First session of the Web2LLP online training course on web strategies and maximising the social media presence of Lifelong Learning Projects. Topic: Setting up a web strategy and communication action plan Author: Gary Shochat (PAU Education) Website: http://web2llp.eu/training/online-session-1-web-strategy

1. The basics of setting up a web
strategy and communication
action plan for an LLP project
This project was financed with the support of the European Commission. This publication is the sole responsibility of the
author and the Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
http://www.web2llp.eu
Gary Shochat

2. In today’s session:
• Why should I create and implement a web strategy for my LLP
project?
• What channels, platforms and tools should I use and why?
• The basics of setting a web strategy
• The basics of a online communication action
• Integrating different Channels (Web & Social Media)
• Frequent issues and questions for LLP projects

3. It can help you to achieve:
• Dissemination.
• Visibility.
• Exploitation and sustainability.
• Re-use of project activities in new contexts (provided
that copyright issues are acknowledged).
Why is a web strategy needed?

4. Isn’t having a simple website
enough?
Let’s look at some Statistics…
Out of the online adult users of the
internet, how many use social media?

5. ANSWER: 91% !!
How much time do people spend on
Google per month in comparison with
Facebook?

6. ANSWER: People spend
TWICE as much time on
Facebook!!
Research on the internet:
• 50% google
• 50% ‘in parallel’, through social media and
thematic portals
Promotion on the web is a cross-channel , cross-
platform effort

7. Where do I start?
• WHO? What is my audience?
– Identify Target
• WHY? what is my plan of action?
– Set Goals
• WHAT? what tools + channels + content
(messages) will I use and how are they
combined?
- Choose Tactics
• HOW? how will I measure success?
– Define indicators and target metrics

8. Defining your target audience
Be as specific as you can! This will determine:
• content
• look and feel
• Channel selection

9. Defining your Goals
How does your website or SMS benefit your
target user’s needs?
Think: What could users do?
Benchmark
Be Creative!

10. Some possible goals
Q: I set up a website and I have a frequently
updated blog, I hardly have any resources left
for the task so do I really need to use social
media?

11. ANSWER: 22.5% !!
Yes, you need social media because its sticky!
Corporate vs. Participative
People use social networks and dedicated professional portals
and hubs to communicate; harness their strength to disseminate
and fortify your position and THEN by bringing them to your
website.

12. What tools can I use?
1. social networking sites; (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Ning)
2. Blogs
3. microblogging tools; (e.g. Twitter)
4. presentation repositories (e.g. Slideshare)
5. video sharing tools; (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo)
6. social bookmarking applications; (e.g. Diigo, del.ici.ous)
7. web 2.0 picture repositories (e.g. Picasa, Flickr)
8. RSS feeds
One extra application considered useful to LLP projects:
9. shared web 2.0 public libraries (e.g. Mendeley).
Two more features enhancing SM presence
10. easy sharing services (e.g. the “Add this” button)
11. SM Widgets

13. Detailed action plan
• Brainstorm…check budget…brainstorm…check
budget (repeat till you are either satisfied or project ended)
Target audience Goal Task Resources Timeline and
frequency
Monitoring
mechanismsHuman:
partner(s)
Material:
channels
Teachers Interact
with target
audience/
Receive
feedback
on
a recently
finished
study
Enhance
conversation
on the
project’s
Facebook
Page
fueled by
Facebook
posts
and tweets
- All partners
(or
partner X)
- Facebook wall
and Twitter
Two
months
starting
from
(yyyy.mm.
dd)
Once a
week
Activity of
the FB wall
documented
from the
inbuilt
Facebook
insights

14. Your key to web strategy
happiness:
FLEXIBILITY !!

15. When should I launch my online
presence?
Website or Social Media first?

16. THINK ‘PROMOTION’
• Typical web & social growth:
Time
Users
If you need the audience. Go get it!
Try to avoid the typical growth curve because by the time
you reach critical mass your LLP Project might be over!

17. Social media presence can be
established before a website
BUT
Only after a communication action
plan has been established!
* A Social Media Action Plan is beyond ‘importing’ messages into
a new media, it’s about creating dialogue, with NEW methods
and new messages.

18. What: Comparing social
tools and channels
• Discussions & Exposure amongst peers –
Linkedin, blog, curation tools
• Dissemination of content and exposure
amongst peers – twitter (in ‘real time’), blog,
curation tools
• Colloquial and ‘social’ interaction – facebook,
google+,
• High visual impact and easy sharing – video &
images

19. Web vs. Social
Shake, Stir & be flexible
• BLEND
• Mix: include different media channels and
formats
• Look for synergies EVERYWHERE!
• Remember: SM and WEBSITES need to be
‘alive’ in order to do the work

20. Tactics, tools and integration of
web & SM
• Establish presence
• Listen: Go where your audience is already, join networks
and professional communities, identify hashtags and topics,
identify influencers.
• Collect and curate content
• Publish
• Promote and Communicate
Example: http://www.erscharter.eu/

21. Some ideas for content...
Q1: This social service was launched 28 months
ago and has 100 Million monthly users and over
300 million photos are uploaded through it to
the web daily….

22. ANSWER: Instagram
Lesson: IMAGES & VISUAL IMPACT are paramount
Q2: Companies that use this channel to publish
content and insight on a regular basis have 55%
more web visitors

23. ANSWER: A blog
Lesson: ‘Don’t just feed the beast, create better
content!’…more lessons:
– On social media: Be Personal!
– On website: be usable and clear.
– Mystery and controversy get people to look,
discuss and respond
– Measure continuously,
– Display content in various formats across various
platforms.
• Link platform to SM (bi-directional)

24. Develop promotion scheme to
attract users (contest, Events,
webinars, leverage influencers,
SEO) – We want to get noticed!
Stand out, attract audience and
attract search engines.

25. Possible answers to frequently
occurring situations (or problems)
1. Budget – use simple tools and dynamics
2. Skills – personal added value
3. Language – bring multilingualism to surface
4. Reaching users – Specify target, locate active
channels, engage, expand network

26. Thank you!
http://www.web2llp.eu/
@Web2LLP
http://groups.diigo.com/group/web2llp