Using Social Media To Engage More Canadians –

PLANTING SEEDS ONLINE

Social Media for Government Conference | Workshop DOttawa | 18 September 2008

Mark Goren | Transmission Content + Creative

Today’s workshop

Agenda

• The importance of listening to what’s going on online

• Understanding how to respond to online conversations

• Learning what it takes to initiate your own dialogue

• A look at Government web 2.0 initiatives

• Questions to ask before diving in

Today’s workshop

Demonstrations

• How to subscribe to RSS feeds in a newsreader

• How to comment on articles + blog posts

• How to track comments

• Blogging + micro-blogging platforms

• Social networks

• Examples of Planting Seeds

Your website

Your web presence

What does it mean to Plant Seeds online?

Your department

Segmented Canadians

What does it mean to Plant Seeds online?

You

Potential relationships

What does it mean to Plant Seeds online?

What does it mean to Plant Seeds online?

Key point

It’s not just about leading people back to your site –

it’s about cultivating relationships.

What does it mean to Plant Seeds online?

1. Listening 2. Responding 3. Initiating

L R ITaking baby steps, getting comfortable, finding your way.

Where do you start?

What does it mean to Plant Seeds online?

Listening, Responding, Initiating

LR IIt’s all one activity, an ongoing process, an approach to commit to

Where does it lead?

Listening

ListeningListening

+

Is what they’re saying positive or negative?

+

+

++

++

++

+

++

+

+ +

+-

-

--

-

-

-

-

---

--

-- -

-

--- -+ +

++

+

People are talking behind your back.

Listening

• The basics

Company name

Company URL

Public facing figures

Product names

Product URLs

Conversations

Competitors

Critical issues

Source: http://www.thenewpr.com/wiki/pmwiki.php?pagename=WhatToMonitor.HomePage

What to listen for:

Listening

• Blogs

Technorati

Google Blog Search

Bloglines

Blog Pulse

Ice Rocket

• News

Media mentions

News wires

Press release pickups

• Social Networks

Twitter Search

Plurk Lurker

Wikipedia

Where to monitor:

Listening

How to monitor:

• RSS + Newsreader

Pull keyword searches into an aggregator

Alerts that you choose

You’re not visiting all these sites, they’re visiting you

• LET’S DEMONSTRATE!

Responding

• Now you know what people are saying about your department (or related)

• Free focus group – honest, open, real

• When you’re comfortable, it’s time to decide how to respond 

Responding

Responding

Why you should respond

• Acknowledge – for good and bad feedback

• Promise to fix – and keep that promise

• Add value

• Act as a resource

Responding

How to respond

• Through email

• By commenting – LET’S DEMONSTRATE!

• By tracking comments – LET’S DEMONSTRATE!

• Contribute to forums

• Join online clubs

• Social networking

Responding

Source: http://mashable.com/2008/08/26/government-20-being-individually-empowerful/

“Enterprise” “Empowered individual”

Rarely follow anyoneFollow many, often with no relationship to government

Rarely converse with anyone Not always about work

Bureaucratic Human

Who should respond:

Responding

Other considerations

• Community manager

• Official policy – see example

• Always on – not 9-to-5

Initiating

• Now you’ve been striking up a conversation with people

• And you’re full of things you want to say –

YOU WANT TO BE A CONVERSATION STARTER! 

Initiating

Initiating

Things to think about

• Single person or multiple person presence?

• Commitment

• Ultimate responsibility?

• Netiquette

Initiating

Blogging

• If you can send an email, you can post to a blog

• Share the link love

• Fresh content

LET’S DEMONSTRATE!

Initiating

Micro-blogging

• 140 characters

• Quick thoughts, resources, help

• Twittter, Plurk, Jaiku, Pownce, Identi.ca

LET’S DEMONSTRATE!

Initiating

Joining social networks

• Become actively involved in a community

• Start/join groups

• Keep tabs, comment

• Ex.: Facebook, YouTube, Flickr

Initiating

Sharing

• Bookmarking – Google reader, Delicious

• Posting links – Facebook, Twitter, Pownce

Initiating

Planting Seeds

• Syndicate/Repurpose

• Widen web presence

• Connect with people on their turf and terms

• Example: Videos

Your site, Your blog, YouTube, Daily Motion, Vimeo, Revver, MySpace, Facebook, Blip.tv, Google, Yahoo!

