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Beyond Blogging:
Create an Integrated Online Student Ambassador Program




Mallory Wood
Saint Michael’s College

March 22, 2011   .eduGuru Online Summit
                                                    1
Hi there, my name is Mallory




                               2
And these are my bloggers




                  Well... some of them.
                                          3
What will you learn about today?

How to...

  ✤   Create/Expand

  ✤   Integrate

  ✤   Manage



an online student ambassador program.
                                        4
What is an online ambassador?

✤   More than just a blogger

✤   Passionate about connecting with future students on behalf of SMC

✤   Involved and connected on campus

✤   Excited about new technology, social media, etc

✤   Leader and forward-thinking “in real life”


    Integrate branded program across multiple platforms
                                                                        5
But first, a history lesson




                              6
Age of Discovery
           2001-2006




                       7
Age of Discovery
                                             2001-2006




✤   2 - 4 Student Bloggers

✤   Paid per semester

✤   Contract

✤   Posts required bi-weekly

✤   Used typepad.com with a standard SMC Blogger template

✤   Used professional photos for website

✤   Mix of recruiting students and applications
                                                            8
Age of Enlightenment
               2006-2009




                           9
Age of Enlightenment
                                               2006-2009


✤   6 - 12 Student Bloggers, 1 Faculty

✤   Paid per post

✤   No contract

✤   Posts encouraged weekly

✤   Used blogger.com, threw out standard template

✤   Creation of Blogger badge

✤   Live Q&A online chats

✤   Used professional photo for website                    10
Age of Growth
          2009-Present




                         11
Age of Growth
                                              2009-Present




✤   43 Blogs

✤   Paid per “post”

✤   Reinstated contract

✤   Required: blog, Twitter, Formspring, live chats, FaceBook, Ning

✤   Encouraged: Flickr, YouTube, VYou, Location-based services

✤   Use blogger.com and blogger badge

✤   Let students choose a photo to use for website
                                                                      12
Age of Growth
                                     2009-Present



Students:                    Faculty/Staff:
Paid blogs = 12              Department blogs = 6

Volunteer blogs = 16         Faculty blogs = 4
  - Abroad = 8
  - Alumni = 3               Staff = 2

Vlog = 1

Tweeters = 21

Formspring = 17
                                                    13
VYou = 6
Step 1
 Create an ambassador program
               or
Expand existing blogger program


                                  14
Goals before tools


          ✤   Pay attention to admission
              seasons

          ✤   Use analytics tools

          ✤   Remember your audience

          ✤   Keep institutional marketing
              messages in mind


                                             15
Content, content, content


✤   Relevant

✤   Authentic

✤   Engaging

✤   Original

✤   Entertaining


                                       16
Content, content, content

                     "Authenticity, good writing, relevant
                     content, stories that are in alignment
                     with SMC's brand identity"
                     @JohnTLawlor




                                               "Speak in your own voice about
"be authentic... don't put on a
                                               your own experiences & be
professional personality. just
                                               careful what you share about
be yourselves"
@KarlynM                                       your friends, esp if you name
                                               them."
                                               @mStonerblog


                                                                            17
Content, content, content

                             "Remember you're having a
 "Build long standing        convo with real people, and
relationships with the       there are hopes, dreams,
prospects. "                 fears, frustrations on the
@NickDenardis                other side. Be human."
                             @Robin2Go




                                                           18
Take advantage of what you’ve got

                  ✤   Tour guides

                  ✤   Student gov’t leaders

                  ✤   Honors students

                  ✤   Athletes

                  ✤   Club/organization leaders

                  ✤   Transfer/International students

                                                  19
Step 2

Determine which tools to use
            and
 Integrate students online

                               20
21
www.smcblogs.com
10/10 - 03/11
Unique Visits - 8407
Filtered Visits - 7978




                                     22
www.smcblogs.com
10/10 - 03/11
Average time on page = 20 minutes 28 seconds




                                               23
Blogs




        24
Blogs




        25
Visits to Student Blogs
                Unique Visits          Filtered Visits


4,000



3,000



2,000



1,000



   0
        Oct.       Nov.         Dec.           Jan.      Feb.   26
Traffic Sources

Website = 46.5%

   Feed = 15.3%

Direct = 13.5%

Other = 40%
   incl. twitter, Facebook, blog to blog, search engines


                                                           27
Blogs




        28
Twitter

     What role does it play?
     ✤   Micro-blog

     ✤   Quick daily update

     ✤   Topics differ from blog posts

     ✤   Builds community among
         ambassadors

     ✤   Educational

                                     29
Twitter

                  Facts:                                         Approach to success:
✤   87% of americans are aware                                   ✤   Feed tweets in blogs
    of twitter
                                                                 ✤   Twitter speech bubbles
✤   7% of americans use twitter                                      average 50 clicks/month
✤   18% of twitter users are
    under 17

