#UWSocial: Growing and Managing a Social Media Community

#UWSocial: Growing and Managing a Social Media CommunityFebruary 19th, 2012 1 comment

Build a Community Right! #UWSocial will share best practices, tips, and their strategy!

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has a reputation for academic, research and athletic excellence. The campus social media community, known by its hashtag as #UWSocial, is no different.

Through its social media outreach, the university has enhanced its brand at home and abroad by sharing a wealth of high quality content and engaging with students, faculty, staff, alumni and prospective students.

Over the past three years, more than 500 accounts with nearly 1 million total followers have been launched across multiple platforms. In 2011, UW-Madison ranked No. 1 in higher education Internet brand equity and it maintains a top Klout ranking among colleges and universities. Its campaigns have received media coverage from the New York Times, The Guardian and the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Image via Wikipedia

Along the way, the group has developed innovative ideas about managing its structure and collaborating across a large, decentralized organization. Instead of taking a top-down approach to social media, #UWSocial has grown and thrived by matching the university’s organizational culture and capitalizing on the talent and passion of its members. The lessons learned by UW-Madison are applicable to many businesses, non-profits or large organizations expanding into social media.

At this event Vince Sweeney, John Lucas, Megan Costello and Wendy Hathaway will present best practices, tips and strategies for building an engaging and supportive community that includes cross functional teams.

Please reschedule your other activities and commit to attending this unique event.

Facility and breakfast host is the Wisconsin Union

Lake Mendota seen through the eyes of one of the iconic Wisconsin Memorial Union chairs – image from Wendy Soucie

Our facility host is The Wisconsin Union, and no better location can be had on campus for an event like this. Follow the Union on Twitter for events and happenings there : @WisconsinUnion, @_WUD

http://www.facebook.com/TheWisconsinUnion

https://www.facebook.com/wudfun

Wisconsin Union is known as the heart and soul of UW-Madison and a beloved Madison icon. Membership is open to everyone and gives access to exploring everything happening at both locations –Memorial Union on Lake Mendota and the new Union South by Camp Randall. With over 1,000 events a year, there is something for everyone at the Union. Stay up-to-date on Union events, news and more at union.wisc.edu.

The union also excited to announce a recently launched corporate membership pilot program open to businesses in the greater Dane County community, which includes special benefits such as guest passes for your customers and holding your social events at the Union. Contact membership@union.wisc.edu for more information.

Let them eat

Bring your appetites, because Wisconsin Union catering created a special menu just for Social Media Breakfast Madison attendees!

Berry & granola yogurt parfaits
Fresh baked cinnamon & pecan swirls
Assorted fresh Danish
Salmon lox on Gotham bagels
Mini quiche
Fresh brewed Johnson Brothers coffee with Organic Valley cream
Orange & cranberry juice

Speaker Bios

Vince Sweeney, (@VJS2), is vice chancellor for University Relations at UW-Madison. He is tasked with coordinating the university’s messaging and relationship-building strategies across a broad range of audiences, from the campus community to legislators, parents, alumni, donors and friends across the world. Prior to his current role, he served as senior associate athletic director for external relations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from UW–Madison.

John Lucas, (@jplucas55 and @uwmadison), coordinates institutional social media at UW-Madison from the office of University Communications and Marketing. In addition to managing accounts of nearly 200,000 followers, he leads #UWSocial community. His other roles at UW-Madison include emergency and internal communications, along with student life publicity and media relations. Prior to moving to Wisconsin in 2001, Lucas worked in daily newspapers, including the Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn.

Megan Costello, (@higheredmeggo and @uwmadisonls) is director of communications in the College of Letters & Science, the largest college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She directs external communications including print and digital media for Letters & Science with a focus in cultivating alumni and donor support of the institution. She is a co-founder of the #UWSocial group and has been active in campus social media initiatives since 2009. She is a part-time candidate in the School of Library of Information Studies at UW-Madison and is a BA’07 graduate of the School of Journalism & Mass Communication and the English-Creative Writing Program.

Wendy Hathaway, (@wiswendy and @buckybadger), joined the Wisconsin Alumni Association staff in 2010 as web editor, working to engage with UW-Madison alumni and friends by sharing original content on uwalumni.com and interacting with Badgers through social media. She graduated from UW-Madison with a Journalism degree in 2004 and previously worked for six years as a newscast producer and Internet Director at WKOW-TV in Madison.