Recommended
Recommended
More Related Content
What's hot
What's hot (20)
Similar to Be a #Social Scientist: Social Media Outreach for Field Biologists
Similar to Be a #Social Scientist: Social Media Outreach for Field Biologists (20)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (7)
Be a #Social Scientist: Social Media Outreach for Field Biologists
- 1. Be a #Social Scientist: Social Media Outreach for Field Biologists Ellen George Cornell University Department of Natural Resources Graduate Student Symposium 2017 Tweet Me! @greatlakescisco
- 2. • Many grant applications now require an outreach plan • Old format – public presentation at end of project • New format – share during project and build a following • Social media platforms and audiences already exist – and they’re free! • Majority of people get news from social media • Building a more transparent and open community with the public Why be a #Social Scientist?
- 3. • Plan to use social media from the beginning • Be organized, proactive, and goal-focused • Decide on goals, message and audience • Choose social media platforms • Create a structured plan or “map” • Assign responsibilities and expectations • Return to this plan periodically to stay on message and reevaluate • Independence vs. Integration • Ultimately depends on policy of your grant/parent agency Working with Grant and Parent Agencies
- 4. • Most popular social media site • Good for events and organizing groups • Different levels of admin access • Insights diagnostics section Facebook
- 5. • Most visual, meant for sharing photos and videos • Great for “behind the scenes,” field work updates Instagram
- 6. • Most “social” of the three platforms • Networking • 140 character limit forces you to be concise! • Live tweet conferences, events • Twitter Analytics Twitter
- 7. • Youtube can be a “home base” for videos • Forums can crowdsource information • Ex: IceShanty.com Other Platforms
- 8. • Facebook and Instagram • A few times a week, up to 1-2 times per day • Space posts out – too many posts at once will receive less attention • Facebook post scheduling is a lifesaver! • Tweet me a River • You throw stuff out there and it floats away! • Tweet very frequently – several times a day • Don’t be afraid to retweet old material • Rule of Thirds • Remember, you reap what you sow! How Often Should I Post?
- 9. • It’s best to keep it short, on all platforms • For more info, include link to blog post or website • Shorten links to stay within character limit • ALWAYS include a picture or something visual • Only a second to catch a scroller’s attention • Don’t be afraid of posting graphs, but put an animal picture next to it • Don’t post the same things on all platforms! Encourage audience to follow you on multiple accounts. • “Like more videos? Follow us on Instagram!” Crafting Tweets and Posts
- 10. • Makes content searchable & discoverable • Choosing hashtags is like choosing keywords in a paper • Who is your audience? Ex. #icefishing, #gradlife • Established hashtags reach a wider audience. Ex: #fieldworkfail • Create your own hashtags to start building your own theme • Events (#DNRsym2017), themes (#LakeOntario), fun games (#IdentiFriday) • Allows for multiple contributors to a single subject #Hashtags!
- 11. • Not everything is a hashtag! • 3-4 max, more acceptable on Instagram • Remember the purpose of hashtags • Use hashtags in sentences to save space, but do it sparingly #Hashtags! #NO!
- 12. • Share behind-the-scenes moments • No editing or posting later: it’s done! • Excellent visibility: appears at top of feed • Add a caption before you go live • Viewers can like/comment during Live video • Can flip between facing you and away, but don’t rotate the phone • Nervous? Practice before by changing privacy settings • It’s a learning process and constantly changing. Be flexible and forgiving! Going Live on Facebook
- 13. • Short Tasty and Buzzfeed-style videos are popular right now • Why? Short, visual, and informative • Most people watch videos without sound! • Good for folks who aren’t comfortable talking off-the-cuff • Can be compiled from archived footage • Include link to more info if needed “Snackable” Content
- 14. • Plan ahead before you go in the field • Make list of desired content • Plan into your schedule • Designate a photographer • GoPro cameras and mounts • iPhone videos – shoot many of them! • Ex. Jim Boase, USFWS Alpena • Live tweet/post in the field, or “pseudo-live” when you get back • Don’t dump all your content at once: save some for the off season Be Proactive about Creating Content
- 15. • Emily George, IMAX Social Media Marketing • Tips: • Be a real person! Engage, interact, and have a personality. • Be experimental and have fun! Ex: Boomerang, mannequin challenge, etc. • Consider putting money behind your posts. Even a small amount can greatly increase audience. Role Models: IMAX
- 16. • Professional “garficionado” • Shedd Aquarium, Primitive Fishes, The Fisheries Blog, Southern Fried Science • Tips: • Use puns and pop culture references Ex: Gar of Thrones, Leech-nado • Promote other scientists and be social Role Models: Dr. Solomon David
- 17. Role Models: National Geographic
- 18. Thank You! Dr. Solomon David @SolomonRDavid @PrimitiveFishes Emily George @IMAX Facebook.com/IMAX Susi Varvayanis Cornell BEST Program
- 19. Great Hashtags for Scientists
Editor's Notes
- My story Grant agencies want info from the research they are funding to make it back to the public Public is ultimately your support, financially or otherwise Where are their tax dollars going? Not just teaching people facts, but ultimately building support for the project and science as a whole Climbing down from ivory tower – social media humanizes you
- Independence pros: Easier and quicker for you to post, freedom to choose materials, more “personable”, Existing channels (i.e. agency FB page or twitter): name recognition, existing audience, less day-to-day work for you
- Pages: limited access, visitor posts separate, people can like without joining a group, different levels of access Groups: more collaborative, best for organizing real-life groups of people or discussion groups about a topic. Anyone can post. Closed groups – must be invited and accepted to join
- If you can’t say it in 140 characters, you don’t know it well enough
- You have seconds to catch someone’s attention as they scroll – always use a visual!
- Check to make sure hashtags aren’t already in use
- Drones?
- People don’t like being marketed to Science often doesn’t have a big budget for outreach/promotion, but even $20 can help a lot. Try building it into your budget when planning.
- Gives Instagram login to all photographers/journalists Difficult on twitter/instagram – no lesser access Facebook pages can have admin and contributing members