Social Media collaboration:influencing internal practices and

cohesion

Gavin Willshaw Stephanie (Charlie) FarleyDigital Curator Social Media Officer@gwillshaw @SFarley_Charlie

http://images.is.ed.ac.uk/luna/servlet/s/k3n4l8

Library statistics 2014/15

Information Services Organisational Chart

One library; two divisions

One service; several locations

Main Library: one building; several services

This complicated organisational and geographical structure has created significant challenges for the library to provide a unified message to users.

For example, through social media

• Some social media presence• Lopsided coverage• Skewed perceptions for users• Confusing and inconsistent messages

Example 1: CRC Twitter account

• Managed by a volunteer – no ownership• Automatic blog feed

– Lots of content but often irrelevant– Confusing messages– Tweets not optimised

• For example…

Title should go here

Subtitle goes here

Example 2: Lack of coordination

• No joined-up approach across library• CRC monthly Social Media report• Dormant account ‘came back to life’• No-one knew who was doing the

tweeting• Transpired it was colleagues in another

division

To summarise…

• Lack of coherence gave unclear messages to users

• Doing things for the sake of it• Broadcast mentality• No attempt to monitor statistics• Highlighted lack of collaboration in other

areas

From Confusion to Cohesion

• Meet together.• Do this regularly.• Create a social media policy.• Measure progress.• Clearly define the purpose and audience

of each account.

@EdUniMainLibrary Promotes events in the Main Library, Service updates, Service Hours, Practical information, fun posts.

@CRC_EdUni Focuses on the special collections, archives and museums.

@EdUniLibraries Promotes site library services, wider library and information services, museum events, events in Library and Museum locations.

Social Media Style or Voice

Think about what style or voice to use for your social media accounts.

Using Twitter in university research, teaching and impact activities by the London School of Economic- http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/files/2011/11/Published-Twitter_Guide_Sept_2011.pdf

Quick Wins

• Co-ordinate header images across media and accounts.

• Co-ordinate naming conventions.• Cross-linking accounts on each SM

platform.• Sharing/liking/following across accounts

and platforms.

Approachable Customer Service

Collaborating allows us to respond quickly and appropriately to a wider range of queries.

Sometimes it’s great just to make contact and create a conversation.

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Coordinating Communications

Working together with a clear understanding of our accounts we are now able to coordinate communications for large events.E.g. Upgrading to a new Library Management System, or promoting exhibitions and events.

Improving Internal Communications

http://libraryblogs.is.ed.ac.uk

Aggregates posts from 40 individual Library blogs.

Each blog is maintained by its site, project, or team, and can be viewed individually.

http://libraryblogs.is.ed.ac.uk

The blog aggregate was created to communicate to an external public. What we found was that this was actually an excellent tool to improve internal communication.

One of our remote sites, the Library Annexe, uses their blog to connect with colleagues and staff.

The Annexe Factor•Promotes who they are, what they do.•Blogs to build relationships with other Library sites.•Shares behind the scenes project and work.•Are talented Halloween pumpkin carvers.

SM as Staff Development Tool

• Staff can choose to attend ‘Writing for the Web’ training.

• Encouraged to participate.• Thinking about the service from a

different angle.

Influencing other forms of communicationWe are now working to improve the coordination and consistency of wider communications in other formats.

This has also opened up conversations about identity issues and identifying ourselves as a service.

Library identities

Joining a wider conversation

http://bit.ly/1zTxAvQ

Conclusion

We’ve only just begun. There are areas we’re still working to improve, and actions that have been identified to ensure our communications continue to meet the needs of our internal and external users.

Discussion

• Has the use of social media improved internal communication in your institution? If not, could it?

• Do you have a consistent approach / brand across all your promotional and communication materials / accounts?

• Have you used social media as a staff development tool? If not, could you?