Government initiatives

Government initiatives

http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/08/government-of-canada-and-the-web-20/

New Technologies (the Web 2.0) and government communications

“More generally, there was a consensus that it is appropriate for the Government of Canada to reach out to web spaces where Canadians are instead of waiting for Canadians to visit government websites – having a “web presence” in other words. This was not only seen to be appropriate, it was even regarded by some as necessary – as a way to reach Canadians, particularly youth, that are not likely to contact the government directly. This impression was underscored by the fact that all participants reacted positively to the idea of having links to government information, or having government material itself, on third- party commercial websites.”

Government initiatives

http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/08/government-of-canada-and-the-web-20/

New Technologies (the Web 2.0) and government communications

Why should government agencies use Web 2.0 apps?

1. Communicate with young Canadians (78%)

2. Fast, up-to-date info on programs/services (76%)

3. Reach rural/remote groups (66%)

4. Deliver programs/services more effectively (65%)

5. Get input from Canadians (62%)

Government initiatives

http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/08/government-of-canada-and-the-web-20/

New Technologies (the Web 2.0) and government communications

Specific ways government agencies could use Web 2.0 apps?

1. Sites where government experts answer questions (72%)

2. Websites for Canadians to provide their views to the government (59%)

3. Audio tours of natural/historical sites (50%)

4. Webcasts re: programs/services (49%)

5. Blogs written by government experts (42%)

Government initiatives

http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/08/government-of-canada-and-the-web-20/

New Technologies (the Web 2.0) and government communications

What are the top concerns for government use of Web 2.0 apps?

1. General privacy/security concerns (14% -yikes, were trusting folks)

2. Content not reliable (14%)

3. Not useful for Canadians not on Internet (10%)

4. Confidence/hackers (6%)

5. Cost/too expensive (3%)

Government initiatives

Office of the Privacy Commissioner

• Written by employees, not the Privacy Commissioner

• “This blog will make a special effort to identify and highlight information and advice that may help Canadians understand their rights under Canada’s privacy legislation. We will be making a special effort to identify and explain material that will help owners, managers and employees of small and medium-sized enterprises to understand their rights and responsibilities under Canada’s privacy legislation.”

• http://blog.privcom.gc.ca/

Government initiatives

Citizen Voices

• Governor General Office

• Youth-friendly, Citizen Voices brings the people of Canada together through dialogue and allows Her Excellency to talk directly with Canadians.

• Blog, videos, forums

• http://www.citizenvoices.gg.ca/en/

Government initiatives

Soil to Sky

• Canada’s Agriculture and Food Industry career awareness site

• “The Soil to Sky portal is a managed and categorized collection of links and career profiles for the agriculture and food industry. Are you looking for an opportunity you might not have considered before? We want to show you just how rewarding — and surprisingly diverse — a career in Alberta’s agriculture and food industry can be!”

• Links, profiles, podcasts, job boards

• http://www.soiltosky.ca/

Ready to Plant Seeds online?

Ready to Plant Seeds online?

Questions you should be asking

Listening• Where would we start listening? • What blogs are active in our industry/field?• What tools will we use?

Responding

• What’s the best way for our organization to respond?• Are we ready?

• What tools will we use? 

Ready to Plant Seeds online?

Questions you should be asking

Initiating• How can we go about initiating a conversation? • Which tools appeal most to our organization?• Which tools are right for us?

Examples/Cases

• What are some other departments that have done well?

• What can we learn from them? 

