Top Five Social Media Happenings of 2011: A Completely Unscientific List

Matthew Herek currently serves as the associate director of young alumni engagement in the office of alumni relations and development at Northwestern University.

‘Tis the season for end-of-the-year lists: Most fascinating people, best songs, greatest dance innovations and most shocking reality TV moments are just a few that I've seen. Not to be outdone by the cacophony of experts providing you with their ideas on the most groundbreaking events of 2011, I am happy to provide you with my Top Five Social Media Happenings of 2011: A Completely Unscientific List. These opinions are my own (aren’t they always?) and are listed in no particular order:

1. Twitter continues to be the place where news breaks: In late November, the athletic director at the University of Arizona was ready to announce the identity of the new football coach. There were no leaks to favored reporters from hometown papers. Initially, there wasn't even a press release. Instead, he chose to announce the new coach on Twitter, complete with a photo taken on his phone. This shows that campus leaders (presidents, athletic directors, etc.) are usingTwitter to announce campus news in their own words, bypassing the filter of television or newspapers. It is another example of why leaders in alumni relations need to know how to use Twitter, even if they have no desire to tweet or interact in the "Twitterspace." Leaders need to ask themselves if they want alumni to learn of campus news before they do. If the answer is yes, they don’t need a Twitter account.
2. LinkedIn launches Classmates: Most alumni career offices have long implored their constituents to create and launch a LinkedIn profile. In some cases, it has been difficult to teach alumni what to do with that profile and how to use it to help build a solid network for career development purposes. LinkedIn has begun taking steps toward recognizing the affinity that individuals have for their alma mater with their Classmates feature. Using the feature allows alumni to search by a variety of factors for fellow alumni who they may want to connect with. It also has the potential to help alumni offices take a snapshot of the career paths alumni are entering in different geographic areas.
3. Facebook changes….again: This should be a standing item on all social media lists. Facebook changed its interface, then it changed how top stories were determined and then it changed its insights metrics. All of this proves one thing about Facebook—users are simply ambassadors with embassies in the Facebook world; the rules can change at anytime. The challenge for those of us who see value in social media is finding a way to articulate to decision-makers why 8,100 impressions one day can suddenly become 1,200 impressions the next day. As social media sites continue to evolve, it may make year-to-year comparisons impractical from a reporting standpoint. This will certainly frustrate the more numbers-driven among us.
4. Streaming video gets easier: More and more schools are starting to take advantage of the capabilities offered by sites such as Ustream. One of the pleasant surprise this year at Northwestern was the success of a livestream from our reunions/homecoming program in October. Sites such as Ustream are helping us get the good news of our different programs in front of more eyes worldwide. Streaming video could be key to ramping up future alumni engagement on an international level.
5. Google Plus came...left…then came back…kind of: When word broke that Google was launching a "Facebook killer," quite a few of us started looking for invites, hoping to be early adopters. Unfortunately, Google did not allow businesses or groups to have Google+ identities in the early days of the launch. Then Facebook adopted many of the features that made Google+ an interesting competitor. In 2012, we should give Google+ a second look. The hangouts feature provides a slick way to have meetings with alumni from around the world. If no other part of the interface survives, I hope that part does.

Much more happened in 2011 in social media and more will continue to happen in 2012. Technology keeps challenging us to stay on our toes and generate new ways to serve our constituents. What are your top five trends in social media?

Opportunities to Delight

Sarah Hyde is the social media coordinator for Seattle University.

In a key scene in the classic holiday film Miracle on 34^th Street, a customer is frustrated because she can’t find what she’s looking for at Macy’s, and Santa—the real Santa, as it turns out—directs her to another store for the item. Soon the gesture yields positive hype for Macy’s and business booms.

Last month, Seattle University experienced a similar “everybody benefits” situation when it did something unusual and honored a competitor. We published a full-page ad in the Seattle Times wishing the University of Washington, our neighbor a few miles to the north in Seattle, a very happy 150^th birthday.

The University of Washington is recognized by many as one of the nation’s finest public universities and a global leader in healthcare research. Founded in 1891, Seattle University is an independent Jesuit Catholic university. Seattle is home to many people who hold degrees from both institutions.

We social media advocates are usually the first to say, “Do it online!” When we do print, we’re mindful to drive people back to the website. So why spend the money on a big ad praising our competition? Answer: because it’s a good idea to applaud the good work being done around you, and sometimes, as it turns out, a simple gesture in print can come back to benefit you online.

Years ago, there would have been little consideration given to Seattle University investing in a celebration of the University of Washington. But in recent years, Seattle U has undergone a transformation—in academic programs, student services, campus improvements, entry into Division I athletics—and enjoys a significantly enhanced profile. We are comfortable with our status and with recognizing the University of Washington for its contributions and for 120 years of friendship and partnership. In some instances, we compete for students and we compete in athletics. But in many more ways, we work together, and we share a passion for educating future leaders.

When the ad ran in the Seattle Times, the response was overwhelming. After receiving our digital file, staff from the Times called us to say how much they loved the ad. The UW answered back by posting a thank you to Seattle U on its Facebook page, along with an image of the ad itself. This post became a sensation as Twitter and Facebook lit up with discussion with hundreds of UW and SU users liking and resharing the item.

The UW’s digital response to our printed olive branch was a real testament to the power of tipping your hat to your neighbor. Additionally, the conversation that took place on social media platforms illustrated the full benefits of transparency in today’s crowded media market and the potential power combo of print and web. What began as a print ad that reached hundreds of thousands of Seattle subscribers became an item shared electronically across the nation. By posting the ad online, UW really maximized the impact of the ad, carrying a print success one step further via social media.

Anyone who operates a social media site is looking to engage an audience. We spend a good amount of time brainstorming and planning campaigns for social media outlets, hoping to start a fire, but time and again the evidence shows that online audiences respond the most to content that suprises and delights them. Our gesture of friendship with UW, when re-posted on social media sites, was acknowledged and magnified by both the UW and SU audiences.

The success of our print ad via social media serves as a reminder to be opportunistic and look for chances to re-post or share information from other platforms that engage your audience, much like the Macy’s Santa pointing that shopper to another department store. Whether you’re sharing an article about a faculty member, a photo of campus or an ad praising another school, never forget to delight your audience.