Social Communications TrainingGetting Started with Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and Blogs

AARP Communications College forAARP Florida VolunteersMay 4, 2010St Petersburg, FL

What the heck is social communications?- Any kind of messaging – words, photos, videos – that are designed to be shared and interactive online.

- Social changes communications from broadcasting to a conversation.

- Zillions of conversations people are having online 24/7.

- “Word of mouth… on steroids.”

Why Does AARP Want You To Learn Social?1. It’s effective. The people you influence and want to influence

are here.2. It’s easy. You can do it from any computer or mobile.3. It’s rewarding. You get real-time results & feedback.4. YOU are in charge. You create and publish. 5. It’s where people are getting & sharing news & info.6. It’s not just for kids. ¾ Americans use social media,

including millions of 50+.7. It ain’t going away. Growing at 3x rate of overall Internet.

You Aren’t In This Alone.

The good news is… you aren’t on your own. We have 40 million members, 2000 staff and countless volunteers and advocates who want to talk about AARP and what we are doing…

Where Do I Start?

• Facebook• Twitter• You Tube• Blogs

Facebook• A place to connect with family, friends, and

people who share your interests.• Over 400 million users. 55+ women are the

fastest growing demographic.• The average user has 130 friends.• There’s a lot you can do:

• Invite people to events, send public or private messages, play games, and share photos, videos, notes and links & more.

Facebook: How to Start• Go to www.facebook.com• Fill in sign up boxes and log in.• Add your friends and family.• Fill out your basic profile information.

(bday, gender, hometown)• Add education and work history.• Upload a picture.

Twitter• Fastest growing social network. Short

messages – only 140 characters.• “Discover what’s happening right now,

anywhere in the world.”• Over 105 million users. In the US, the

largest demographic are working adults• You can follow anyone who interests you.

Don’t have to “know” them in real life (IRL)

Twitter: How to Start• Go to www.twitter.com and click “Sign Up”• Fill out profile. Select a username. Keep it

short. Doesn’t have to be your real name.• Start adding people to follow. Twitter will

allow you to search your email or Facebook accounts for friends. They will also suggest users. Or you can search on your own.

You Tube• Place to share videos. Also a community of

users.• Millions of users worldwide. 4th most

popular online activity for 65+.• Every minute, 24 hours of video is

uploaded to YouTube.• You do not have to upload videos. Can

subscribe to “channels” or just watch.

You Tube: How to Start• Go to www.youtube.com and Create

Account.• This will allow you to “favorite”, rate, share

videos of interest to you, as well as subscribe to channels.

Blogs• Over 50 million blogs.• 72% blog for fun, not money. However,

there is a rising tide of bloggers who are now considered “media”

• Both blog writers and blog commenters can influence the debate.

Blogs: How to Start• Go to www.google.com/reader to organize

all of the blogs you enjoy reading into one place. Basically a personal news feed.

• Start or sign in with your existing Google account.

• If you have blogs you enjoy, click “Add a subscription” to add them to

• your reader.

AARP’s Social Guidelines

Why Do We Have Social Communications Guidelines?

– Responsible use of social media platforms is an effective way for AARP to engage our targeted audiences and deliver our messages in real time. We want our staff, volunteers and members to use them to tell AARP’s story.

– All of these platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc), despite privacy settings, are essentially public forums with their own etiquette and ethics policies. It is essential to understand etiquette and ethical use prior to using these forums on behalf of AARP.

– The following guidelines have been approved by AARP’s Integrated Communications, Brand, General Counsel and Ethics teams.

AARP: Personal Use of Social Platforms

1. Be Smart: You are personally responsible for any content that you publish on social platforms, so use good judgment. Consider how your comments or posts might appear if we were called to defend them by a news organization – just like you would at any public event or forum.

2. Respect Copyrights & Confidentiality: Only post things you have permission to post. Make sure you have permission to post any copyrighted (e.g. images, logos) or potentially confidential information.

3. Be Transparent: When sharing non-proprietary, non-confidential AARP-related messages, make clear that you are an AARP volunteer.

AARP: Personal Use of Social Platforms

4. Be a Responsible Advocate: You may share information or your personal opinions about political campaigns, parties or candidates. However, you must be careful to avoid any type of attribution to AARP.

5. Be Accurate: Even though you may be expressing a personal opinion, do your research and source your information.

6. Be Generous: Social media is, at its base, social. Share, connect, and provide links to interesting things going on, both at AARP and beyond.

7. Share Stories & Best Practices: If you have a great story to tell or have a great idea for AARP to tell our story through social platforms, share those with your AARP contacts.

Rule of Thumb for Posting

When in doubt, don’t.

Social Communications Do’s1. Have a unique voice.2. Be generous. Share.3. Ask for opinions.4. Listen, respond & follow back.5. “Friend”/follow people on both sides of the

aisle/issue.6. Answer direct messages.7. Cheerlead.8. Surprise people.9. Use photos and video to tell your story.10. Ask for help if you need it.

Social Communications Do’s1. Have a unique voice.

Social Communications Do’s2. Be generous. Share.

Social Communications Do’s3. Ask for opinions.

Social Communications Do’s4. Listen, respond & follow back.

Social Communications Do’s5. “Friend”/follow people on both sides of the

aisle/issue.

Social Communications Do’s6. Answer direct messages.

Social Communications Do’s7. Cheerlead.

Social Communications Do’s8. Surprise people.

Social Communications Do’s9. Use photos and video to tell your story.

Social Communications Do’s10. Ask for help if you need it.

Social Communications Don’ts1. Forget that everything is public.2. Forget that there’s no such thing as delete.3. Pick a name that’s too long.4. Be cheesy.5. Argue.6. Ask for money.7. Auto post.8. Be partisan.9. Market AARP-endorsed products or services.10. Worry about responding to *everybody*.

Social Communications Don’ts1. Forget that everything is public.

(from fired Chiefs running back Larry Johnson)

Social Communications Don’ts2. Forget that there’s no such thing as delete.

Social Communications Don’ts3. Pick a name that’s too long. Instead of

@guinessworldrecords….

Social Communications Don’ts4. Be cheesy.

Social Communications Don’ts

5. Argue.

Social Communications Don’ts6. Ask for money.

Social Communications Don’ts7. Autopost.

Social Communications Don’ts8. Be partisan.

9. Market AARP-endorsed products or services.

10. Worry about responding to *everybody*.

Social Communications TrainingQ&A followed by Breakouts on Computers

AARP Communications College forAARP Florida VolunteersMay 4, 2010St Petersburg, FL