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Recap: Making Your Statement in a Digital World

November 17, 2016 by Lucie Amberg

Keyboard

boomer-computersWe recently presented Making Your Statement in a Digital World, a comprehensive training session for Missouri State website, blog and social media managers.

The session was presented in two parts.

  • Part 1 focused on writing for websites and blogs and also provided strategic tips for managing communications across all digital platforms, including social media.
  • Part 2 dove deep into the social media universe and discussed strategies for storytelling and audience engagement across a variety of platforms.

Key takeaways from Part 1

Websites

  • Your audience views your website as the place to get information. An effective website is accurate, consistent and organized.
  • In order to create an effective website, you must first identify your audiences.
  • You’ve also got to identify your goals — what you want people to do when they visit your site.
  • Once all of your website’s stakeholders have agreed on audiences and goals, write them down so that you can all stay on track.
  • Want to test the effectiveness of your site? Ask someone (who doesn’t normally use it) to find something on it.

Blogs

  • A blog is a great place to build a relationship with your audience.
  • Someone who visits your blog expects it to be a chronological journal of what’s happening in your unit, which means sharing time-sensitive information isn’t a problem — as long as you’re keeping your blog up-to-date in general.
  • Use classic storytelling tools, like perspective, conflict and tension, to create blog posts that resonate with your audience.
  • A blog makes a great content repository. Consider using blog posts for the most in-depth version of your news and events and distributing shorter variations of the post across your social media channels.

Social media

  • Good social media is interactive and unpretentious and should look effortless — even though good social media management requires a lot of effort.
  • Don’t dive into every social media channel at once. Pick ones that help meet your strategic communication goals.
  • When deciding whether to take on a new social media channel, analyze whether it’s a good fit for your goals, target audience and current resources.
  • Identify the ideal audience member for your social media. Get specific with the details; even consider giving that person a name. This will make it easier to create conversational, personal social posts.

The Missouri State brand

We also provided a brief overview of Missouri State’s new brand, which helps unite all university communications through consistent messaging and visual elements. Key points included:

  • The Missouri State brand messaging, which helps break down Missouri State’s attributes into tangible benefits for our students.
  • The personality of branded content, summarized as pragmatic and optimistic; engaged and tenacious; geniune and grounded.
  • Visual assets, which unite Missouri State communications with a common color palette, design and typography.
  • More information is available through the Missouri State brand website and blog.

Access the presentation

  • Making Your Statement in a Digital World – Part 1
  • Part 1 handout

Key takeaways from Part 2Go Bears GIF

Facebook

  • Use Facebook Pages to share your organization’s story and connect with your fans
  • Facebook Pages help you become
    • Discoverable
    • Connected
    • Timely
    • Insightful
  • That it’s social media’s biggest platform is a benefit for reach, but a challenge for organizations to acquire attention
  • Promote transparency. Allow anyone to publish to your page or tag you in photos
  • Post videos directly to Facebook to boost your posts’ reach

Twitter

  • Act like your own biggest fan
  • Always respond to questions and concerns from your audience
  • Focus on linking to mobile-friendly content
  • Think about your voice. An institution does not have to sound institutional
  • Use precise university-branded hashtags
    • #MSUBears (athletics)
    • #GoMaroon (student engagement, traditions, etc.)
    • #BearGrads (commencement)
    • #CitizenBear (public affairs)
    • #BearsHomecoming (homecoming)

Visual Platforms

  • Visual content captures our attention more quickly than text
  • Use Instagram if your organization lends itself to visual storytelling, but note the platform focuses on consumption, not interactivity
  • YouTube reaches more 18-49-year-olds than any cable network in the United States
  • However, there’s no formula for making a video go viral
  • Use aggregators to combine cross-platform posts around a theme or hashtag

Access the presentation

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Visual Platforms

Filed Under: Social media, Training Tagged With: blogging, Social Media, strategy, Training, web and new media, website

Recap: 2016 Public Affairs Convocation on social media

November 9, 2016 by Lucie Amberg

Author Sonia Nazario

Sonia Nazario, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author of Enrique’s Journey, recently spoke to the Missouri State and Springfield communities about her life, career and thoughts on the complex issues surrounding immigration.

The conversation extended to social media, where attendees shared their reactions on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Selected social media posts

Doors are opened and Hammons hall is filling up for the Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Sonia Nazario to speak. #CitizenBear

— ALEXIS ALSTON (@EYESOFFALEXIS) November 1, 2016

Sonia Nazario became determined to be a journalist to tell the truth and shed light on stories that matter. That's a #CitizenBear

— Bree James (@Hello_Bree_Here) November 2, 2016

"Does my mother still love me?" The question @SLNazario says propelled Enrique through his journey. #CitizenBear pic.twitter.com/ikACg8T9RB

— Missouri State (@MissouriState) November 2, 2016

Sonia traveled about 1600 miles on top of 7 freight trains for about 3 months retracing the steps of Enrique's journey… #citizenbear

