Comment Danger

My Social Media Strategies class had the great pleasure of Skyping last week with Dr. Josh Scacco, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. He was able to offer a fresh perspective on the one thing that all companies and event planners alike are wary of: the comment section.

Dr. Scacco started the class by asking students to raise their hand if they had ever seen a comment section that didn’t contain at least one racist, offensive, or unpleasant comment.  It should not come as much pf a surprise that not a single student raised their hands because the fact of the matter is, the comment section on any post is often rather distasteful at best.

Dr. Scacco, working on the Engaging News Project, set out to research the comment section and the effect it can have on a a news outlet.  His research determined that a distasteful comment could, in fact, reflect badly on the news outlet where the comment is found.  However, not all hope is lost.

Further research showed that a known journalist can change the tone of the comment thread simply by posting.  In a way, they serve to moderate the conversation.  The biggest problem with this is that journalists are very busy and often do not have the time to babysit a comment thread, especially with breaking news running rampant and strict deadlines hanging over their shoulders.

This being said, their research suggests there may be another way to save the comment section!  This is through changing the structure of the comment section itself.  A three-column comment section that separates comments based on opinions that agree, disagree, and have questions/issues actually helps the comments to become more substantive.  And despite what you may think, this did not affect the polarization levels of the ones commenting.

This research is great for planning an event.  To keep the comments from getting nasty quick, change up your comment structure, creating categories that make sense for your specific event.  If you would like to read more on the Engaging News Project’s research, check out their website below!

Engaging News Project

 

Facebook

Facebook is a key tool to marketing your organization and promoting your event! Let’s see how a few event companies are using Facebook!

Harvest House Performing Arts Venue does a great job of including a link to their Instagram account in every Facebook post, thus creating a strong cross platform presence. They also do an excellent job of uploading pictures with their posts to engage their audience and of posting throughout an event. Their contact information is also easily accessible on the far left of their Facebook page, making it easy for potential clients to reach out to them.

One thing they could work on is posting more in between events as well as posting more often ahead of events for publicity’s sake. They respond to questions within approximately 24 hours which is not bad, but could be improved. Finally, they should work on increasing their follower base, adding to their current 500 followers.

Events By Elizabeth Ashley is a local wedding and event planning company in the Boone area. As far as maintaining a cross platform presence goes, they have a link to their website on the left corner and post links to any magazines or blogs they are featured or mentioned it.

Taking this into account, they do a good job of following media where they are mentioned and using this to further promote their company. They also post a lot of visually appealing pictures that showcase their work, especially at weddings, and they have a strong About page with more links to their sites. I would just like to see these links on the main page as well.

Although they seem to post frequently, one critique I have is that they have not posted recently, since mid-February actually. As a company, it is important to keep up with your social media accounts in order to keep your audience engaged. I would also like to see more contact information on the Facebook page itself as well as a link to their blog to increase their number of views.

A larger scale event company is Noah’s Event Venue with three separate locations. They do pretty well with maintaining a cross platform presence. They have the link to their website on the left-hand side of the page as well a tab at the top that contains a feed of their Instagram page.
Some of their strengths include lots of engaging pictures, a huge following base with over 42,000 likes, and a quick response time (within an hour).
To enhance their credibility, I would suggest adding a place for visitors to post reviews and rate the company. I also think their page can be improved and their audience broadened by posting photos of events other than weddings. Finally, they should develop a hashtag for their company.

https://www.facebook.com/Harvest-House-Performing-Arts-Venue-152716864746448/?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/Events-by-Elizabeth-Ashley-180971077760/?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/noahseventvenue/timeline

Spring Forward Reflection

Whew! Spring Forward 2016 has finally come and gone, and surprisingly enough, I find myself relatively unscathed.  While I could talk about this event for a really long time (which is probably a good thing since I have to write a thesis on it), I will leave you all with a couple of personal key takeaways that I hope you can apply when planning your own event.

1. Crap happens

You cannot possibly prepare for everything no matter how hard you try.  Some things are simply out of your control.  I had five alumni drop out of the event within a week of its occurring.  One of those alumni dropped out two days before and another, THE DAY BEFORE.  The printer ran out of ink when we went to print the flyers I had worked so hard on creating.  A teacher emailed me a couple of days before the event saying that we had booked one of our panel sessions in her classroom, and she needed a place to host her exam review.  One panel had to meet outside because there was another class using their scheduled classroom.  Problems, right?  Could some of these problems been prevented? Most definitely.  Were some out of my control?  Also, most definitely. I learned a lot from this event and if I were to repeat it, I would definitely pay more attention to certain areas.  But one thing that planning this event has taught me is that there are always bumps in the road.  IT WILL BE OKAY.  Have grace with yourself and with others and make the needed changes both in the moment and in the future. Being flexible is key.

