Digital media-strategy

Promoting ExtensionThey come for the news,

they stay for the programming Doug Brinklow

Beth SteuverSean Corp

July 17, 2014

The problem

How do we help people continue to feel connected to Extension when

decreased funding limits educator’s ability to make one-on-one

connections?

Goals• Help Extension field and campus connect with

clientele quickly and efficiently • Improve clientele’s

access to related information

• Bring new people into the Extension family

• Protect the brand

Media flow: old school

MSU Extension NewsThe newest information and research from Michigan State University Extension in one convenient, online location. Updated daily.

Out with the old

In w

ith th

e ne

w

TopicsNewsEventsExpertsProgramsResources

Sessions

Page views

MSU Extension Website Traffic

Channels - News

Channels - Events

Channels - Programs

Channels - Resources

Michigan = Our Super Users

* Jan. 1 – March 31, 2014

Where they are coming from

339,412 sessions

Where they are coming from

591,107 sessions

Reaching People in Michigan

* Location of ISPs of website visitors

Industry ReviewFrom: Phil Korson [mailto:pkorson@aol.com] Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2014 4:01 PMTo: News.MSUESubject: Re: Fruit - MSU Extension News 6-17-14

I really like this site!!!!Very well done and easy to navigate...

Thanks for all you do to help us farm.

Sincerely, Philip J. Korson II, President Cherry Marketing Institute P.O. Box 30285 Lansing, MI 48909(517) 669-4264www.choosecherries.com

Topic specific electronic newsletters drive traffic to the website• Newsletters link people to the website ≈ 15,000 times

each month.

MSU Extension Electronic Newsletters (Digests)

• 8,460 contacts receive to 52,095 newsletters/month • 6 newsletters per contact

• Excellent rates for industry• Opens

– MSU Extension newsletters: 36%– Education industry: 20%

• Click-throughs– MSU Extension newsletters: 34% – Education industry: 13%

MSU Extension News Digest Breakdown

Production Agriculture DigestsAgriculture Digest Subscribers Open RateBeef Production 632 30%Dairy Production 483 26%Farm Management 1006 33%Field Crop Production 1769 36%Floriculture Production 1004 41%Fruit Production 2030 39%Grape & Wine Industry 269 51%Horses 414 36%Nursery & Christmas Tree Production 1900 37%Organic Agriculture Production 1068 27%Pork Production 356 25%Poultry Production 484 24%The Scoop 2255 33%Sheep & Goats 453 36%Vegetable Production 1909 34%

Total Ag Digests 16032 34%

Lawn and Garden Digests

Lawn & Garden Digests Subscribers Open RateHome Gardening 2009 49%Landscaping & Turf 4567 37%Pest Management 1441 37%Total Lawn & Garden Digests 8017 41%

Easy to subscribe•Sign up on website

•Sign up on Facebook

•Text MSUE to 22828

• Custom newsletters give educators ownershipIncreasing Engagement

Being present and strategic in social media brings results!

Images increase engagement

Content =social capital

Michigan users are engaged• 40% of all of our followers on Facebook and

Twitter are from Michigan• 50% of our visits from social media are from

Michigan visitors• Visitors from Michigan stay twice as long on the

MSU Extension site when compared to other social visits

Digital Packages

MSU Extension News Ag Media Reach• Michigan Farm News

• Two stories print edition (monthly 50,000 circulation)• Two stories e-edition (weekly 13,000 contacts and

growing)

“Since the new format came into play, I find the information you put out better than before in so many ways. Better content, more timely, good variety, easy-to-find contacts for follow-ups, etc. Overall, I find the info from your shop invaluable. Since I’m basically a one-man editorial shop here for Farm News, it’s welcome and usually well-done.”

Paul Jackson, MFN editor

MSU Extension News Ag Media Reach• Morning Ag Clips

• e-edition (daily 7,800 contacts and growing)

“I’m not sure exactly how many articles I use from MSU Extension (I see a lot of articles in a day), but I do use the great majority of the press releases that are sent to me. I don’t typically go to the MSU Extension website unless I’m directed there by a Google news search. If something is emailed to me or if I receive it through Kate, you can expect to see it on our site in the next day or two.”

Aubrey Bemis, Morning Ag Clips editor

Educator Review“Just got off the phone with AgPhD to do a radio interview. They found me through an article on MSU Extension News :) The station is out of SD. We have a wide reach.”

MSU Extension field crops educatorJune 16, 2014

Educator Review“Just got off the phone with Detroit News—they saw an article I did last fall on Poison Ivy! They are doing an update for campers.”

MSU Extension gardening educatorJune 16, 2014

Educator Review“Foraged mushroom information for sellers was used in another article from Mlive—friends were saying I was famous. (I am, you know.)”

MSU Extension local foods educatorJune 16, 2014

Staffing for successMSU Extension News•Posting >350 articles/month•Sending 140 digests/month•Entering events•Updating other content•Manage social media (new position)•Manage news presence (restructured position)•Strategic manager (working differently)

10 com pros (6.5 FTE)2 IT pros (1 FTE)+ 2 to 4 students (~1.5 FTE)

Educator Review“I think that we have really been in the middle of a structural revolution and that now we can see the other side, we can realize that we've moved light years pretty quickly. Good work!”

MSU Extension local foods educatorJune 16, 2014

Extension has an audience!

The Bottom Line• Adds value and traction to the work educators

are already doing• Allows us to reach people where they are • Raises awareness and reach to influentials

(stakeholders, media, public) of MSU Extension as a valuable “go-to” resource

• Supports legislative requirement for 3 percent growth in outreach

The Bottom Line• Lets all educators define content• More responsive to emerging issues• Lead the “industry” in conversations rather than

just respond to established narratives• Drives exponential expansion of our educational

outreach