Work Smarter, Not Harder…Repurpose Content

Working in education, we have all heard the phrase “work smarter, not harder.” It’s easy to talk about, but not always easy to implement. If your district is like ours, your communications department is small and there is usually more work than time, so working smarter is key.

While in college, I learned about the marketing rule of seven: individuals have to see your message at least seven times before they will remember it. I don’t think it is the number that really matters; it is more about the meaning. Individuals need to see your message multiple times in multiple formats to remember it.

In order accomplish this; our district makes a point to repurpose content. Our philosophy is simple: when we write something to put out to our audiences, it has to be used in a least five different places. By doing this, we are saving time and we are reaching our audiences via multiple communication channels.

For example, we might write a short new release about an upcoming play at one of our high schools. We distribute it to the media, we then include the same information on our district website announcements, in the parent e-newsletter, in school e-newsletters, in the staff e-newsletter, on our mobile app, on Facebook, on Twitter and in our monthly youth activities publication. By writing one story and repurposing it, we reach our audiences via 10 communication channels.

Here are some tips on repurposing content:

• Write content so it can be used in multiple formats, exactly as it is or changed only slightly.
• Write content so it is a quick, easy read. Readers want quick, short blurbs they can scan on their mobile devices, not long, complicated reads.
• Stagger the timing of your messages. Sending the same message out via five different communication channels at the same exact time probably isn’t as effective as sending it out in five different ways at staggered times.

Five important metrics for your district’s Facebook page

With any good social media strategy comes a way to measure its success. What do you consider the success of your school district’s Facebook page? Simply having a presence on Facebook is not the point of the platform. Much like any other PR or marketing effort, your Facebook page should show solid growth and engagement. With Facebook Insights, the analytics system tied to every Facebook page, measuring your page’s progress has never been easier.

Here are five important metrics to track on your district’s Facebook page:

1. Demographics. The overall number of “likes” or fans on your page is easy to track, but look inside that number. Is your page dominated by a female presence? What age groups tend to follow your page? These numbers are important when planning content.

2. Geographics. Where are your fans from? Of course, your page is going to be “liked” by some people not affiliated with your school district, but if most of your fans are from Australia or India, for example, your page is likely not hitting its geographic target.

3. Reach. Facebook measures anyone who has seen content associated with your page. This means that your page has a reach many times bigger than just those people listed as fans. You can discover how many unique people have seen content from your page (and many times you will be surprised at this large number).

4. Talking About Your Page. Facebook tracks people who have created a “story” about your page. A “story” includes liking your page, posting to your wall, commenting or liking a post, sharing a post, answering a question, etc. This is how your page continues to grow and become known. You want people to talk about your page!

5. Content. If you are simply recycling content from your website, please stop and develop a strategic content plan for your Facebook page. This becomes easier to do when you know what content appeals to your audience. You can find this out by measuring your content. What are the most popular types of posts? Probably photos and videos. Facebook Insights allows you to see individual posts and how they perform. Use this data each month to set what kind of content you are pushing out.

By taking the time to utilize Insights within Facebook, you can start to show your leadership team results from investing in social media.

Five ways to take the pulse of your community

PR professionals always have an ear to the ground. Issues anticipation is about sensing and understanding public opinion, then using what you learn to navigate strategically and transparently through times of change and challenge.

Twitter and Facebook are essential tools in this work, providing windows on the world into the concerns and priorities of school district parents, students, employees and community members.

Five easy strategies can help you take the pulse of your community on a regular basis:

