Dispersing information to other managers where pertinent.
In any large organization, social media usually involves many moving parts – even more so in HigherEd, where many silos exist throughout the organization. Enabling the various content managers throughout the organizations to be cohesive and further to that, create a sense of community (online) can be challenging.
Here are some strategies from around the social realm to help you.
1 – Initiative: It sounds fundamental to say, but working together instead of passing the buck can be crucial to prospects finding the right answer. Allowing prospects to “ask a question once” can allow each content manager to learn a little more of each department as well as “show off” your helpfulness.
2 – Accountability: Participating in social media can be fluidic with staff changes and is sometimes something that is left to the wayside. Creating a sense of accountability, by promotion for “sanctioned” channels or enabling regularly updated channels to be featured on the web will allow you to bring value added to active participants in social media. Think of it as backing up a New Year’s resolution.
3 – Collaboration: As Vanilla Ice says “Stop. Collaborate and Listen“. Whether it’s a friendly inter-departmental re-tweet (the best kind of RT) or an integrated content schedule, working together can avoid mixed messaging as well as provide timely updates to a wide range of screens.
4 – Communication: This is something that can break down barriers and conquer the continual learning curve within social. The group also provides a venue for exchange of ideas, success stories and of course, horror stories. Tufts University, is an example of this in Highed. Coupling this in person working group, with an online presence for quick hits, is a great way to create a sense of community.
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