Working Differently:Tools for Listening to Online

Conversations

Bob Bertsch

What Is Working Differently?

• a way to succeed in the current and future communications environments

• a way to discuss and adapt to the impact future trends are having on our organization

• a way to go beyond the use of new tools and discuss a new way of working, communicating and educating

• a way to find a path forward in a new and changing knowledge landscape

The Communications and Knowledge Landscapes have ChangedExtension's customers are changing. They access information through devices and media that didn't exist 10 years ago.

201074% of adults use Internet65% have broadband at home>55% watch video online85% own a cell phone57% use wireless internet>66% use cloud computing46% use social networksFast, mobile connections on outside servers and storage

- Pew Internet & American Life Project, http://www.pewinternet.org/

200046% of adults use Internet5% have broadband at home<20% watch video online53% own a cell phone0% use wireless internet<10% use cloud computing0% use social networksSlow, stationary connections built around my computer

Our Approach To Online Communication Has Not Changed Since 1994

• Largely consists of electronic versions of materials created to be shared in print

• Information often bundled in ways that limit direct access to specific answers and help

• Almost exclusively built on one-way communication with little or no engagement with the customer

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammy0716/3005591006/

The Way Our Customers Use Online Communication Has Changed• Online communication among the people we serve has

changed drastically, while we have stayed the same.

o User expects information when and where they want it.

o User expects communication fit for multiple devices (mobile, tablet, netbook, etc.)

o User expects communication that will compete for and keep their attention.

o User trusts sources that are open and value user knowledge and feedback.

 

Online Communication Objectives

1. To be a catalyst for learning networks that engage people as learners and teachers

2. To give people control of their own lifelong educational opportunities through anywhere, anytime learning

3. To listen to and learn from the people we serve

4. To reach learners who we have not traditionally reached

 

A Path Forward

Created by Aliza Sherman

A Path Forward

Listen

Time investment: 15 min./day

Tools: Twitter, Google Alerts, SocialMention, Feeds

Objective: To listen to and learn from the people we serve

Google Alerts

Google Alerts are e-mail updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic.

• monitoring a developing news story

• keeping current on your topic area

• looking for mentions of your organization or office

 

Google Alerts

• enter a termchoose the type of results you wanto newso blogso realtimeo videoso discussions

• choose how often to receive alerts• choose selected results or all results• enter your e-mail address• create or login with Google account to manage your alerts

 

Socialmention

Social media search and analysis

• search all or selected social media

• create e-mail alerts

• tap into the conversation

 

Socialmention

• enter a term

• select all or some social media sources

• click search

• create an e-mail alerto search termo social media sourceso languageo frequencyo e-mail address

 

Feeds

Feeds are the way content is syndicated on the web: RSS, Atom, XML

• stay up-to-date on new content from a particular source

• read your feeds in Outlook, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Reader

• add feeds to personalized web sites like iGoogle

 

Feeds in Outlook and Internet Explorer

Subscribe to a feed in Internet Explorer using the "Feed" icon in the browser or by finding the feed on the web page.

• click "Subscribe to this feed“

• feeds appear under "Favorites" in Internet Explorer

• feeds also appear in the RSS Feeds folder in Outlook 

 

Feeds in Firefox

Subscribe to a feed using the "Feed" icon in Firefox or by finding the feed on the web page.

• click "Subscribe“

• choose where you want to read the feeds

• feeds appear in the place you chose

 

Feeds in Other Programs

Occasionally you may encounter a program or feed that does not prompt you to subscribe.

• click the feed

• copy the URL

• paste the URL in the place or program of your choice

 

Start Listening

NDSU Ag Communication Blog - http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/agcomm

NDSU Ag Communication Web Services Blog - http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/roller/agcommwebservices/

The Winnowing Oar - http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/roller/winnowingoar/

eXtension Blog - http://about.extension.org/blog/

Learn More

Get more information on "Working Differently", share your thoughts and access the "Working Differently in Extension" podcast at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/workingdifferently

Check out all of the "Working Differently" training opportunities at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/agcomm/events  Follow @ndbob and @JulieKuehlNDSU on Twitter Like the NDSU Ag Comm Web Service Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NDSUAgCommWebServices