using the social web to maximise access to your resources

A centre of expertise in digital information management

www.ukoln.ac.uk

IWMW 2009

Using the Social Web to Maximise Access to Your Resources

Brian KellyUKOLNUniversity of BathBath, UK

UKOLN is supported by:This work is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 licence (but note caveat)

Acceptable Use PolicyRecording of this talk, taking photos, discussing the content using email, instant messaging, blogs, SMS, etc. is permitted providing distractions to others is minimised.

Acceptable Use PolicyRecording of this talk, taking photos, discussing the content using email, instant messaging, blogs, SMS, etc. is permitted providing distractions to others is minimised.

Resources bookmarked using ‘iwmw2009-kelly' tag Resources bookmarked using ‘iwmw2009-kelly' tag

http://iwmw.ukoln.ac.uk/iwmw2009/sessions/kelly/http://iwmw.ukoln.ac.uk/iwmw2009/sessions/kelly/

Email:[email protected]

Twitter:http://twitter.com/briankelly/

Blog:http://ukwebfocus.wordpress.com/

A2:


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About This Session

Aims of the session:• To describe how various Social Web

services can help to maximise access to institutional resources.

• To discuss ways in which such services can be used to support your particular areas of interest.

• To address the ethical issues related to use of the Social Web.

• To help you to develop plans for making use of the Social Web to support your institutional aims.


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Revisiting SEO

Summary of key approaches:• Apply various techniques to Web resources to

make resources easier to find in Google, …• Resources may include organisational Web

suites, third party Web sites, databases, …• Resources may also include real world objects

and ideas (i.e. your museum, your research ideas, …)

• Based on understanding of importance of Google to end users

Summary of key approaches:• Apply various techniques to Web resources to

make resources easier to find in Google, …• Resources may include organisational Web

suites, third party Web sites, databases, …• Resources may also include real world objects

and ideas (i.e. your museum, your research ideas, …)

• Based on understanding of importance of Google to end users

Databases

Web sites

Real world

Directories

Google(Live Search

Bing, …)


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Beyond SEO

Summary of key approaches:• Make use of social networking services which

people may use of discuss your services• Services may include Facebook, MySpace,

Slideshare, Twitter, …• No need to touch your Web sites (so useful if

you can’t!)• Based on understanding of popularity of SNs

and people’s interests in chatting and sharing

Summary of key approaches:• Make use of social networking services which

people may use of discuss your services• Services may include Facebook, MySpace,

Slideshare, Twitter, …• No need to touch your Web sites (so useful if

you can’t!)• Based on understanding of popularity of SNs

and people’s interests in chatting and sharing

Databases

Web sites

Directories

Social Services(Facebook, Slideshare, Twitter, …)

Real world


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Opportunities & ChallengesOpportunities & Challenges


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It’s About The Individual!

Focus of the Social Web is the individual. Challenges posed:

• ‘It’s my space’• ‘Sustainability• Privacy• Editorial control• Branding• …

Focus of the Social Web is the individual. Challenges posed:

• ‘It’s my space’• ‘Sustainability• Privacy• Editorial control• Branding• …


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Structure of Session

Introduction Completed!

“Pimp Up Your Stuff” Talk

How Can I Use Social Web? Exercise

“Monitoring the Impact” Talk

Convincing the ‘Beancounters’ Exercise

“The Ethical Issues” Talk

Personal Action Plans Exercise

Questions and Conclusions


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What Does Google Find?

Pages in Wikipedia are Google-friendly

• First 3rd party Web site for search for ‘British Library’ is from Wikipedia

Wik

is

• Similar results found for a search for ‘British Postal Museum’


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Exploiting Wikipedia

Is your organisation listed in Wikipedia?

If not you are missing out on a (free) marketing opportunity.

Wik

is


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Why Blog?Multiple reasons for blogging (not all to do with maximising access to resources and ideas):

• Reflection• Dissemination• Engagement• News and alerts• Note-taking• Experimentation• ‘Think out loud’• Personal development• Syndication• …

Blo

gs

Jo Alcock (librarian at Wolverhampton University) has a blog which allows her to engage with her users on library developments and solicit feedback

Jo Alcock (librarian at Wolverhampton University) has a blog which allows her to engage with her users on library developments and solicit feedback


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Why I Blog

Reasons mentioned previously.

In addition:

• Talk about plans for new ‘stuff’ (events, papers, ideas, …)

• Talk and ‘stuff’ I’ve delivered (as illustrated)

Use of a blog allows this to be:

• Commented on

• Syndicated

• Repurposed

Blo

gs


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The Paper In The Repository

The paper in the repository can fail to engage with potential interested parties: especially if only the metadata is available and access is restricted!

