Presentation from Citizen 2.0 Training -- a workshop to teach citizens from Dublin, CA and surrounding areas how to use social media tools (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yelp, MeetUp) to build community and business, as well as to influence policy issues.

1. Overview and Demo
George Millington
www.geo2geo.net

2. Tracking social conversations

How to use common tools

Blogs
◦
Facebook
◦
Twitter
◦
MeetUp
◦
Yelp
◦
Talking the talk

George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

3. First step: determining where to engage

◦ Identify interest, topics, issues, etc.
◦ Narrow down social media outlets
Use tools to track social media conversations

Google Alerts

◦ Easy way to track news, blogs, etc.
◦ Customizable searches
◦ Delivery by email (real-time, daily, weekly)
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

4. www.google.com/alerts
Enter search terms
Enter your email
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

5. General
Yahoo! – www.yahoo.com

Blogs
Google - http://blogsearch.google.com

Twitter
Twitter Search – www.search.twitter.com

Twellow – www.twellow.com

Social Media
digg – www.digg.com

reddit - www.reddit.com

technorati – www.technorati.com

George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

6. News, commentary and opinion

Professional journalists, influencers, citizens

Key attributes:

Interactive – encourages and fosters discussion
◦
Real-time – daily, weekly or hourly
◦
Multi-media - Combines text, images, and links
◦
Transparent – open to feedback and criticism
◦
Not advertising-based (typically)

Can be direct, provocative, “biased”

George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

7. Enables tracking of issues, opinions

◦ RSS feeds
Expands boundaries of „traditional media‟

◦ Additional journalist opinion
◦ Citizen involvement
◦ Added layer of accountability
Allows you to engage in the discussion

◦ Post “comments”
◦ Raise related/ancillary issues
Anyone can blog – even you!

◦ Identify a unique angle/interest; find your „voice‟
◦ Several free blogging services, e.g., WordPress, Typepad, Blogger
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

8. www.facebook.com
Free, social networking Website

◦ Join networks: city, workplace, school, or region
Large and loyal following

◦ 175M active users; half use daily
◦ 35 languages/170 countries
◦ Popular with late-20s,
30-somethings
Open platform – continual

development/evolution
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

9. Status
Things you want
updates, thoughts…
to share
Info about you
whatever
„News feed‟ – updates from
friends, groups, networks
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

10. Destinations for businesses, groups, professional

organizations, associations, etc.
◦ Promotional, informational, educational
◦ Causes, political affiliations
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

11. Personal uses

◦ Keep up with friends
◦ Support causes, political interests
◦ Share photos, videos, information
◦ Games, contests, music
Business uses

◦ Engage directly with customer base
◦ Gather feedback
◦ Tailored promotions/publicize events
Citizen 2.0 uses

◦ Build community
◦ Keep current on Dublin govt. policies, meetings, events, issues
◦ Raise awareness for important issues; gather support
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

12. Alameda County Registrar of Voters

Alameda County Republican Party

Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson

Around Dublin

California Government

John McCain

Barack Obama

Rotary Clubs (District 5170 - Pleasanton)

George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

13. www.twitter.com
A free “micro-blog” service

Send and read updates, called „Tweets‟

◦ 140 characters in length
◦ Can include links, photos
Share information, news, events…or anything of interest

Follow and find followers with common interests

Popular tool for celebs, journalists and politicians

◦ Obama, Biden, Gore, Rove
◦ Members of congress – Pelosi, McCain
◦ CNN – Sanchez, Lemon
◦ Demi Moore, Jimmy Fallon, Lance Armstrong
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

14. www.twitter.com/geo2geo
My „Tweets‟
„Tweets‟ of people
I follow
People I follow
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

15. Business/personal uses

◦ Social networking
◦ Learn about social media
◦ Learn about industries, technologies, markets
◦ Find/offer opinion, insight and expertise
◦ Current events/news
Citizen 2.0 uses

◦ Keep current on Dublin govt. policies, meetings,
events, issues
◦ “Voice” your opinion
◦ Direct line to politicians
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

16. Tweet – your status update

Tweeple/Tweeps – Twitter users

Twapplications - Twitter applications

RT or Retweet - Tweeting content posted by another user

◦ Includes „@‟ symbol
Twestival – charity event organized by Twitter users

DM – direct message

Hashtag – „#‟ symbol used to categorize Tweets

◦ #Citizen2.0
◦ #Obama
http://twictionary.pbwiki.com/
◦ #MarchMadness
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

17. J. Boehner - http://twitter.com/GOPleader/

D. Bowen (CA Secty. Of State) - http://twitter.com/sosnews

B. Boxer - http://twitter.com/Barbara_Boxer/

C. Dodd - http://twitter.com/chrisdodd/

M. Honda - http://twitter.com/RepMikeHonda/

J. McCain - http://twitter.com/JohnMcCain

G. Miller - http://twitter.com/askgeorge/

B. Obama - http://twitter.com/BarackObama

N. Pelosi - http://twitter.com/nancypelosi/

A. Schwarzenegger - http://twitter.com/schwarzenegger

http://www.sourcewatch.org
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

18. www.meetup.com
Site to organize local group or find existing one

World's largest network of local groups

◦ 2,000+ groups meet in-person each day
 4.7M members
 46,315 local groups
 3,601 cities
Dozens of group categories –

e.g., social, entertainment, sports, parenting/family
◦ Politics and activism
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

19. Business/Personal uses

◦ Social networking/friendship
◦ Find new people with common interests
Citizen 2.0 uses

◦ Build critical mass to make a difference
◦ Form groups to address issues, advance causes
◦ Build following for candidates, issues and causes
Local groups:

◦ Libertarian Party of Alameda County
◦ Alameda County Republican Party MeetUp Group
◦ Tri-Valley Community Service Coalition
◦ Constitutionalists for Ron Paul 2008: Contra Costa & Alameda
◦ The Alameda County Democratic Party MeetUp Group
◦ GOING GREEN!
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

20. www.yelp.com
Social networking, user review, local search site

◦ Shopping, restaurants, services, entertainment
◦ Extensive directory of vendors
Consumer-driven reviews, ratings

◦ “Real” assessment of local businesses
◦ Free from advertising influence
Top 100 of U.S. Internet web sites

◦ 10.6+ million users per month
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

21. Basic vendor info. Consumer rating Location
Detailed reviews
Similar vendors
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

22. Personal uses

◦ Search for anything you may need
◦ “Try before you buy”
◦ Indentify local hot-spots, unique services
◦ Provide feedback on good…and bad,
experiences
Business uses

◦ Gather direct customer feedback/improve customer services
◦ Attract new customers through positive “viral” visibility
Citizen 2.0 uses

◦ Network with others who share common interests
◦ Find public services – e.g., Dublin Townhall,
animal shelter, post office
◦ Provide feedback to affect change
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

23. George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

24. SmartVoter – non-partisan election info

◦ Web – http://SmartVoter.org
OpenCongress – “real story behind what's happening in Congress”

◦ Blog – www.Opencongress.org/blog
◦ Twitter - http://twitter.com/OpenCongress
SourceWatch – monitors communication affecting public

perception, opinion and policy
◦ Web – www.SourceWatch.org
Sunlight Foundation - making information about Congress/govt.

more meaningful/accessible to citizens
◦ Web – www.SunlightFoundation.com
◦ Blog - http://blog.sunlightfoundation.com/
◦ Facebook page
George Millington / www.geo2geo.net

25. George Millington
www.geo2geo.net
gmillington@sbcglobal.net