever changing world
Actively making the world a better place
Y -- the yelp of surprise and delight
Recognition and reward
Self expression
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28509342@N03/3824705562/

31. It’s about creating the
coincidences that lead to an
emotional connection
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65032901@N00/322973662/

32. Something that you can share
with the players in your
personal playground
http://www.flickr.com/photos/duchamp/90520897/

34. http://www.flickr.com/photos/a_mason/19189771/