The paper in the repository can fail to engage with potential interested parties: especially if only the metadata is available and access is restricted!


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Best Practices For Bloggers

Examples of best practices:• Have a blog policy (e.g. ‘Don’t be stupid’)• Define the scope and target audience• Link to others• Allow comments• Respond to comments• Decide on team or individual blog• Make use of your blog posts elsewhere

See UKOLN’s Cultural Heritage IntroBytes briefing documents


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From A Distance BlogB

log

s

Chris Sexton, IT Service’s Director at University of Sheffield & current UCISA chair

Her blog:

• Outlines senior management strategic thinking

• Embed title and link to my most recent blog post


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Reading, Even If Not Blogging

Negative impact – the bad things they say about your stuff

Can be useful to monitor:

• Your brand• Your ideas• Your reputation• Your stuff• ….

Blo

gs

Some minor criticisms from Stephen Downes, a well-read Canadian e=learning guru

Some minor criticisms from Stephen Downes, a well-read Canadian e=learning guru

A speedy reply, and a positive response

A speedy reply, and a positive response


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What Can Twitter Offer? T

wit

ter


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wit

ter

Promoting blog post about possible event.Brief - designed for retweeting (RT)Should you add “Please RT”?


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wit

ter

“OMG they’re criticising us – and this is being retweeted to new groups!”Note you don’t have to respond (but you may address issues raised)


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Quick Surveys

Twitter for rapid surveys & feedback

“Firefox is crashing frequently. Is this true for others? Respond with #firefoxcrashes or #firefoxisfine. Please RT.”


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Rationale:• Allow retweeting in entirety• Clause which can be removed

(“in light of #digitalbritain report”) to allow for commentary (e.g. “great post”)

Twitter Writing Style

New blog post published which I hope to gain a wide audience for.

Announcement tweeted.

First draft “Respect Copyright (and Subvert It!)" My thoughts on copyright and openness in light of the #digitalbritain report http://bit.ly/4XOMJ”

Second draft:“Respect Copyright (and Subvert It!)" Thoughts on copyright & openness in light of #digitalbritain report http://bit.ly/4XOMJ”


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Twitter – Some EvidencePersonal experience

• Most popular post on UKOLN’s Cultural heritage blog in May 2009: “Explaining the Risks and Opportunities Framework”

• Announced on Twitter at 08.55 on 21st May:Blog post explaining the Risks & Opportunities Framework published at http://tinyurl.com/p72kld

Tw

itte

r

“I haven’t got the time to use Twitter. And it can’t justify the ROI” Really?

“I haven’t got the time to use Twitter. And it can’t justify the ROI” Really?


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Twitter – Further Evidence

Where are the visits coming from?

Tw

itte

r

As the top post has been tweeted, possibly the visits are from a Twitter client (rather than the Twitter Web site)


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“The Power Of Passed Links”The Value Of Twitter Is In “The Power Of Passed Links” Wilson predicts that at current growth rates, Twitter “will surpass Google for many websites in the next year.” And that just as nearly every site on the Web has become addicted to Google juice, they will increasingly try to find ways to get more links from Twitter. Because Twitter equals traffic. …Moreover, he asserts that these Twitter links “convert better” than search links because they are often pre-filtered and come in the form of a recommendation from someone you are following.

TechCrunch, June 2009


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Slides To Engage Users

Slides designed to allow users to make use of content and links:

• AUP giving permission to reuse content & exploit WiFi network to discuss content

• Hyperlinks in slides

• Link to master copy provided in title slide and footer in handout

• Tag used in del.icio.us to bookmark resources (no need to copy URLs)

Sli

des

The PowerPoint file is a resource which can be easily accessed, discussed and provide links to relevant resources during a talk and subsequently.

The PowerPoint file is a resource which can be easily accessed, discussed and provide links to relevant resources during a talk and subsequently.


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Slideshare To Promote IdeasS

lid

esh

are

I use Slideshare to maximise awareness of ideas in papers I deliver at conferences. Approaches:

• Slides uploaded in advance (accessibility benefits)

• Allow slides to be embedded in blogs, Web pages, …

• Text, tags, links & metadata to support searching & provide context

I use Slideshare to maximise awareness of ideas in papers I deliver at conferences. Approaches:

• Slides uploaded in advance (accessibility benefits)

• Allow slides to be embedded in blogs, Web pages, …

• Text, tags, links & metadata to support searching & provide context


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What About Video?Increasingly users want video content – and are likely to use Google or YouTube to find videos

Google Video might have been an obvious place to store videos – but it is how being deprecated


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YouTube

Want to make your University appealing to potential students?

They’re likely to look at YouTube

What will they find?


