These slides were created for the course: Comm 350R Social Media Dr. Matthew J. Kushin Department of Communication Utah Valley University For more on the course see: http://profkushinsocial.wordpress.com For more about the professor, see: http://profkushin.wordpress.com or @mjkushin on Twitter

1. Social Media CourseDr. Matthew J. Kushin Assistant Professor Department of Communication Utah Valley University profkushin.wordpress.com mkushin@uvu.edu @mjkushin

2. Cultivating & Covering Conversations Dr. Matthew J. Kushin Course: profkushinsocial.wordpress.com

3. We hear it over and over: “Social media is about conversations” “markets are conversations” “businesses are conversations” – The Cluetrain Manifesto

4. The message Media organizations must not think of selves as: disseminators of information But instead as: Participants in conversations

5. The reaction “NO WAY! But we have CONTENT to disseminate! We are media content producers!”

6. Conversations! Image: Hugh MacLeod

7. Case Study: The News Media Start thinking differently about the organization’s role in the media sphere

8. Irreconcilable differences New Media Interactive Mass Media Unidirectional Newspaper

9. Old Model Traditional newsdissemination model: Top down, closed system Org collects and creates their product Buys some stories off wire, delivering through its brand Organization seeks to keep consumer within their branded space News Media

10. Drawbacks of Top-Down Model Consumers - want diverse content from array of sources Old model provides limited ability to: Attract new users Provide content

11. New Model Blogs Information Hub Model Org is “hub” in larger info network 1) Deliver 3rd-party content within branded space 2) Link out to 3rd-party content 3) Establish external presence to drive users back to branded site. Twitter Account News Media Hub Interaction TV Channels RSS Facebook Page Interviews - video, transcript, audio

12. Info Hub Model Rationale: Connections to 3rd-party content strengthens value of that “hub”. People want non-mainstream content If org doesn’t deliver external content, people will bypass org in information searches

13. Benefits Exponential increase in deliverable content Capture non-mainstream media & blog audiences Starting point for info search Brand loyalty: connecting consumer with brand when thinking about where to get variety of news

14. Blogs TV Channels RSS Interviews - video, transcript, audio The News Industry Changed Model Contrast Twitter Account News Media News Media Hub Interaction Facebook Page

15. In Review In this instance, the org is establishing itself as credible “go to” for topic specific content It is doing more than providing info It is providing an experience It is building connections for people

16. Think about it: The value of being an info provider You fly into a city you’ve never been to and want some pizza. So you ask a passerby where to get the best pie What happens when they give you a good tip? You feel an affinity for that person Pic: Source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com3072/2448588352_df1737f9ec.jpg

17. Means for Cultivating & Covering Conversation

18. Online Convo Benefits Seen as authentic interaction Often viral Others see, & want to join Ergo, are word of mouth & on the cheap!

19. Keep the conversation a priority!

20. Live Blogging Practice of covering an ongoing event with constant updates Live / timely Expand audience Can foster a conversation These things can: Build connections with audience

21. Live Blogging Some channels: Twitter Cover it live – live multimedia blogging platform

22. Foster conversations Letting the audience be the expert Superiority bias: Humans tend to over-estimate themselves as above average. This may lead people to believe they are expert in a subject. Whether good or bad, social media can enable us to stoke our egos.

23. Superiority Bias ““Why wasn’t I consulted,” … is the fundamental question of the web…. Humans have a fundamental need to be consulted, engaged, to exercise their knowledge (and thus power), and no other medium that came before has been able to tap into that as effectively [as the web].” – Paul Ford

24. Event Streaming Live video/audio stream of content over Internet / mobile device Richer than text-live blogging Live / timely Expand audience Can foster a conversation

25. Conversation concerns When we open our org & invite others to participate in conversations, there are many risks Ex: Rude & crude content Negativity expressed towards us False info Problem is: these conversations are happening anyways Image Source: This Year’s Love: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hand-nor-glove/563304745/sizes/m/in/photostream/

26. “backchannel” “digital communications space used to sustain primarily textual interactions alongside live spoken presentation delivered in a physical environment ”- Tony McNeil Occurs often at conferences / big events Popular on Twitter Often organic

27. “Backfire” Backchannel can backfire if audience reacts negatively Can also be huge promo when audience acts positively Event planners need to take lead on developing backchannel Great tool for echoing content among attendees & outside audiences Can try to steer convo

28. Live Chats Planned & promoted events Bring journalist/expert/celeb to online chat forum to interact with audience Examples: Twitter chat

29. “Empower your ambassadors” - Jyri Engeström

30. #UTalk Twitter Chat Attend this Thursday’s #Utalk For the first little bit, sit back and observe Represent yourself professionally

31. How do we want to do it? This Weds we will meet for a short while during our normal class time in the “chat” section of Canvas to discuss Ideas & thoughts for promoting event, covering event, summarizing event which team wants to do what

32. Covering an event: Major goals Promote event: Getting people to be there physically and/or follow twitter channel 1 must: via blog post on #Utalk Others? Twitter? Facebook? Etc. Cover event (see next slide) Summary of event 1 must: blog post summary Others?

33. Covering an event: Major goals During event we need, at the least: A group live blogging Preferably journo students A group to do live video streaming A group to get a backchannel going

34. REMINDER This Weds we will meet for a short while during our normal class time in the “chat” section of Canvas to discuss Ideas & thoughts for promoting event, covering event, summarizing event which team wants to do what