✤   97% of twitter users have
    less than 100 followers

http://www.edisonresearch.com/twitter_usage_2010.php                                        30
        http://www.website-monitoring.com
Twitter

Is it worth it?




                  31
Twitter

Is it worth it?




                  32
Ask me anything!

                                                     ✤   57% of Formspring users are 13-24

                                                     ✤   Over 575 questions answered (by students)

                                                     ✤   Ability to be anonymous

                                                     ✤   Connect with favorite ambassador

                                                     ✤   Answers are genuine and authentic



                                                                                                 33
http://about.formspring.me/PR/Formspring-Facts.pdf
Ask me anything!




                   34
Class of 2015 communities


✤   Participate

✤   Start conversations

✤   Be a resource

✤   Moderate




                                      35
Step 3
Manage your program




                      36
Manage




         37
Selecting ambassadors

✤   Attend information session (30 min.)

✤   1 month application process
       - create a blog, post 1x/wk minimum
       - first post = “About me”
       - create a twitter account
       - first tweet = “Why I want to be an ambassador”

✤   Selection of Paid ambassadors

✤   Attend fall training, sign contract

                                                         38
Contract

3 reasons you should use a contract:
                               Blog 1x/wk
   ✤   Responsibilities        Tweet 1x/day
                               Photos/Video bi-weekly
                               Q&A

                               Paid
   ✤   Benefits                 Leadership training
                               Recommendation letter
                               Networking opportunities
                               Resume building


   ✤   Protection              Set standards
                               Authentic vs. Inappropriate


                                                             39
Trust + Education = Success




                              40
ROI

Projected yearly cost
                         25% of applicants connect
of program = $4185.14


Monthly average cost
                         66% of enrolled students connect
per ambassador = $40


Yearly average cost
                         Anecdotes are priceless
per ambassador = $318

                                                       41
Thank you!



Mallory Wood

@MalloryWood

marketingwithmallory.com


March 22, 2011   .eduGuru Online Summit
                                          42

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Beyond Blogging: Create an Integrated Online Student Ambassador Program

