1. Using social media to promote a macro-regional strategy The example of the Danube Region INFORM meeting | Brussels | 15-16 June 2010

2. STARTING POINT 1 – SUPPORT COMMUNITY SET UP February 2010: Launch preparation EU Strategy for the Danube Region / Consultation process Our mandate: awareness ETC  Other Danube Stakeholders: Promote ETC Create links to other groups / stakeholders Create community of common interest March 2010: 1st forum meeting with ETC programmes and other stakeholders + launch of Facebook group Why Facebook?

3. STARTING POINT 2 – LOOK AT AVAILABLE TOOLS

4. SET UP OF THE FACEBOOK GROUP The Facebook group Danube Strategy - Territorial Cooperation How did we proceed? Name (searchability) Administrator name + photo (better “anonymous”) Settings: open group Content + regular updates Promotion (links, invitations)

5. THE FACEBOOK GROUP The Facebook group Danube Strategy - Territorial Cooperation

6. PROS The Facebook group Danube Strategy - Territorial Cooperation PROS Simple and quick No external webmastering, no hosting Multifunctional: information/text, announce events, send mass mailings (no spams), discussion forum, instant messaging, photos and videos Impact: Opens up to new, indirect target groups - Increases traffic to own website - Free „advertisement“

7. PROS – FOCUS ON THE PHOTO APPLICATION The Facebook group Danube Strategy - Territorial Cooperation Photos Events, projects, general/basic photos Upload: admin only or all members No limitation in terms of number Be cautious with privacy issues

8. PROS – FOCUS ON THE PHOTO APPLICATION

9. PROS – FOCUS ON THE VIDEO APPLICATION The Facebook group Danube Strategy - Territorial Cooperation Videos Link from Youtube Upload videos (<20 minutes and 1024MB) Record videos Upload function: Admin only or all members … Towards a community multimedia database

10. CONS The Facebook group Danube Strategy - Territorial Cooperation CONS Information board or real community platform? How to get active contributions? How to get new members? The social media jungle Access to Facebook denied in some institutions Credibility and privacy How to evaluate?

11. YOUTUBE The Youtube INTERACT Channel Example: The Video „A Journey throughout the Danube Region: Territorial Cooperation shaping our joint future“ Link to Facebook page Video embedded on INTERACT Website + INFOREGIO Website Evaluation: number of visits, origin, traffic evolution

12. YOUTUBE

13. Thank you very much for your attention. Please don´t hesitate to contact us for further information or visit www.interact-eu.net