I think there is a lot of potential in using Twitter as a Listening outpost (http://michaelhyatt.com/a-social-media-framework.html) and engaging people on Twitter. Still thinking through how to use it that way, but I think there is huge potential to drive online engagement to campus engagement. I know this article seem to focus more on how to engage involved students online, but how about engaging uninvolved and uninterested students online?

Facebook is definitely the most popular thing in NZ, although those who I’d consider the more tech-savvy are using twitter as well. This seems backwards to me in some ways, because I’d consider us a text-messaging culture, and twitter fits right into that. Most students have plans that let them send around 2,500 texts per month (receiving is free), but they rarely call people. Yet twitter is not really promoted here. My estimate would be that 40%-50% of uni students have smartphones, and that is steadily increasing.

Most of my friends use Facebook to post status updates, pictures, and messaging as you mentioned. There’s also a lot of sharing of “hey check out this cool picture/website/video” type stuff. FB is certainly being used by a majority here though, so we need to be using it.

Having data plans on mobiles is becoming more common, but data here is expensive. I think that’s probably one of the biggest hold-ups in people using SM on their phones more, or group-chat apps like you mention.

I’d like to hear more about the things you’ve tried at your conferences, since we’ve got one coming up which I’m in charge of, and I’m keen to use SM in ways similar to those you’ve mentioned!

#3. It’s not uncommon for us here to have a communications rep who’s in charge of the Fb/twitter account, but they don’t always use it to it’s best abilities, especially taking into consideration #1.

#1 I’m not sure I had really thought about #1 before. I spend way more time on twitter than I do Facebook. I’m not even sure I know how people use facebook anymore. Probably mostly as photo-albums and a messaging system? I’d like to think about the implications of #1 more.

#4 I know a campus here that uses the group method, and another campus who just has an ongoing group message in Facebook (and . I’m curious about group chat – which I posted about recently. That depends on the kind of phones your students have in NZ.

Twitter has grown in popularity with our students because of staff pushing it. Two years ago I was the SM coordinator for winter conference. I was booed for suggesting students get twitter to connect and encourage each other and let us know what they were learning. This past year, students were signing up just to be a part of the conversation!

I think there are some really good thoughts here to get the ball rolling. Ryan’s feedback gives me some things to think about.

Thanks for your comments, was exactly the type on input I was looking for! Knowing your background, I really appreciate what you’ve got to say.

In regards to idea #3, I meant that we could nominate a student to have posting permission for say, two weeks at a time, rather than have them post once every two weeks.

You make a good point about some of the different things people are looking for on Facebook vs. Twitter. I sometimes wonder why Twitter hasn’t taken off here in New Zealand in the same way Facebook has; I enjoy using Twitter more in some ways because I get more useful content/discussion out of it.

Really hope we can get more Student Lifers to push us in our use of social media. Any ideas how?

I’ll share my thoughts in general, then respond a bit more directly to your ideas.

I think I have shared with you before that my previous job before coming to NZ was working at an ad agency. At the agency, I was in charge of the social media campaigns for a few small government brands – sometimes aimed at teenagers. One of the biggest takeaways from the experience is that in general, people get on FB to see what their friends are doing, get some news, maybe make a post, and sign out. They ignore advertising, promotional messages, and brands attempting to communicate for the most part. I have not really seen companies/brands be successful with social media by just communicating through a branded FB page or Twitter account – unless they are some already megasuccessful company like Apple or Amazon. In those cases, the brand already has a personality. Where I have seen success and interaction is when an actual person is on the social mediums representing both the company and themselves. This is especially true on FB where people aren’t looking for new connections. Twitter is a different animal in that sense – people are looking for new contacts and interaction there if they’re using it correctly. Obviously, there is application for us there. Our communication through these media should be primarily as ourselves – real people who have personalities and can be related to. I think a great application as a ministry is – as we disciple students on relational evangelism – that we include FB in that discussion and give them challenges for using FB to engage with friends. If we launch a national outreach using FB or other online stuff (which we should), it should depend upon individuals to use and promote instead of a corporate account or website.

All the ideas of 3,4, and 5 are great. For 3, I think it’s great to turn this over to a student when possible. The communication has to be much more frequent than fortnightly or even weekly for it to be successful. The FB group idea is a good one as well. Groups were lame for awhile, but they’ve made a comeback and have good discussion value. Totally agree on #5 as well. It has to be a much more holistic approach on our corporate accounts.

Probably more than you were looking for Hope it helps move the conversation forward.