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YouTube

Want to make your University appealing to potential students?

They’re likely to look at YouTube

What will they find?

Student-published videos may appeal to potential students – but the approaches (drunkenness, copyrighted sound clips, etc.) won’t be used officially

Student-published videos may appeal to potential students – but the approaches (drunkenness, copyrighted sound clips, etc.) won’t be used officially


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Your Institutional Video

Is it worth trapping your marketing videos in your institutional Web site?

The SEO tips for enhancing the visibility of your videos in YouTube follow well-established guidelines (e.g. title, description, tags, …)

“Given that YouTube is by far the most popular video website, you should be publishing videos there (even if you are a B2B company like HubSpot ”


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What About Facebook? (1)

Should you have a Facebook presence for your organisation?


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What About Facebook? (2)There may already be multiples pages and groups for your organisation

• <http://www.facebook.com/pages/Milton-Keynes/The-Open-University/7084005675?>

• <http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=b8c4e095201c81eb2da026ea04067fb0&gid=2212434521>

• <http://www.facebook.com/openuniversity/>

So

cial

Net

wo

rks

Note vanity URLs made available on 12 June 2009 – if you have > 1,000 fans. Did you miss out?

Note vanity URLs made available on 12 June 2009 – if you have > 1,000 fans. Did you miss out?


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Risks of Doing NothingWebinar held on 16 June 2009

Advice for US Universities on how to exploit social networks

What are the risks of being left behind?Must a service be 100% ‘pure’ before choosing to use it?


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Conclusions

The Social Web:• Can be used to enhance access to digital

resources, real world resources and ideas and concepts

• Ignoring the potential may mean you lose out to your peers, competitors or rivals

• Can form part of your organisation’s mission and not just an added extra for dissemination

• But there are risks – to be explored later


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Using the Social Web to Maximise Access to your Resources:

Group Exercise 1: Demonstrating the Impact of the Social Web

Group Exercise 1: Challenges In Making Use of the Social Web

UKOLN is supported by:This work is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 licence (but note caveat)


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Group Exercise 1

Break into small groups

Find someone to report back

Discuss:• How you might demonstrate the impact of

use of the Social Web• How you might gather and use evidence to

convince sceptics e.g. funders who wish to reduce funding; tabloid newspapers; …

Try to ensure that everyone contributes to the discussion

D


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Group Exercise 2

Break into small groups

Find someone to report back

Discuss:• What are the main challenges in exploiting

the Social Web to enhance access to your resources and services?

• How might you address such challenges?

Try to ensure that everyone contributes to the discussion

D


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Report Back

Summaries from the discussion groups


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The Challenges

Challenges

Unconvinced

ColleaguesYou

Lack of resources

LimitedUnderstanding

No support frommanagement

It’s a Social (not work) Web

Sustainability No time

Technical Issues

Interoperability

It’s “my” space

Firewalls

Branding, editorial control

ConcernsDoing it ethically

ROI (demonstrate/maximise?


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Deployment StrategiesInterested in using Social Web in your organisation?Worried about corporate inertia, power struggles, etc?There’s a need for a deployment strategy:

• Addressing business needs• Low-hanging fruits• Observe emerging best practices• Encouraging the enthusiasts (don’t get in the way)• Staff training & development• Address areas you feel comfortable with• Impact analysis and assessment• Risk and opportunity management strategy• Accept that you won’t do it• …


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You Don’t Need To Blog!

Perhaps blogging & twittering (and speaking at conferences) is best left to those with a passion for user engagement?

Suggestions:• Encourage the

enthusiast• Lightweight

bureaucracy: “Don’t be stupid”, emerging patterns of Twitter usage , …

Suggestions:• Encourage the

enthusiast• Lightweight

bureaucracy: “Don’t be stupid”, emerging patterns of Twitter usage , …


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What You (Maybe) Shouldn’t Do

Aim: Maximise traffic

Approach: Use “Topless Swedish Model” in title

Comment: But you may wish to use humour, puns, … So be honest in your reporting.

Aim: Maximise comments

Approach: Misspell people’s names in order to get then to respond (and then say thanks)

Comment: But you may make spelling mistakes. Again be honest in your reporting.

Aim: Maximise traffic

Approach: Run an automated tool over site.

Comment: But you may wish to use such tools. Again be honest in your reporting.


