social media

When I got the invite to come out to Columbus to be a part of the 2011 Ohio Educational Technology Conference I was super excited. Originally, I was to work with Cover It Live and SCVNGR but Mother Nature, an overworked network and a variety of other causes had other plans for me.

Cover It Live is a micro-blogging platform used to enable conversation and feedback during live events. It’s a great tool with plenty of functionality, but due to a variety of causes, it just wasn’t going to happen at this year’s conference.

Having a social media presence on the Internet such as a Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Flickr, is becoming increasingly important for anyone especially those in business.  But is there value in social media for community government?  Based on the research I completed, I would have to say YES!

This past January a group of individuals from differing governmental offices in Ohio came to the Government Social Media Conference.  While some of the groups are still figuring out the benefits and how it fits their community, there were others that immediately got it and have implemented some strategies that were right on.

Before I give examples of some of the good, I would like to say a few things to anyone who might be reading this.

• Celebrate Experimentation - It doesn’t have to be perfect the first time. For reasons too numerous to mention people think they need to have the perfect social media strategy before they try anything but that simply isn’t the case.  If you aren’t sure what to do or how to use the tool don’t just wait until it comes to you, do something, anything and see what happens.  If people don’t like it, they’ll tell you and you can rework your strategy.

• Reasonably Commit– Implementing a social media strategy will take time and commitment.  If you aren’t sure how much time you can commit, that’s okay.  Figure out what you can do and start there.  Maybe the depth of your commitment is posting to Facebook one time a week.  That’s all right, start there.  As you figure out what you are doing, it will get easier and you’ll most likely find that you want to, especially as people start to respond.

With that said, we’ll move on to the good.  

There was a lot of great stuff I saw as I looked over the different Pages that were put together.  The City of Dublin, Ohio has a great Facebook Page and it was stellar to see how they were using their Facebook Pages to keep the community informed with what was going on in the city.  On the OSU Medical Center Page someone asked about hotels in the area and he got an answer!  On the Canal Winchester page there was a discussion on the pool closing early this year.  It’s not shocking that people would talk about the pool closing but it’s great the City allowed it on their Page.  After all, isn’t that the sort of feedback they want to hear?

I found some wonderful examples in the Twitter-sphere also.  

• The City of Columbus did a great job of showing what is going on all over Columbus.  
• MORPC did a great job of educating its followers on using the # to create a hashtag to follow what’s going on at #morpc.

The list of good goes on and on.  The fact that any of these groups are developing a social media presence is a big deal and deserves to be commended.  The challenges can feel huge but these groups took the challenge and are showing that there is a use for social media for the local government and it brings a lot of value to the community.  

As for the bad, what can I say that was bad? There are things that could use improvement such as making sure all of the social media sites are easy to find from the website, and conversely, including website links on Facebook and Twitter.  With that said, all efforts of building an online community through social media deserve to be commended.

Now if I could only get my small little borough in Bucks County, PA to take the hint and implement a social media strategy of their own.  Maybe I should get them to show up to the next Government Social Conference in Columbus in March of 2011!

In this uncertain economy, while the financial and auto industries are headlining the news with their struggles, it’s easy to forget the entities that are feeling the last ripples of the recession. Non-profit fundraising is down, but the demand for their efforts are at their highest levels ever. I recently had the opportunity to learn about how groups like the Mid-Ohio Foodbank are innovating to find new ways to promote and increase donations to their cause.

Christina Christian, the Foodbank’s first Digital Marketing Manager, has been tasked with bringing the 30-year-old non-profit up to speed on new social networking and marketing tools. A young and energetic woman, Christina knows that these methods of interacting with the community and donors are a big part of building relationships and campaigns in the future. Her job description includes “leading the Foodbank’s on-line marketing strategy, with special emphasis on engaging ‘digital millennials’ (the 18-26 year old demographic)”. This recognition by the Mid-Ohio Foodbank that young people learn and explore their interests through social media is part of a growing trend in the non-profit sector.

The Central Ohio Down Syndrome Society, The United Way of Central Ohio, The Salvation Army and The American Red Cross all have begun using social media as an extension of their marketing and communication strategies aimed at young people. Currently, Christina is utilizing several social media tools in her efforts to keep news, events and happenings at the Mid-Ohio Foodbank up to date and relevant:
•    Facebook
•    Twitter
•    USx8, a mobile donation program
•    The organization’s website

Each of these methods has the potential to reach people that would not otherwise take notice of the Mid-Ohio Foodbank’s traditional marketing. As with many non-profits, the Mid-Ohio Foodbank does not have a large marketing budget, so creativity and efficiency are always a priority when devising a new initiative.

Christina says that she looks to the Austin Capital Foodbank as a model of what can be done in Columbus with social media. While the Austin Foodbank is larger then Columbus’, one of the features of social media is that it allows smaller entities, no matter the industry, to compete with the big boys without breaking the bank. With a move to a new, larger facility slated for October, Christina is hoping that the digital marketing efforts and its effects will grow proportionately. Since setting a group on Facebook, using Twitter and keeping an up-to-date blog the Foodbank’s homepage has seen a substantial increase in visits.

Christina also told me about the USx8 program that the Mid-Ohio Foodbank has initiated. The program has been aimed at young people to donate $5 to the Foodbank using their mobile phones. Texting is an easy way for people to make a contribution that they may not otherwise have time to do. Based on the way the Mid-Ohio Foodbank receives donations, cash is up to eight times as valuable to them, thus the USx8 effort. They say that donation the $5 is really worth $40 to them, which they can use to feed a family of five for an entire day. This program has real potential, and started to gain momentum in the spring.

Christina has a very unique job. She must keep up with all of the new technologies coming out and take advantage of what each has to offer. At the same time, she is still working for a non-profit that, like most, is stretched thin in terms of staff and resources. She feels lucky to be a part of an organization that sees the value of social media and has taken steps to utilize these great tools that are revolutionizing how all businesses operate. Here’s to Christina, part of the new age of advocacy!

Twittering from the farm? CNN online recently wrote an article regarding the use of social media in agricultural areas and its growth among the farming community. Ohio State University Extension Educator, Andy Kleinschmidt was quoted in the article and I had the opportunity to ask him a few questions.

Kleinschmidt works directly with farmers to improve crop production and bring the knowledge of The Ohio State University’s Department of Agriculture out to rural areas. A “newbie,” as Kleinschmidt claims, to social media, he is quickly learning the newest tools of the “farming” trade. Using Facebook, Twitter, Friend Feed and his personal blog, Kleinschmidt says he is excited to stay connected to farmers and the agriculture community in real-time.

As with many other social media users, Kleinschmidt explains that social media allows for “two-way conversation, instant feedback and collective knowledge;” great ways to interact with colleagues and consumers. “There is an incredible power in the sharing of industry information; social media allows a farmer in North Dakota to share insight with a farmer in Iowa, it has truly broken down communication barriers and made farmers across the country accessible to one another,” said Kleinschmidt. Another benefit Kleinschmidt claims: “It gives a name and a face to the food you eat; so many people don’t think about where their food comes from, but now, social media really brings the food up to the fork.” Social media offers consumers a way to connect with their local providers and offers providers a way to clear up any misconceptions about the farming industry.

I love meeting people who obviously could have chosen a variety of careers that would have provided for their family but intently chose a path that positively impacts the world. Jaime Moore of WayWard Seed Farm is one such person. I interviewed Jaime regarding her use of social media to promote WayWard Seed Farm's products.

The interview was originally for a social media article I wrote for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. I was so impressed with Jaime that I am posting her full replies below. The social media article written for the Ohio Farm Bureau can be found on their site.