2. Rest

REST. I cannot stress this enough. Take time for yourself, have breaks where you are not working (or thinking about work), and be KIND to yourself.  Planning an event can be all-consuming if you let it.  This is why it is so important that you set aside time for your own health- physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc.  Although it may be counter-cultural, when I was the most stressed out and felt like I was in over my head, I would take a break and treat myself to a lunch out or the like.  We live in a world that is so focused on productivity and “progress” that oftentimes, taking adequate care of ourselves falls to the wayside.  This actually makes us LESS productive.  So don’t feel guilty about setting work boundaries and for taking needed breaks. You deserve it and you NEED it.  Make your health a priority.

Spring Forward 2016 was a success thanks to a number of alumni, faculty, and students who offered assistance, offered support, and came fully engaged!  I hope these tips will help you and that your event will be equally successful!

Knowing Your Social Media

By now, we all know that social media is a critical part of promoting any great event. But do you know which social media platform to employ for your event? That is the question that can make or break your publicity efforts. Lucky for us, Cece Dadisman, President of Cardinal + Company, shared some of her social media expertise with us. Hope you get as much out of these tips as I did!

Facebook:

Facebook has the most active users out of all social media sites.  It should be used when wanting to  reach the broadest range of people.  It is also popular among the older demographic as well as mothers.  It is centered around engagement: likes, clicks, shares, posts, you name it.  It also contains a lot of user-generated content featuring real photos of real people.  This is oftentimes a successful marketing technique when properly employed.

LinkedIn:

LinkedIn is everyone’s favorite professional networking site.  It often used by the slightly older demographic as well as college graduates, business to business professionals, and other professionals.  One advantage of using this site is that users’ contact information is easily accessible.

Instagram:

Instagram is growing fast.  Its users tend to be younger, female, Hispanic, and African American.  This site is also popular with mothers. It is unique in that the site is centered around images.

Knowing these tips and identifying your target demographic should point you to the best social media platform for your specific event!  Best of luck!

Social Media and Law Reflection

It was great getting to hear Professor Paul Gates speak on the legal aspect of social media.  Since social media is such a huge aspect of promoting any event, it is an important for event planners to be well-educated on this subject matter.

One important aspect we brought up was that oftentimes, social media posts go unchecked for factual accuracy.  The daily user will share, like, retweet, etc. posts without stopping to verify the truthfulness of the information and as a result, many incorrect posts go viral.  As an event planner, you must insure that all posts you write or share are factually correct.  The same goes for any sources you use in producing your own content.

The second main topic we discussed was that one should use caution when interacting with minors on social media.  Many laws are in place that protect minors specifically that do not apply to legal age adults. Technology has made this area of law more complicated and oftentimes, unclear, than ever, so my best advice is to always think before posting anything online, no matter your audience.

Using Periscope for Your Event

Periscope is an up and coming phone application that has a lot of relevance to event planners.  For an event which happens annually or semi-annually or is part of a bigger event with a wide-spread audience, Periscope is a great tool to broadcast your event live.  This way, those who were unable to attend the event, can still feel a part of it, even from a distance.

As with any new app, there are a few bugs still to be worked out. When watching Franklin Graham’s periscope, “America’s at a tipping point. We must pray,”  I discovered a few areas needing improvement.  For one, the broadcast cut in and out, and the video was filmed from far out in the crowd.  It didn’t have a very professional feel to it, despite the fact that it was posted by a well-known and respected public figure, Franklin Graham. I also found the comment stream to be both annoying and distracting and was a bit concerned by the apparent censoring of the comments.  Any comments that the broadcaster did not approve of were immediately deleted. I would advise event planners to be careful when using this tool. While it may be of use in keeping comments appropriate and focused on the event-at-hand, other viewers, including the one whose comments were blocked, may be angered by the censorship.  Viewers can see the comment before it is blocked which can have the benefit of invoking sympathy from the viewer if they agree that the blocked comment was unwarranted; however, it could also cause controversy if they feel that the blocking of the comment was unnecessary censorship.

Another thing to consider seems obvious, that is, whether or not you want your event to be broadcasted live.  Not every event should be public; some are intended for an exclusive audience.  Exclusivity can enhance the value and prestige of an event, so this is something you must consider upfront. Once the event is made public, you lose both exclusivity and control.

Broadcasting live can also generate a lot of controversy and/or conversation.  Franklin Graham addressed the sinful actions of America and the need for this country to confess their sins and repent.  It was a bold move for him to broadcast this on Periscope as this type of messaged is often only well-received by a specific audience, in this case, the Christian community.  By choosing to broadcast his message on Periscope, Graham invited both discussion and controversy.  It’s fairly safe to say that a veteran evangelist such as Graham knew what he was getting himself into; this was no accident.  However, event planners should take into consideration the possibility of controversy and weigh the potential costs and benefits before broadcasting their event on Periscope.

