Workshop: Using the Internet and Social Media to “Gain and Retain”

1. Workshop: Using the Internet and Social Media to “Gain and Retain” VFC Convention April 13, 2015 By BJ Thomas McMillan VFC Membership Chair

2. WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA? • A platform to build social networks among people who share interests, activities, backgrounds or real-life connections. • A means of SHARING – thoughts, news, photos, etc. • A means of CONNECTING (or RE-CONNECTING) with family, friends, family and friends of your family and friends, strangers – and members of a group.

3. A social media site may be: • Individual-centered -- the social action starts with one person and his/her profile – then fans out to his/her family and friends – and possibly their family and friends. • Group/community centered -- individual taps into a pre-set group of like-minded persons (similar to what was called bulletin boards, listserv’s, or forums).

4. Social Media Sites May Allow Users To: • Use tools to find people – or let people find you. • Share thoughts and news • Post photos/videos • Post articles/photos/videos from websites you visit • Comment on the posts of others • Send private emails/messages • Engage in chats/IM (some w/live video)

5. So HOW Can Social Media Be Used to “Gain and Retain” Members? • Post news of your Chapter, links to newsletter. • Alert members and potential members to Chapter meetings and activities. • Post photos/videos of Chapter activities. • Post “clipped” articles – from NARFE HQ, newspapers, other websites – of interest to Federal workers and retirees. • Alert people when advocacy actions are needed. • Members and potential members can write comments, ask questions – start a conversation.

6. Social Media Sites of Potential Interest for NARFE Chapters • Networking: • Facebook – 1 billion users • Google Plus – 300 million users • Visual bulletin board • Pinterest – 250 million users • Short Messages • Twitter – 500 million users

7. Social Media Sites (cont.) • Video: YouTube – 800 million users • Blog: Blogger (owned by Google) • Schedule Events: MeetUp • Photo-mail: Instagram – 300 million users

8. Facebook Can be set up as a Page or a Group • Page – One to many and many to one • Can be set up as Regular, Community, or Non-profit/Organization • Postings can be visible to public OR limited to members of an organization • Regular Page – postings distributed to those the Chapter has approved as “friends”. Friends are shown on Chapter’s Page. • Community/Organization Page - postings go to individuals who “like” your page.

9. Facebook (cont.) • Group – Many to many • Can be public, Secret (known only to members), or Closed (existence is public, but must be approved to view postings) • Group members can submit comments, hold chats, collaborate on docs, issue invites to group events

10. Facebook Examples • Regular Page: Las Cruces, NM Chapter • Community Page: Colonial Beach; Peninsula • Non-profit Page: NARFE Region X; Strawberry Chapter 1224 Plant City, FL • Public Group: MD Chap 1888 White Oak • Closed Group: MO Chap 1457 Lees Summit

11. Google Plus • Google’s answer to Facebook – you receive the posts of people you “add” to your Circles. • Unlike Facebook, where you can approve/decline “friend requests”, people can add you to their Circles without any approval. • Examples: • Chapter 65 San Francisco • Federal Employee Benefits Coordinator

12. Best Uses: Facebook/ Google Plus • Updating Chapter Members about Chapter meetings/activities – past and upcoming. • Sharing photos of Chapter activities • Republishing – and sharing with your “friends” -- info of importance to members – and potential members. • Encouraging short comments – in response to postings.

13. Pinterest • “Pin” good stuff you find on the Internet to boards. Can have separate boards with different themes/categories for each. • Ex: Create one board for Congressional actions, another for your Chapters activities, etc. • DEMO: YouTube video on Pinterest. • Linda McMillan’s site – her boards. • DEMO: How to “pin” an item. • Must find people to “follow” your boards.

14. Pinterest – Best Uses for NARFE Chapters • “Pinning” and then “sharing” articles found on the Internet of interest to Federal employees and retirees. Ex: Articles from Washington Post, from Causey, from NARFE Hotlines, etc. • Can also share photos/news of your Chapter

15. Twitter • 140 character messages called “tweets”. (Can also embed photos, videos, and links to articles) • Designed primarily for smart phones. • A substitute for email blasts. • Each new user is assigned an @name. • In basic search, can find people only by their email addresses OR their Twitter @name. • Tweets from users you follow will show up on your home page. Conversely, your tweets will show up at your followers’ home pages.

16. Twitter – How It Works • You can follow people, companies, news entities, your Chapter, NARFE HQ, etc. • You may get emails for each Tweet you receive. • Interesting tweets you receive can be re-tweeted to your followers. • Tweets can be assigned a “#hashtag” – which is then used to collect together tweets – from anyone – on that same topic.

17. Twitter Examples • NARFE HQ -- @narfehq • NARFE NY Federation -- @narfeny • Hashtag Federal Employee -- #federalemployee

18. Twitter – Best Uses for NARFE Chapters • Quickly distribute info – via smart phones. • Create hashtags for topics of importance to NARFE – and start a virtual discussion. • Re-tweets: Chapter members following your tweets may “retweet” your info to potential NARFE members that you aren’t even aware of.

19. Blogs • Blogger.com (Google) – others • Can post extensive comments/thoughts about a topic – and encourage others to respond with their thoughts. • Example: eChapter blog

20. Apps for Smart Phones/Tablets • Many Social Media sites have versions designed for use with Smart Phones/Tablets • Examples: Facebook, Twitter.

21. The UPSIDES of Using Social Media • Reach younger members and potential members • Better means of reaching out to unknown, potential members – than posting flyers. • Can share important information: • more frequently -- than via a Chapter newsletter • more easily – than blasting an email out to individual members

22. The DOWNSIDES of Using Social Media • Must find someone to create your Chapter’s “presence” on a site. • Must create awareness of your site – and entice people to “friend”, “like”, “follow” your presence. • Can be difficult to FIND persons to invite to follow you. • Need to update and refresh your Chapter’s presence. • May need to assign someone to respond to comments/messages left by others. • May need to monitor for “undesirable” or embarrassing content. • May get bombarded with emails – from sites you’ve registered on.

23. TIPS • When registering, think twice about providing accurate info – e.g., birthdate. • Create a separate email account – and password -- for use in registering/creating social media accounts/profiles. • May want to limit who can SEE or MAKE posts/comments. • May want to limit who has “management” rights. • Use a “Dummies” or similar book as a manual. (Most sites have skimpy/no manual.) • Ask for help/share advice – via the VANARFE Membership Google group.

24. Cautions • Can be huge privacy issues. • In who can find you or see your info • In what the site does with your info • Can lead to spamming and phishing • May need to monitor your Chapter’s “presence” for undesirable content (e.g. comments posted by others) • Research the social media site before you join (news articles, Wikipedia, etc.)

25. Final Thought • You can also use Google Sites to design and post a Website for your Chapter • Chapter 92 Montgomery, AL • sites.google.com/site/narfe92/ • Can also design and maintain a website through NARFE.org • BUT this website might not be found by Search Engines