A week ago I attended the CASE District V conference in Chicago. I was invited to speak about Iterative Website Redesign (opens new window); a wrap up of my presentation was posted a few days ago. I wanted to take some time to highlight a few of my favorite talks from the rest of the conference.

Small shops doing big things online

The speaker, Cassie Dull (opens new window) is from an independent school, Park Tudor (opens new window). She is a one person social media department for a school of about 1000. She oversees the website, social media, video, everything.

When you break down all the fluff, there are two ways to promote and market your business: dumber, slower and expensive – or smarter, faster, and cheaper. - David Siteman Garland, Host of the Rise to the Top

• High School seniors making their college decision

• 93% of HS seniors use Facebook, Twitter or YouTube a couple times per week or more

  58% of students view Facebook at least several times a day

  22% said a university’s social media presence made them more interested in applying

  57% watched YouTube video created by school

  51% read student blog on school website

  53% read posts about school on social media

• More institutions have a centralized office for social media

• No 1. barrier to success: Lack of staffing and resources

• Plan to expand social media but no plan to hire staff

• Want more resources but don't want to give up control

• Don't waste your time

• 90-9-1 rule

• 90% lurkers

• 9% intermitent contributors

• 1% heavy users

• 90% of your communitcaion should be geared toward engaging that 10% of your audience who contributes

• Use students in your social media efforts

• Example: Parents reporting sport scores on Twitter

• Don't waste your money

• Their Web redesign started with an english teacher

• Redesigned without a budget

• Typical redesign starts at 50k, they did it for 11k

• Didn't spend money on things they didn't need.

• Doing things yourself will save you money

• English class ended up being a focus group for the project

• Prioritize what's important

• Priorities have to match institution's goals

• Work smarter with tools

• Hootsuite (opens new window)

• If this than that (opens new window)

• Buffer (opens new window)

• Bit.ly (opens new window)

• Social Mention (opens new window)

• Tweetreach (opens new window)

• Edge Rank Checker (opens new window)

• Hyperalerts.no (opens new window)

• Tweetbeep (opens new window)

• Hubspot Graders (opens new window)

• Webtrends (opens new window)

• Concentrate (opens new window) (app)

Social Media and the P word. (policy)

Presented by Brent Passmore (opens new window) and Carrie Phillips (opens new window), calling themselves We Are Team BC (opens new window). Their presentation resources are available online (opens new window).

• Not about how to craft a policy

• Risks and benefits of being in social media

• Giving away control

• Host about those negative issues

• Guidelines allow

• It can take up to a year to make a change to a policy

• Explain what social media is

• Why it is important to the institution

• Why it is important to the employee/administration

• Explain what the institution's official social media presence

• What is the university's stance on negative comments

• Policytool.net (opens new window)

• If you don't take the lead in creating a social media policy, someone else will. (We have already started here at Wayne State)

• Require Signatures

• Having administrative rights to social media accounts is a must

• A complete policy should tell you how to communicate

• Southwest social media policy (opens new window) is their favorite

You're Probably Spamming & Don't Even Know It

[prezi]http://prezi.com/l5wo1mjf7zts/view/?auth_key=2c813c171f97e5f100e7fe884cf44cd5bc1af425[/prezi]

Presented by Tim Hammer (opens new window) from Bethel University. He published the resources from his talk on the Bethel Web Services website (opens new window).

Can/spam act basics:

• Don't use false or misleading header information
• Don't use deceptive subject lines
• Identify the message as an advertisement
• Tell recipients where you are located
• Tell recipients how to opt out of future emails
• Honor opt out requests promptly (10 days)

$16,000 per recipient fine

Spam is a way of thinking (opens new window) - 37 signals

Why do people click the spam button?

• 41% said the email was not of interest of them
• 25 % received took much from this sender
• 20% received too much email all senders

It is important how your email is received, not that they physically opened in

Getting blacklisted - your emails will not be able to send emails

1 What you say

• Would you read this email if it was sent to you?
• Would this message be worth saying in a print piece? (if you had to pay for it)
• Am I saying something that is worth saying?

Analyize

• From address

• Who is this email coming from?

• Does the recipient know this person?

• Is a generaic or personal email address best?

• The Subject

• Don't see what's inside - tell what's inside

• Subject lines are not advertisements

• Avoid the words "help" and "reminder"

• Even good subject lines go bad

• If going to a broad audience, include "Bethel" in the subject

• 50 chars or less

• Don't use the important status

• The body copy

• Speak like a human

• If you want to be formal send a letter

• Humor and sarcasm don't translate well

• Use short paragraphs, bullets and numbers

• Link actionable words

• Only underline URL's

• Limited your send to 2 unique URLs

• Keep the font simple

• Don't use "dear", CAPS, more than one exclamation point, Bold

• Call to action

• Clear and singular

• Facilitate a quick response

• Signature

• Who to contact with questions

• Can be an office or individual

• No images, disclaimers, slogans, etc,

• Should include

• Sender's name

• Title/Office

• Phone number

• Email address

• Footer

• "You're receiving this email because you're a Bethel [role]"…

2. Preferences

• Remind them how they are connected to you

3. How often you say it

• Every time you send a message you are telling your users how much you value them, because you've asked them to put the time and energy ion what you have to say" Karlyn doteduguru.com

Making the Most of the Mobile Revolution

• Mobile visit increase to admissions.illinois.edu (opens new window)

• 2011 = 5.5%

• Optimized for mobile allows you to change the priority of content instead of making the user choose

• Mini websites aren't cute

• Mobile version of illinois.edu admissions is a single column

• On child pages make sure you have a larger line height

• The "Menu" button up top can either expand or jump down the page to the menu at the bottom

• Same code

• Different styles

• HTML

• Device detection

• Chooses a style sheet

• Native Apps & Alumni

• Alumni need their own app

• Think about getting to things very quickly instead of comprehensively

• Crib Sheet - App for Alumni (opens new window)

• Takes all the news around campus and places it in one app

• They can pick and choose what they care about

• Michigan State

• Scott Westerman (opens new window)

• Love to see the MSUAA using the net promoter score for alumni

• Being the connection to your students

• Instagram (opens new window)

• Photogene (opens new window)

• Animoto (opens new window)

• Used at homecoming

• Taking pictures and sent out before the tailgate was over

• Filmic Pro (opens new window)

• iMovie (opens new window)

• MatchMyGift (opens new window)

• Communications network 2.0 (opens new window)

• Square (opens new window)

Wrap up

Overall the conference was great. The Web and Communications track continued to grow and all the talks I attended were jam packed with great information and presented by very knowledgeable speakers. I continue to find the CASE conference a great resource for alumni, advancement and Web communications professionals. I recommend if you have never been to your district's or regional conference, you attend or get involved in any way you can.