Social Media What is it? Why should we use it? How do we use it? Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

What is Social Media? Social media is “an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio.” Social media is “an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio.” Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

Why Be Involved With Social Media? “We don’t have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how well we do it.” - Eric Qualman, Author Socialnomics, 2009 Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

Why We Should Use Social Media  50% of the world’s population is under 30 (Socialnomics, 2009) (Socialnomics, 2009)  Adults spend 15+ hours online weekly (Social Media Energy, 2010) (Social Media Energy, 2010)  If Facebook were a country, it would be the 3 rd largest (Socialnomics, 2009)  Youtube is the 4 th most visited site on the internet (Social Media Energy, 2010) (Social Media Energy, 2010) Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

Why We Should Use Social Media  Communicating with social media is a system to leverage your ability to be in touch with your audience.  If you can’t be found, you are not engaging with an audience. You are ignoring a target market for recruiting opportunities.  If you are not communicating (listening first, initiating second) then how do you expect to create a relationship with people that may want to be a part of the value that the Auxiliary offers? Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

More video is uploaded in 60 days than all 3 major US networks created in 60 years More video is uploaded in 60 days than all 3 major US networks created in 60 years 2 billion videos viewed each day worldwide 2 billion videos viewed each day worldwide 20 billion page views per month 20 billion page views per month 50 million users in the US alone 50 million users in the US alone 5 billion photos are hosted 5 billion photos are hosted 3,000 images uploaded every minute 3,000 images uploaded every minute Social Media Facts Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

Social Media Facts 55 million tweets per day 55 million tweets per day 45% of users are aged 18 – 34 45% of users are aged 18 – billion minutes per month are spent on Facebook 700 billion minutes per month are spent on Facebook 30 billion pieces of content (web links, 30 billion pieces of content (web links, news, photos) are shared each week news, photos) are shared each week Fastest growing: Women 55+ Fastest growing: Women 55+ Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

The keys to social media success are: engagement engagement listening listening interaction interaction connection connection How Do We Use Social Media? Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

Stimulate conversations Stimulate conversations Share information & ideas Share information & ideas Listen to other voices Listen to other voices Instill partnerships Instill partnerships Give a personality (friendly, funny, informative) Give a personality (friendly, funny, informative) Through Engagement We… Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

 Do not edit UGC… except cautiously  Keep voice authentic & human  Keep it fresh  Get permissions when appropriate  Extend our branding  Respond within 24 hours if possible Rules of Engagement Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

We also Know…  Our communications are two-way conversations  Our information can deliver “instant gratification”  Our reputation is reinforced by others Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

Now that you understand it, how does it fit into the Auxiliary? Using Social Media Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

1. How to correctly wear a PFD 2. Paddlesport safety 3. Safe boating tips 4. Vessel Safety Check Youtube Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

1. Promote upcoming classes 2. Advertise future VSEs 3. Recruitment Craigslist Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

1. Conferences 2. Outdoor/boating shows 3. Patrols (water or air) 4. Fellowship Flickr Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

1. Advise Aux members of upcoming classes 2. Call for participation during future outdoor/boating shows 3. Share preparedness links 4. Give updates from National 5. State liaison programs 6. Public education events Twitter and Facebook Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

Things to Keep in Mind When Getting Started Follow “Rules of Engagement” Follow “Rules of Engagement” Plan activity (editorial calendar) Plan activity (editorial calendar) Monitor conversations Monitor conversations Analyze performance Analyze performance Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

Home Work Assignment!!!  Become a fan! Facebook.com/USCGAux5DNR  Become a follower! Twitter.com/USCGAux5DNR  Become a contact! Flickr.com/photos/USCGAUX5DNR Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region

Social Media Q&A Mary Bethea Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Affairs / Social Media 5 th Northern District Northern Region