  • 1. Beyond Blogging: Create an Integrated Online Student Ambassador Program Mallory Wood Saint Michael’s College March 22, 2011 .eduGuru Online Summit 1
  • 2. Hi there, my name is Mallory 2
  • 3. And these are my bloggers Well... some of them. 3
  • 4. What will you learn about today? How to... ✤ Create/Expand ✤ Integrate ✤ Manage an online student ambassador program. 4
  • 5. What is an online ambassador? ✤ More than just a blogger ✤ Passionate about connecting with future students on behalf of SMC ✤ Involved and connected on campus ✤ Excited about new technology, social media, etc ✤ Leader and forward-thinking “in real life” Integrate branded program across multiple platforms 5
  • 6. But first, a history lesson 6
  • 7. Age of Discovery 2001-2006 7
  • 8. Age of Discovery 2001-2006 ✤ 2 - 4 Student Bloggers ✤ Paid per semester ✤ Contract ✤ Posts required bi-weekly ✤ Used typepad.com with a standard SMC Blogger template ✤ Used professional photos for website ✤ Mix of recruiting students and applications 8
  • 9. Age of Enlightenment 2006-2009 9
  • 10. Age of Enlightenment 2006-2009 ✤ 6 - 12 Student Bloggers, 1 Faculty ✤ Paid per post ✤ No contract ✤ Posts encouraged weekly ✤ Used blogger.com, threw out standard template ✤ Creation of Blogger badge ✤ Live Q&A online chats ✤ Used professional photo for website 10
  • 11. Age of Growth 2009-Present 11
  • 12. Age of Growth 2009-Present ✤ 43 Blogs ✤ Paid per “post” ✤ Reinstated contract ✤ Required: blog, Twitter, Formspring, live chats, FaceBook, Ning ✤ Encouraged: Flickr, YouTube, VYou, Location-based services ✤ Use blogger.com and blogger badge ✤ Let students choose a photo to use for website 12
  • 13. Age of Growth 2009-Present Students: Faculty/Staff: Paid blogs = 12 Department blogs = 6 Volunteer blogs = 16 Faculty blogs = 4 - Abroad = 8 - Alumni = 3 Staff = 2 Vlog = 1 Tweeters = 21 Formspring = 17 13 VYou = 6
  • 14. Step 1 Create an ambassador program or Expand existing blogger program 14
  • 15. Goals before tools ✤ Pay attention to admission seasons ✤ Use analytics tools ✤ Remember your audience ✤ Keep institutional marketing messages in mind 15
  • 16. Content, content, content ✤ Relevant ✤ Authentic ✤ Engaging ✤ Original ✤ Entertaining 16
  • 17. Content, content, content "Authenticity, good writing, relevant content, stories that are in alignment with SMC's brand identity" @JohnTLawlor "Speak in your own voice about "be authentic... don't put on a your own experiences & be professional personality. just careful what you share about be yourselves" @KarlynM your friends, esp if you name them." @mStonerblog 17
  • 18. Content, content, content "Remember you're having a "Build long standing convo with real people, and relationships with the there are hopes, dreams, prospects. " fears, frustrations on the @NickDenardis other side. Be human." @Robin2Go 18
  • 19. Take advantage of what you’ve got ✤ Tour guides ✤ Student gov’t leaders ✤ Honors students ✤ Athletes ✤ Club/organization leaders ✤ Transfer/International students 19
  • 20. Step 2 Determine which tools to use and Integrate students online 20
  • 21. 21
  • 22. www.smcblogs.com 10/10 - 03/11 Unique Visits - 8407 Filtered Visits - 7978 22
  • 23. www.smcblogs.com 10/10 - 03/11 Average time on page = 20 minutes 28 seconds 23
  • 24. Blogs 24
  • 25. Blogs 25
  • 26. Visits to Student Blogs Unique Visits Filtered Visits 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. 26
  • 27. Traffic Sources Website = 46.5% Feed = 15.3% Direct = 13.5% Other = 40% incl. twitter, Facebook, blog to blog, search engines 27
  • 28. Blogs 28
  • 29. Twitter What role does it play? ✤ Micro-blog ✤ Quick daily update ✤ Topics differ from blog posts ✤ Builds community among ambassadors ✤ Educational 29
  • 30. Twitter Facts: Approach to success: ✤ 87% of americans are aware ✤ Feed tweets in blogs of twitter ✤ Twitter speech bubbles ✤ 7% of americans use twitter average 50 clicks/month ✤ 18% of twitter users are under 17 ✤ 97% of twitter users have less than 100 followers http://www.edisonresearch.com/twitter_usage_2010.php 30 http://www.website-monitoring.com
  • 33. Ask me anything! ✤ 57% of Formspring users are 13-24 ✤ Over 575 questions answered (by students) ✤ Ability to be anonymous ✤ Connect with favorite ambassador ✤ Answers are genuine and authentic 33 http://about.formspring.me/PR/Formspring-Facts.pdf
  • 35. Class of 2015 communities ✤ Participate ✤ Start conversations ✤ Be a resource ✤ Moderate 35
  • 36. Step 3 Manage your program 36
  • 37. Manage 37
  • 38. Selecting ambassadors ✤ Attend information session (30 min.) ✤ 1 month application process - create a blog, post 1x/wk minimum - first post = “About me” - create a twitter account - first tweet = “Why I want to be an ambassador” ✤ Selection of Paid ambassadors ✤ Attend fall training, sign contract 38
  • 39. Contract 3 reasons you should use a contract: Blog 1x/wk ✤ Responsibilities Tweet 1x/day Photos/Video bi-weekly Q&A Paid ✤ Benefits Leadership training Recommendation letter Networking opportunities Resume building ✤ Protection Set standards Authentic vs. Inappropriate 39
  • 40. Trust + Education = Success 40
  • 41. ROI Projected yearly cost 25% of applicants connect of program = $4185.14 Monthly average cost 66% of enrolled students connect per ambassador = $40 Yearly average cost Anecdotes are priceless per ambassador = $318 41