Resources

• Appendix 1: New Technologies and Government of

Canada Communications 

Resources

Resources

Links

What to Monitorhttp://www.thenewpr.com/wiki/pmwiki.php?pagename=WhatToMonitor.HomePage

Government 2.0http://mashable.com/2008/08/26/government-20-being-individually-empowerful/

Government Web 2.0 Reporthttp://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/08/government-of-canada-and-the-web-20/

30 Social Media Siteshttp://www.seomoz.org/article/social-media-marketing-tactics

U.S. Government Twitter Listhttp://fly4change.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/the-governments-a-twitter-comprehensive-list-of-government-twitter-feeds/

Resources

Essential blogs

• Seth's Bloghttp://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/Seth is a brilliant marketer, writer and concept guy. He sees marketing unlike anyone.

• Micro Persuasionhttp://www.micropersuasion.com/Steve Rubel is a leading P.R. specialist at the Edelman office in NYC. His blog is one of the most respected marketing related ones you'll find.

• Church of the Customerhttp://www.churchofthecustomer.com/blog/Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba write about how consumers are taking more and more control over marketing messages – and how important it is for companies to engage them.

• Techno//Marketer http://technomarketer.typepad.com/Matt Dickman looks at new technologies and what their impact is on marketing.

Essential blogs

• Seth's Bloghttp://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/Seth is a brilliant marketer, writer and concept guy. He sees marketing unlike anyone.

• Micro Persuasionhttp://www.micropersuasion.com/Steve Rubel is a leading P.R. specialist at the Edelman office in NYC. His blog is one of the most respected marketing related ones you'll find.

• Church of the Customerhttp://www.churchofthecustomer.com/blog/Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba write about how consumers are taking more and more control over marketing messages – and how important it is for companies to engage them.

• Techno//Marketer http://technomarketer.typepad.com/Matt Dickman looks at new technologies and what their impact is on marketing.

Resources

Essential books

Unleashing the ideavirus, Seth GodinCluetrain Manifesto, Locke, Searls, Weinberger, LevineThe Tipping Point, Malcolm GladwellLife After The 30" Spot, Joseph JaffePurple Cow, Seth GodinThe Big Moo, Seth GodinNaked Conversations, Shel Israel + Robert ScobleCitizen Marketers, Jackie Huba + Ben McConnellCreating Customer Evangelists, Jackie Huba + Ben McConnellGroundswell, Charlene Li, Josh Bernoff

About Mark Goren

Social Media Consultant

After 10 years working in marketing as a copywriter at several traditional advertising agencies, Mark turned his attention and creative thinking to the field of social network marketing, all so he can help businesses reach people on their terms.

Since starting his consultancy, Mark has helped launch a makeup brand at a national department store chain, been retained to develop, plan and brand a careers website for the Canadian trucking industry, and formed strategic partnerships with local agencies.

Clients he has worked with throughout his career include: Air Canada, Air Canada Technical Services, Michelin North America (Canada) + BFGoodrich Tires, Aeroplan, Alcatel, and The Gazette (Montreal’s English language daily newspaper). Non-profit work includes an award-winning campaign for The Youville Centre (Ottawa), Home Hospice (Toronto), The Old Brewery Mission (Montreal) and The Gazette Christmas Fund (Montreal).

Mark is also particularly proud to have contributed to the groundbreaking “The Age of Conversation”, an unprecedented book project that saw over 100 bloggers contribute one-page chapters related to conversational marketing. Proceeds from the book, which launched July 16, 2007, are earmarked for Variety, the children’s charity. To date, over US$11,000 has been raised. A second collaborative effort is due to be launched in September 2008.

In January 2008, Mark was invited to contribute to the MarketingProfs Daily Fix blog, the world’s fifth leading marketing blog, joining industry luminaries from all different marketing disciplines.

About Mark

Mark can be reached:

• By phone: 514-969-1725

• By email: mark@plantingseeds.ca | mark@transmissionmarketing.ca

• On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markgoren

• On Twitter: http://twitter.com/markgoren

• On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Mark_Goren/565765090

• On Skype: TransmissionCC

• On MSN: mark.goren@hotmail.com

You can also read + comment on Mark’s blog:

http://plantingseeds.ca

Or even subscribe:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/planting_seeds

Mark also contributes to the MarketingProfs Daily Fix blog:

• Mark’s posts: http://www.mpdailyfix.com/contributors/mark_goren/posts.html

• For all the great insight: http://www.mpdailyfix.com/