New Media for politicians

Hi! I’m Bart.

I work at webagency Netlash.

... and a few other companies:

http://slideshare.net/netlash

Congress Jong CD&V - 6/2/2010

New Media for politicians

What do you mean,

“New” media

?

The web exists for almost 20 year now.

Technology of the future?

Facebook: 3.063.000

Netlog: 3.006.000

LinkedIn: 526.000

Skynet Blogs: 196.632

Source: BVLG (http://bvlg.blogspot.com/2010/02/belgian-social-media-monitor-februari.html)

Februari 2010Belgium (pop.: 10 mio)

Source: BVLG (http://bvlg.blogspot.com/2010/02/belgian-social-media-monitor-februari.html)

But first...

... some history.

Web 2.0

The ‘new’ web.

Web 2.0

The ‘new’ web.

1. create

2. social

3. decentralised

Web 2.0

Every web strategy should keep these fundamental properties of the web in mind.

1. The first mass medium where the production tool is the same as the consumption tool.

Piramid

1 10 100 1000

Piramid

1 Creators10 Commentators100 Lurkers1000 Strangers

Piramid

1 Creators10 Commentators100 Lurkers1000 Strangers

2. The story of the helicopter flight.

3. Metcalfe’s law.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_effect

Every web strategy should keep these fundamental properties of the web in mind.

1. allow people to create

2. allow people to share

3. use the network effect

This means:

1. Where should I participate?

2. How to start with social media

3. Facebook vs. Twitter

4. Social Media 4 dummies

1. Where should I participate?

2. How to start with social media

3. Facebook vs. Twitter

4. Social Media 4 dummies

Facebook: thirty-somethings?

Netlog: teenagers?

LinkedIn: business people?

Twitter: media & communication?

Target audiences

- forums

- blogosphere

Don’t forget:

- Be active on the important (for your audience) networks.

- Be at least present on the other ones.

- Use technology to automate.

Be everywhere?

Use your own website as a central ‘hub’, a ‘basecamp’.

(In Memoriam MySpace.)

1. Where should I participate?

2. How to start with social media

3. Facebook vs. Twitter

4. Social Media 4 dummies

Yelling does not work anymore.

Social media is not a traditional broadcasting channel.

At first sight, it’s just a bunch of people having fun with idle chatter.

Social media is a bar.

But when you dig deeper, you’ll discover that’s where relationships start, business is being conducted, and political alliances grow.

Social media is a bar.

- listen

- facilitate

- converse

3 steps:

- blogsearch.google.com

- search.twitter.com

- www.ubervu.com

- www.socialmention.com

- www.blogoloog.be

1. Listen

And for god’s sake...

Use an RSS-reader!

And for god’s sake...

- Provide a platform (new or existing).

- Give them ‘something to talk about’.

2. Facilitate

Remember?

The ‘new’ web.

1. create

2. social

3. decentralised

Web 2.0

‘elegant organisation’

Barack Obama did not win the elections because he had a few viral youtube-clips, or because he regularly blogged, mailed or twittered... His website was a true platform for his followers to organise themselves and to co-operate.

Source: Nijst (http://www.nijst.org/2009/05/12/de-obarometer-kwetteren-en-tetteren/)

Elegant organisation

- Keep the conversation going

- Answer questions

- Delegate & follow up

- Incorporate feedback

3. Converse

1. Where should I participate?

2. How to start with social media

3. Facebook vs. Twitter

4. Social Media 4 dummies

- 3.000.000 Belgians

- Symmetric

- Everybody

- 1 on 1

- Interaction

- Tools + noise

- Closed

Facebook vs. Twitter

- 30.000 Belgians

- Asymmetric

- Niche, influentials

- 1 to many

- Broadcast

- Focus

- Open

Media

Companies

Media

Celebs

Politicians

Media

Companies

Media

Celebs

Politicians

Media

Companies

Media

Celebs

Politicians

Better suited for the asymmetric character of politics.

Twitter for politicians

The online influentials (‘sneezers’) are (for the moment) on Twitter.

Typical: active Twitter user has 500+ friends on Facebook instead of the average 150.

Twitter for politicians

‘the canary in the coal mine’

Twitter for politicians

1. Where should I participate?

2. How to start with social media

3. Facebook vs. Twitter

4. Social Media 4 dummies

A few concepts, principles and tips.

Most important Facebook caveat!

Please learn the difference between a profile, a fanpage and a group.

Most important Facebook caveat!

Source: http://www.allfacebook.com/2010/02/facebook-groups-pages/

Retweet, DM, hashtag, #fail, followfriday, twunch, twitpic, bit.ly.

Concepts

- Listen before you talk.

- Give before you ask.

Principles

- Choose a good @ name.

- Use Tweetdeck.

Tips

- Promote others.

- Ask questions.

Tips

Go for a good mix between sharing knowledge (interesting links), sharing thoughts (vision) and sharing your life (‘the person behind the politician’).

Tips

- sustainability

- transparancy

- honesty

But most importantly:

Good luck!

Questions?

twitter.com/netlashbart@netlash.comwww.netlash.com