1. Broaden your friend base:
   Besides growing your school district’s fan base, cast a wide net to expand the circle of Facebook friends on your personal page. Friend district partners, involved parents, community leaders, neighbors, staff members, Board members, Education Foundation board members and volunteers. Be sure to protect your personal privacy by setting up different groups for personal vs. professional contacts.
2. Lurk and listen:
   Pay attention to what’s buzzing in your community. Watch for complaints, debate and controversy tied to education. When they mention schools or kids, what are people wondering about or worried about? Which education or political groups are they tracking on social media? Are coalitions forming for or against a proposed school district change? Resist the urge to post or comment, and just listen.
3. Invite private messages:
   Be sure to invite fans of your school district Facebook site to message you privately about any issues or concerns. Respond promptly to resolve issues, provide information or direct them to the right district expert. This is a good way to resolve individual issues around grades, health, bullying, employees, or discipline without compromising student or staff privacy.
4. Post a survey:
   When a hot issue bubbles up, try an online survey. If a protest group has achieved critical mass, post it on their site. Community members will be glad you’re listening, and by using open-ended questions, you may well find some workable compromises or innovative strategies to resolve the issue.
5. Share what you hear:
   Many district leaders do not follow social media, so let them know what you’re hearing, especially in turbulent times. Copy key conversation threads into an email, so they have a feel for the community’s priorities and concerns. Remind them that it doesn’t matter how much you are listening if the district does not act on what it hears from the community.

Change is Easy. Transition is Hard.

Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, they change it all. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you navigate through the latest changes to Facebook.

Facebook Cover Photo and Profile Image
The new format gives us the opportunity to get rid of the photo strip across the top and have one large image to showcase our page. Get more details from Facebook on the cover photo here.

• Image size maximum: 850 pixels by 315 pixels
• Image minimum: 399 pixels

Larger Posts
Pictures and videos are larger in posts. You can highlight posts by clicking the star icon in the upper right of a post. The pinning feature allows you to feature a post for up to a week before moving back to its place according to when it was posted. To pin a feature, click on the pencil icon in the upper right of the post and select “pin to top.”

Why would we want to highlight or pin different posts on our page? These tools help to tell your story and to increase awareness of certain activities, students, events and more.

History
Have your basketball, soccer, softball, track, gymnastics, golf or football teams won the state championship? Did you build a new building? The newest changes to Facebook allow you to go add “milestones” to your timeline. Look to the line that runs down the middle of your timeline and select “milestone.” You can fill out the information.

Fan Posts
Posts to your page by fans are now in a separate area on the right. Your story is now the focus of your timeline. The more visually engaging your content is, the better. Fans may spend more time reading through your timeline than before.

Custom Tabs
The custom tabs we knew don’t work with the new Facebook page. They haven’t disappeared. They’re still there. We don’t have the ability to capitalize on a landing page with a call to action. You can still incorporate applications and custom tabs. You just have to choose how to use them. Twelve applications can be showcased, with only four prominent at the top of your page. Photos cannot be changed. They are the first application to be shown. Choose your next three wisely. Make sure they are the ones to which you most want to drive people. You can always change based on activities, marketing focus, etc.

Facebook Offers
Watch for the ability to offer a deal on Facebook.

• View Einstein Bros Bagels’ February 27 offer.
• Learn more.

Insights, Admin Panel and Messages
Just when you thought it was over, Facebook included another change with the Timeline. You can access insights, likes, notifications and the new messages feature from the admin panel. Viewing insights, managing your account and communicating with your fans seem to be easier thanks to the new admin panel.

What are some of your favorite features of the new timeline? What do you not like about the changes?

Seven Facebook Strategies to Build your School Community

With so much caution around student-staff social media interactions, should a school have a Facebook page? Absolutely. Facebook posts from your school can provide a professional online presence and open the door to two-way communication with parents.

Each school has a unique personality, and its Facebook presence will reflect that. Here are seven strategies principals can use to build trust, connections and involvement with families and students.

1) Control rumors: Is the school gossip mill working overtime? Use Facebook to respond publicly to parent and student questions, clarify misconceptions and make sure people have the facts.

2) Push toward a goal: Whether you’re trying to boost attendance, increase conference participation or raise funds, use Facebook to celebrate progress toward a goal, and remind people how they can help the school hit its target.

3) Showcase student work: If you have parent permission to post student work and photos, use Facebook to post art, essays, projects or music performances to highlight the innovative learning opportunities in your school.

4) Boost event attendance: While you still need to announce school events in all the usual ways, using Facebook events for just-in-time information may boost attendance at parent conferences, school concerts, open houses or parent meetings. The RSVP feature provides the opportunity to announce last-minute changes and to send a reminder.

