Integrating Social Media with Integrating Social Media with Your WebsiteYour Website

New York State Conference of Bar LeadersNew York State Conference of Bar LeadersSpring ConferenceSpring Conference

Friday, April 15, 2011Friday, April 15, 2011New York CityNew York City

Presented By Presented By

John McCarron, Owner, McCarron John McCarron, Owner, McCarron Consulting Group and active member of Consulting Group and active member of the Westchester County Bar Associationthe Westchester County Bar Association

Barbara Beauchamp, Content Editor, New Barbara Beauchamp, Content Editor, New York State Bar AssociationYork State Bar Association

Do I Really Need a Website?Do I Really Need a Website?

Why canWhy can’’t I just replace my website with t I just replace my website with an exciting new social media site, like a an exciting new social media site, like a FacebookFacebook page?page?

I have a I have a LinkedINLinkedIN GroupGroup –– isnisn’’t that t that enough?enough?

What if I tweet about it? WonWhat if I tweet about it? Won’’t that spread t that spread the word about my Bar?the word about my Bar?

Are Blogs the New Website?Are Blogs the New Website?

Blog software can be a costBlog software can be a cost--effective way effective way to get a site online quickly and maintain it to get a site online quickly and maintain it without requiring significant technical helpwithout requiring significant technical help

A blog is not the same as a websiteA blog is not the same as a website

If you have a vibrant blog, think about If you have a vibrant blog, think about having your blog feed content to your having your blog feed content to your website using an RSS feedwebsite using an RSS feed

WhatWhat’’s an RSS Feed?s an RSS Feed?

RSS = Really Simple SyndicationRSS = Really Simple SyndicationElectronic means of moving posts/content Electronic means of moving posts/content from one electronic medium to anotherfrom one electronic medium to anotherRSS is a TYPE of content (other types are RSS is a TYPE of content (other types are files, HTML, etc.)files, HTML, etc.)RSS readers allow you to aggregate RSS readers allow you to aggregate content from multiple sources into one content from multiple sources into one placeplaceCan be an effective alternative to emailCan be an effective alternative to email

But We Have a GREAT But We Have a GREAT FacebookFacebook Page!Page!

You need both! Having a social media You need both! Having a social media presence is important presence is important –– but having a but having a website is essentialwebsite is essential

Think of your website as a hub with Think of your website as a hub with various social media spokes coming from various social media spokes coming from the centerthe center

IntegrateIntegrate FacebookFacebook with your websitewith your website

How Do I Do it All?How Do I Do it All?

CrossCross--post events on your site AND your post events on your site AND your FacebookFacebook, Twitter, , Twitter, LinkedINLinkedIN, etc. sites, etc. sites

Point job seekers to your Point job seekers to your LinkedINLinkedIN groupgroupjob postingsjob postings

AddAdd ““likelike”” andand ““retweetretweet”” andand ““recommendrecommend””buttons to your traditional web pagesbuttons to your traditional web pages

Send out tweets when you update your Send out tweets when you update your website with new content (website with new content (ieie: reports): reports)

Link, Link, Link!Link, Link, Link!

Always send out links with your tweetsAlways send out links with your tweets

Link from Link from FacebookFacebook back to your websiteback to your website

Post discussion items on Post discussion items on LinkedINLinkedIN withwithlinks back your websitelinks back your website

Advanced users can connect their tweets, Advanced users can connect their tweets, LinkedINLinkedIN discussions, etc. to their discussions, etc. to their websites to display for visitorswebsites to display for visitors

More on ConnectingMore on Connecting

Linking to members blogs or following their Linking to members blogs or following their tweets, etc. can be a benefittweets, etc. can be a benefit

Blog roll Blog roll –– list of blogs of interest list of blogs of interest –– couldcouldbe members of your association, could be be members of your association, could be blogs of legal interest, etc.blogs of legal interest, etc.

Link, friend, follow, etc. strategically for Link, friend, follow, etc. strategically for optimum search engine placement boostoptimum search engine placement boost

What Should I Worry About Next?What Should I Worry About Next?

ItIt’’s all about videos all about video

YouTube is one of more than 180 videoYouTube is one of more than 180 video--sharing sites on the websharing sites on the web

Low barriers to entry Low barriers to entry –– High def cameras High def cameras that upload instantly are under $300that upload instantly are under $300

Even cellEven cell--phone quality video is phone quality video is considered acceptable onlineconsidered acceptable online

Always, always focus on the MESSAGE!!Always, always focus on the MESSAGE!!

How to I Manage it All?How to I Manage it All?

Use a social media management toolUse a social media management tool

Allow users to post once and feed all Allow users to post once and feed all social media outlets simultaneouslysocial media outlets simultaneously

HootSuiteHootSuite is widely recommendedis widely recommended

More than 600 offerings on the market More than 600 offerings on the market now, many of which are freenow, many of which are free

Enterprise level software also available for Enterprise level software also available for those with significant resourcesthose with significant resources

What is REALLY ImportantWhat is REALLY Important

ItIt’’s about the contents about the content

ItIt’’s not about the formats not about the format

ItIt’’s not about the distribution channels not about the distribution channel

ItIt’’s about communicating important, timely s about communicating important, timely information to users in a way that is easy information to users in a way that is easy for them to access, intuitive to use and for them to access, intuitive to use and offers low financial and technical barriers offers low financial and technical barriers to entryto entry

Thank You for Coming!Thank You for Coming!

NYSBAand the

New York State Conference of Bar Leaders