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You Might Need a ‘Policy’

Dangers:• A policy is bureaucratic, • Fails to understand new technologies• …

Dangers of no policy:• Over-the-top

reaction

A lightweight policy:• Mosman Council page describes “who is tweeting

on behalf of the Council (the web team based at the Library); why they are doing it; their reply policy and how to stop them following you”


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Return On Investment

Justifying ROI• What’s the purpose of the Social Web service:

Dissemination Engaging with users Reflective thinking Providing opportunity for comment …

Maximising ROI• Timeliness• Appropriateness• Challenging

publishing assumptions

Remember 1-9-90 ‘rule’Remember 1-9-90 ‘rule’

Friday post

Saturday post

Monday post

Tuesday post


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“It‘s My Space”“Can you send this message on your list?”“Can you mention it in your blog?”

NB Happy to mention Oxford’s “Wall of 100 Faces”

Get your students to say how great the Uni is and make interface attractive and appealing

NB Happy to mention Oxford’s “Wall of 100 Faces”

Get your students to say how great the Uni is and make interface attractive and appealing


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My Political Views

A poll carried out by the Daily Mail on 19 June 2009

Surprised by results?

A triumph for the liberal intelligentsia on Twitter? Echoes of public protests in dictatorships.

But what if I had been promoting the BNP?

(Note the wording in my tweet)

A triumph for the liberal intelligentsia on Twitter? Echoes of public protests in dictatorships.

But what if I had been promoting the BNP?

(Note the wording in my tweet)


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Influencing & ObservingThe Daily Mail hid the results

Blog post published on activism & ethics• Encouraging votes• Multiple votes• Citing tweets• Capturing images

of tweets and Twitterers

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Opportunity to analyse influence in social networks – but is this ethical?Opportunity to analyse influence in social networks – but is this ethical?


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Dodgy Use of Twitter

Habitat:• Monitor ‘trending’

Twitter hashtags• Publish advertising

tweets with these hashtags

Including:• Hashtag about

Iranian elections!

How do we ensure we use SNs in ethical way? Do we simply avoid their use?

How do we ensure we use SNs in ethical way? Do we simply avoid their use?


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What About Metrics?Martin Wellers blog post on “Connections versus Outputs” on impact in Social Web

Lists in 'distance learning‘ of:• Top influencers• Sites/people have a high

level of 'hubness‘ ("characteristic of disproportionately linking to those who are authoritative on a given topic“)

But how reliable is this?

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Risk Management JISC infoNet Risk Management infoKit:

“In education, as in any other environment, you can’t decide not to take risks: that simply isn’t an option in today’s world. All of us take risks and it’s a question of which risks we take”

Examples of people who are likely to be adverse stakeholders:• People who fear loss of their jobs • People who will require re-training • People who may be moved to a different department /

team • People .. required to commit resources to the project • People who fear loss of control over a function or

resources • People who will have to do their job in a different way • People who will have to carry out new or additional

functions • People who will have to use a new technology


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Critical Friends / Friendly Critics

See <http://critical-friends.org/>See <http://critical-friends.org/>

JISC U&I programme is encouraging establishment of “Critical Friends”

<http://dev8d.jiscinvolve.org/2009/02/10/>

<http://dev8d.jiscinvolve.org/2009/02/10/>

Paul Walk (UKOLN) was described as a ‘critical friend’ of JISC


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Biases

Subjective factors

Towards a Framework

“Time To Stop Doing and Start Thinking: A Framework For Exploiting Web 2.0 Services”, Museums & the Web 2009 conference

IntendedPurpose

Benefits (various

stakeholdersRisks

(various stakeholders

Missed Opps. (various

stakeholdersCosts


• Sharing experiences

• Learning from successes& failures

• Tackling biases• …

• Critical friends • Application to

existing services

• Application to in-house development

• …

See blog post on Critical Friends, Friendly Critics (and Hostile Opponents!)

See blog post on Critical Friends, Friendly Critics (and Hostile Opponents!)

Note also JISC’s Scenario Planning work

Note also JISC’s Scenario Planning work


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Using The Framework

IntendedPurpose

Benefits (various

stakeholdersRisks


Missed Opps. (various

stakeholdersCosts


Community support

Rapid feedback

Justify ROIOrg. brand

Community-building

Low?

Twitter for individuals Organisational Fb Page

Marketing events,…

Large audiences

Ownership, privacy, lock-in

Marketing opportunity

Low?

Critical Friends / Friendly Critics

• UKOLN blogs• Email list

discussionsLearning

• Many blogs Engaging with a Twitter community

• Conferences• Papers• …

Note personal biases!

Note personal biases!

Use of approach in two scenarios: CILIP use of Twitter & FacebookUse of approach in two scenarios: CILIP use of Twitter & Facebook


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Conclusions

Acknowledgments to Michael Edson for the Web Tech Guy and Angry Staff Person post / comic strip

using the social web to maximise access to your resources

Education

services services

individual blog

various social web services

blog policy

blog whichallows

party web sites

directories resources

institutional resources