5) Make school announcements: Bus running late? New after-school program? Flooded gymnasium? Snow day? Use Facebook for breaking news and watch it go viral.

6) Do research: Want to know what your community thinks? Post a link to your online survey, and do the research before making a change at your school.

7) Try trivia: Make it fun! See if your fans can answer a weekly question tied to facts about your school, student achievement, staff or curriculum. Prizes can be as simple as a reserved volunteer parking space, free tickets to the school play, a tour of a new facility, or a chance to be a guest speaker at a classroom event.

Six Strategies to Deal with Negative Posts

Worried about negative comments on your Facebook page?  Don’t be.

Social media is an opportunity for two-way communication with your community. The occasional negative comment provides an opportunity to understand which problems need fixing, to clarify rumors and misconceptions, and to truly listen to community members.

What’s the best strategy to deal with a negative post?  Here are six tactics to respond effectively:

1)    Wait. Very often, an involved, informed parent will counter-post  in defense of the school district, or provide the needed facts to clarify a misconception. Having a parent leap to your defense can be more effective than anything you say.

2)    Ask questions. If a post raises a new issue or a situation you are unaware of, this is an opportunity! Find out more. If this is best done privately, offer your phone number and ask the person to call you. If you are hearing the same message from several people, post an online survey to find out more.

3)    Provide accurate information. If the negative post is based on a false assumption or a lack of understanding, this is your chance to open a two-way dialog and provide the facts. Don’t just do this on your social media site; look for opportunities to spread the information using several communication strategies.

4)    Forward comments to district leaders. Does the post raise a safety concern? A complaint  A suggestion? Many top district leaders are not social media users, or might have missed the post. Simply copy and paste the comment, then email it to district leaders. It’s important to also send them the positive comments, which can be a real morale booster for staff.

5)    Enforce basic ground rules. Whether covered in district policy or not, a few simple rules will keep your social media site under control:

• No profanity.
• No personal attacks on any person: student, staff, or community member.
• Offending posts will be deleted immediately.
• Two-time offenders will be banned from the site.

6)  If trolls have taken over, go dark. If you are overwhelmed by negative posts, click the “unpublish” box. Figure out a plan to deal with the situation, then turn your page back on when you are ready.

The Future of Social Media Maintenance?

If you’re like me, you probably look forward to school calendar season as much as you look forward to your next dentist appointment.

I can remember nearly losing my sanity during a few school calendar seasons, sorting through hundreds of pieces of paper (including handwritten notes) containing competing events and dates.

And now, many of us have social media responsibilities added to our long list of tasks. What’s a school communicator to do?

There might be help on the way. In my web travels, I stumbled across some pretty interesting web-based problem-solvers. I am in no way endorsing these products; I’m just noting a possible trend here.

Tandem for Schools, for example, is a web-based calendar service now available to schools. Using Tandem, school administrators can contribute to and update a central calendar, thereby sidestepping competing events, eliminating all that paper, and permitting the person who compiles your print calendar to retain his or her grip on reality. And perhaps, if your district is ready for this, Tandem might eventually make the print calendar obsolete.

Tandem connects school districts with parents in multiple ways, centered around a sophisticated-looking system. The web-based calendar, set up by a school district (or by individual schools, PTAs, education foundations, sports booster organizations, etc.), can sync with users’ Outlook, iCal, Google Calendar, Windows Live and other calendar systems.

The service also provides iPhone and smartphone integration so that Tandem can send emails and text message alerts to parents. Messages can be filtered by parents along the lines of their interests — for example, some parents might only want alerts about sports events; others might want to know about everything on the calendar.

Tandem also integrates with the district website by allowing you to re-direct the calendar button or the link you use to your district or school Tandem URL, and users will land right on the calendar. The calendar also can be customized to your school or district colors and logo.  And it includes directions to every event you post on the district calendar, with the help of Google Maps. You can also post individual events from the Tandem calendar directly onto Twitter and Facebook, and the calendar can be embedded onto your district’s Facebook page.

The best way to understand how Tandem works is to watch the company video.