Check out the broadcast at:

https://www.periscope.tv/w/abhrsjF4blFyUlBCTVlRWUR8MWRqeFhtcE9uQnpLWtxNgYlLVcMttwbaoGxQ-ZhKUKnY_efgdLgxzNo-x-4c

Or follow Franklin Graham at: @Franklin_Graham

 

Images from: http://firstnorth.org/event/decision-america-tour-with-franklin-graham/

http://blackchristiannews.com/2016/02/

SEO Reflection

However, Search Engine Optimization is a great way to promote your event.  So listen up, take notes, and learn how to get your event free exposure!

It was great to have Tom Mueller guest speak in our Social Media Strategies class yesterday. He talked to us about how to use Search Engine Optimization to promote yourself or the organization you represent. Unlike Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization is low to no cost and is a great way to brand yourself or organization.

His tips included to write short and write a lot, to re-purpose everything, and to be committed to writing.  He talked about how he has tweeted at people with hundreds of thousands of followers and been retweeted or tweeted back at.  He makes a good point that he is getting tons of exposure in this manner and sometimes tweeting at people with large followings gets him somewhere and sometimes it doesn’t.  It goes back to his tip of tweeting a lot.  So if you want to promote your event, my best tip is to tie it into something a professional event planner is saying, and tweet at him or her using your unique hashtag.  If you get retweeted, than you have just earned free advertising!

I particularly enjoyed his stories about responding to hateful comments.  Professor Mueller says that he aims to respond to every comment no matter its nature because commenting attract more attention.  And it’s true! Respond to comments on your social media posts and you will generate more publicity!

These tips are definitely something to consider when promoting your event because what is better than FREE advertising? Best of luck!

It’s All in the Details

Front view of the Beasley Media Complex

Side view of Beasley

They say a good event is all in the details, right? Well, I hope that’s true because over the last few weeks, planning Spring Forward has been all about hammering down the details.

From reserving the restaurant for the reception to fine-tuning all of my surveys to attending the faculty and alumni engagement committee meetings, there has been an awful lot to keep up with.  What I did not expect were all the little bumps on the way.  I guess I figured that in the business world, people and businesses would act professional, but I found out the hard way that this is not always the case.

The first difficulty I encountered was trying to reserve a place for the alumni-student reception.  I called our first choice restaurant twice and left messages for the manager both times, visited once, and emailed once before I could get someone to help me try to reserve a room in the restaurant, and by this point, I no longer wanted to do business with them.  When I am bringing over a 100 people into a restaurant, I expect to be treated as a priority.  This is a lot of business for a restaurant and after all of this hassle, we decided to take our business elsewhere.  Thankfully, the second restaurant was much more professional and returned my phone call in a timely manner.

I also encountered some negative feedback from the students whom I emailed about taking a pre-event survey.  One gentleman asked me to “not email him again please.”  Perhaps I was a bit naive, but I had thought that students would cheerfully help out a fellow student.  This disillusionment was further revealed when I discovered that I had a 60 percent dropout rate on my student survey, most of them quitting by the second question.

Despite all of these setbacks,the event is only a month out now and things are starting to come together.  We’ve got around 30 ASU Communication alumni who are going to come and talk with App students about their careers, and  I am excited to see this event come to fruition!

 

Dr. Pope Introduces Spring Forward

What is Spring Forward? Check out the video below and mark your calendars for March 23rd! #springforward #3317mp pic.twitter.com/Fw7TaGqpmr

— Amanda Bryson (@brysonak4) February 4, 2016

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What is Spring Forward?

Hello Again!

A lot of people have been asking me what exactly is Spring Forward, so I figured my next blog post should describe the event in a bit more detail.  Here we go!

Spring Forward 2016 is the second annual communication alumni event. That’s pretty much a fancy way of saying that alumni who graduated from Appalachian with a Communication degree will be coming back to campus to talk to current communication students about their careers in the field.  Happening on March 23rd, this will be an all day event broken into sessions.  Each session will be about a specific area in communication that the students may want to learn more about. Alumni who work in that specific area will sit on panels for that session, describe their experiences in the field, and answer any questions the students may have.  Last years sessions were:

Arts, Culture, & Tourism
Religious Organizations
Sports
Nonprofit & Government
Agencies & Private Sector
Politics
Graduate School

We are currently surveying communication students to see where their interests lie and what sessions they would be interested in having this year.  If you are a Comm student at App and want to take the survey, check your email! I sent out the link a few days ago and would love more input!

After the sessions, all graduating comm seniors will be invited to a networking reception from 5-7 pm.  We will provide refreshments and non-alcoholic drinks, but you are welcome to purchase whatever you want from the venue.  This is meant to be a time for students and alumni to get to know each other, have deeper conversations, and perhaps most importantly, network!

So that’s the basics of the event.  You can check out our event page at Spring Forward 2016. If you have more questions, feel free to post on the comment section or on our Facebook page. Thanks!