— sami (@Sami_Timmerberg) November 2, 2016

Sonia Nazario reminds us that now, more than ever, we must remember to be compassionate. #CitizenBear

— Chelsea Loftus (@chelsea_loftus) November 2, 2016

Being immigrant myself hearing @SLNazario's means a lot. It really helps to gain an extra boost of confidence for the future. #CitizenBear

— Evgenia Kotova (@zzhenyak) November 2, 2016

“Never give up. Even if you feel incredibly discouraged, find something meaningful and push for change. Have ganas.” — Sonia Nazario, Public Affairs Convocation speaker #CitizenBear

A photo posted by Missouri State University (@missouristate) on Nov 1, 2016 at 5:55pm PDT

Great evening w/ @SLNazario. Final advice to students: interact with people different from you to increase cultural competence. Well said! pic.twitter.com/wa9u2waST6

— Clif Smart (@ClifSmart) November 2, 2016

Filed Under: Social media, web strategy and development Tagged With: convocation, enrique's journey, Public Affairs, Social Media, sonia nazario

Free training for websites, blogs and social media

November 2, 2016 by Lucie Amberg

Interactive digital panels

Interactive digital panels Websites, blogs, social media — there are now more ways than ever to reach our audience, and we all want to use each platform as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Join us for a free session, where we’ll offer tips and tricks for online marketing and communications.

Making your statement in a digital world

You’ll learn practical strategies for managing websites, blogs and social media. We’ll answer questions like:

  • What do users want my website, blog or social media to provide?
  • How do we repurpose our website and blog content and distribute it on social media?
  • How do we manage messaging on multiple social media channels?
  • What are some advanced strategies to increase our effectiveness on Facebook, Twitter
    and Instagram?
  • How can we best leverage photo and video content?
  • How can we use elements of the Missouri State brand?
  • What can we do immediately to make our digital communications more strategic?

Key details

  • What: Making Your Statement in a Digital World, a free training on websites and social media presented by Lucie Amberg and Kevin Agee
  • When: 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Nov. 10
  • Where: Traywick Parliamentary Room, Plaster Student Union Room 313
  • Who: Open to faculty, staff and students who manage content for Missouri State websites, blogs and social media platforms
  • How: This event is free; registration though My Learning Connection is requested. Please feel free to bring your own laptop or tablet.

Filed Under: Social media, Training, web strategy and development, WordPress blogs Tagged With: content, marketing, new media, Social Media, Training

Redesigned physician assistant studies website: Academic excellence + work-life balance

October 3, 2016 by Lucie Amberg

Homepage of the physician assistant studies website

The redesigned physician assistant studies website recently launched as part of the Academic Website Project. It is the seventh academic website to receive a full redesign for the mobile-friendly website template, a process that includes the creation of new content, design and multimedia elements.

Homepage of the physician assistant studies website

Clarifying and communicating unique benefits

Early in the redesign process, we worked with the department to identify the following recruitment messages:

  • Physician assistants play a vital role in health care while also maintaining a positive work-life balance.
  • Missouri State’s physician assistant studies program allows students to finish in just 24 months — faster than many other PA programs.
  • Graduates of this program have a history of success on the physician assistant certification exam.

Emphasizing key recruitment messages

Photography throughout the site features physician assistants in action and students learning through hands-on experiences. The careers and outcomes page emphasizes the positive work-life balance associated with the profession.

The program’s efficiency, which gives it a strong recruitment advantage over programs that take longer to complete, is spotlighted on both the departmental homepage and the physician assistant program page. These pages consistently reinforce the message, “You will finish our program in just 24 months.”

The website highlights graduates’ success on the certification exam, which is required for anyone wishing to practice as a physician assistant. These pass rates have a permanent home on the exam pass rates page.

Site credits

  • Project lead and content: Lucie Amberg, new media specialist in the office of Web and new media
  • Design: Abby Isackson, graphic designer in the office of publications
  • Photography: Kevin White, senior photographer in the office of publications
  • Editor: Kevin Agee, new media specialist in the offices of communications and Web and new media
  • Implementation: Brian Heaton, content management programmer in the office of Web and new media, with Lucie Amberg and Sara Clark, director of the office of Web and new media, and student coder Louis Freeman

Filed Under: Academic websites, Mobile, Web redesign 2015 Tagged With: academic website, mobile, mobile friendly, recruitment, Redesign

Free photo opportunity for faculty and staff

August 24, 2016 by Lucie Amberg

Faculty and staff taking part in free portrait days

Faculty and staff participating in a Free Portrait DayFree Portrait Days will be held on Aug. 30-31. This event is open to all Missouri State faculty and staff. It’s a great opportunity to ensure that university websites and publications are using your up-to-date, professional headshot.

Key details

  • Who: Open to Missouri State faculty and staff
  • When: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 30 and Wednesday, Aug. 31
  • Where: Plaster Student Union, Room 317

Filed Under: Academic websites, web strategy and development Tagged With: free photo days, free portrait days, photo, photography, portrait

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  • Last Modified: October 3, 2016
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