Social Media & SelfThe Academy – Youth Leadership Masterclass

Introduction

• Dr Nicole Bridges:• A lecturer at WSU since 2003• Area Convenor – Public Relations• Academic Course Advisor – Creative

Industries• Coordinate four units

• Public Relations Theory and Practice• Communication Strategies• Events Management• Public Relations Campaigns

Social Media

• Social media:• is the number 1 web activity• is one of the most dramatic revolutions in

history• is a monumental shift for the practice of

public relations• has changed the public relations landscape

significantly

Top Social Media Platforms

Social Media Statistics• 5.16 billion mobile phone users worldwide• 4.57 billion internet users worldwide• 3.81 billion active social media users worldwide• Between 2019 and 2020 global social media users increased 9.21%• Australia has internet penetration of 88% (increase of 1.2% since 2019)• Australia has social media penetration of 71% (increase of 4.3% since

2019)• 68% prefer images and 50% prefer video• People plan on using Facebook and Twitter more moving forward• Facebook reigns supreme for Millenials and older, Gen Z prefer YouTube

and Instagram• Half will use social media during a major personal milestone and 45%

during a sporting event.Source: https://www.smperth.com/resources/2020-social-media-statistics/

Australians and Social Media

• Internet access• Frequency of social media use• Time spent using social media• Social media usage by time of day• Where people are when they’re online• Why we use social media• Trust in social media as a news source

Australians and Social Media

• Psychological impact of social media• Impact of social media on personal life• Relationships on social media• Parental concerns regarding social media

Source: https://www.yellow.com.au/social-media-report/#download-report

Social Media for Social Change

Source: https://nnedv.org/latest_update/social-media-social-change/

Social Media and Storytelling

• The power of storytelling in public relations

• Transmedia storytelling1. Overarching story told across a range of

platforms2. Each platform makes unique contribution3. Audience participates in the storytelling

process

Case Study: Nike “She Runs the Night”• Objective: ‘to find a way to connect with

female runners and get them talking about Nike’.

• Nike’s solution: to facilitate the development of a female community of runners

• The features of each specific platform and technique were leveraged throughout the campaign

• To encourage audience contribution, Nike embedded mechanisms in each of the communications platforms that it used

Case Study: Nike “She Runs the Night”• The campaign achieved the following:

• Online community of 50,000 members• 44% of participants purchasing merch• 3,200 participants• 90% of participants intended to attend the

following year• The run continues as an annual event

Source: Sutherland, K, Ali, S, and Khattab, U (2020). Public Relations and Strategic Communication. Docklands, Oxford University Press.

Summary

• Social media has put the power of change in your hands

• How can you harness that power to create positive change?