Although Tandem hasn’t published any rates that I can find, you can see what the company offers in two different pricing levels — basic (free version) and enterprise — here. You can also sign up for a demo or watch a Tandem webinar before deciding your next course of action.

Squareberry promotes itself as an automated social media tool that helps social media managers with scheduling news and posts, tracking feedback and impressions, and centralizing and automating your social media work, saving time and angst. The Squareberry tool integrates your Facebook page, your Twitter feed, and your LinkedIn page, and it lets you post to all at the same time. For those of you without a Facebook fan page, Squareberry will build one for you.

Squareberry also allows you to use a full web-based calendar as your central events tool, and will post those events on all your social media sites. Postings can be scheduled way in advance, and that will undoubtedly save you oodles of time. In addition, the tool includes in-depth integration with mobile devices.

The free version of Squareberry (for schools and non-profits) is somewhat limited and doesn’t include the Facebook fan page creation. You’re limited to 100 events per month and three social media accounts. The pro version, at $29 per month, offers unlimited events, unlimited web calendars, and five social media accounts.

To better understand how Squareberry works, take a look at their video overview.

If any of our readers have tried out these tools, please feel free to share your experience with the rest of us in the comments section of this blog.

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Five strategies to grow your Facebook fan base

Whether you are launching a new Facebook page or running an established page, these five easy tips will help you grow your social media community at a steady pace.

1. Aim for two-way communication: Posting a photo, a video, a link, a survey or a question encourages fans to comment, share and explore your website. Use contests to engage your fans (“Guess how many classrooms the superintendent visited the first week of school”). The prize can be as simple as a school tour or a free ticket to a school play or sports event. Of all these strategies, photos rank number-one in boosting interaction.

2. Know your audience: Some school districts have a parent majority in their Facebook fan base. Others have mostly employee fans or a strong student following. Use Facebook Insights to understand the unique profile of your fans by age and gender, and post more of what they “like.”

3. Share breaking news on Facebook first: Tell Facebook fans they’ll be the first to hear breaking news like snow day announcements, then keep your promise. That will make Facebook the go-to strategy for folks who want to be in the know.

4. Post every day: Post twice a day, seven days a week. Research shows that frequent posting increases interaction. Recycling news items you distribute in other ways, such as podcasts and newsletter items, will ensure a steady supply of material with no added work for you.

5. Post during prime time: Statistics reveal that the best days to post are Monday through Wednesday. Facebook usage spikes weekdays at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Posts early in the day are “liked” more than later posts.

Five Great Social Media Guides

Image via CrunchBase

If you’re just heading down the road to creating social media sites for your school or district, you might want to consider a handful of social media “bibles” that can make the process much less daunting.

1. One of my favorite guides is Facebook‘s own Pages Manual, created specifically for those of us in the field of education. The 10-page manual is a step-by-step guide to setting up a fan page (which, by the way, is the best way to create a page for your school or district). Try to avoid creating a Facebook “group” or a Facebook “community page,” because you’ll be limited in what you can accomplish.

2. Facebook also provides a Guide for Educators, which dives deeper and provides tips on encouraging appropriate behavior on your site, sharing important content, using the polls tool, and the Discussions and Notes tabs.

3.  I frequently refer to Mashable‘s Facebook Guide Book for help. This visual online guide provides beginners with a Facebook 101 tutorial, and more seasoned Facebook page administrators with “Facebook 305: Advanced Topics.” There’s plenty in this guide about using Facebook applications — an important second step for most fan page admins.

4. Twitter newbies will want to consult Mashable’s Twitter Guide Book, which is divided into five chapters beginning with “Twitter 101.” This guide, which can be downloaded, viewed online or as a video, is a must-have for anyone putting his toe into the Twitter waters for the first time.

5. Let’s not forget about LinkedIn, which continues to be the best social media site for professional networking. LinkedIn has added Company Pages, Jobs, Groups and an Answers tool for sharing expertise with others. The best way to learn more about using Linkedin is to go straight to the LinkedIn Learning Center, which will provide you with just about everything you need to know.

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