Event: Policy Research, Technology, and Advocacy Converge @ the HUB, November 7-8, 2013 – Prague An interactive workshop where we discussed how think tanks can improve their use of social networks (Twitter, Google +, Facebook, Flickr, Soundcloud, YouTube, Vimeo, Slideshare, Scribd, issuu, etc.) as a communication and collaboration tool for dissemination of information/data, and interaction with their audiences and other institutions.

1. HANDLING YOUR MEDIA PRESENCE THINK TANKS AND SOCIAL NETWORKS
Danica Radovanović
Policy Research, Technology, and Advocacy
Converge @ the HUB
November 7-8, 2013 - Prague
Flickr: Carole_

2. Technology is neither good nor bad; nor is
it neutral. –
First Krazenberg’s law of technology
Technology is neither good nor bad; nor is it
neutral. –
First Krazenberg’s law of technology
Social media and technology are shaping the worlds in
which are societies functioning in their everyday life.
Flickr: Halqil

3. Social network sites - a part of a wider social media
landscape

4. Social networks as a communication and
collaboration tool for dissemination of
information, but also for…
interaction with TT audiences and other institutions.

5. The Digital Media revolution has great
potential for Think Tanks, first, it expands
many educational opportunities, and then
opportunities for research and
development, collaborating with each other
and other institutions, helping and
addressing local and global challenges,
Theaddressing the issues in the societies and
Digital Media and social networks have great potential for
Think Tanks, first, it expandslandscape, where
changing the current many educational opportunities, and
then opportunities for research and development, collaborating
needed.
with each other and other institutions, helping and addressing
local and global challenges, addressing the issues in the societies
and changing the current landscape, where needed.

6. Think about:
• the social media needs of think tanks
• strategies that will help in the effective and wise use of
internet and web tools, having in mind: content, context,
connection, and interaction in the community.

7. Points from Social Networks Sites (SNS) Think
Tanks interactive workshop at Hub in Prague
•Different organisations in South Eastern Europe (SEE)
have different mission and target audiences. Different
audiences have different needs in using social networks
(not everyone will use Facebook, for example).
•The main issue of SEE Think Tanks for establishing an
online communication over SNS is the lack of appropriate
resources (HR, money) and time.
•Also, the lack of interaction and engagement with the
target audience and lack of the constructive feedback microforms (“likes”) vs textual comments.
Continued….

8. • there is the TTs need for an effective communication,
and social media strategy

9. Effective Think Tanks Social Media Strategy –
for communicating data and interacting with the audiences
1/2
0 One size does not fit all TTs
1.Know Your Audience
2. Listen first (needs, input, etc.)
3. Gather your social media portfolio (Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube, Flickr, Google+, LinkedIn, RSS, etc.)
4. Manage content - find it searchable and sharable
5. Share the content – information and knowledge
6. Participate - commenting, enagagement, interaction, ask
questions, online survey, call for action, etc.
continued…

10. Effective Think Tanks Social Media Strategy –
for communicating data and interacting with the audiences
2/2
7. Promote your data, promote your activities (depending on
target audiences)
8. Tweet useful content, RT regularly, use #hashtags, engage
your audience
9. Foster the use of “alternative” tools (example: Armenian
Civilnet TV)
10. Community building
11. Have a social media strategy. If you don’t have a
dedicated communication/social media manager, spend only
an allocated amount of time on it.
12. Monitor and evaluate

11. TT EXAMPLES
The Pew Internet & American Life Project - “fact –tank”
http://www.pewinternet.org/
(Facebook, Twitter, RSS feeds, SlideShare, MySpace, & downloads data,
interactive polls)
Research to action (R2A)
http://www.researchtoaction.org/
(Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, Flickr, Netvibes, RSS)
Institute of development studies
http://www.ids.ac.uk/
(Connect - SNS, Share, Blogs)
Oxford Internet Institute
http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/
(twitter, RSS feeds, mailing list, webcast, data visualizations)

12. Recommended reading:
1. Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0007681309001232
2. Handbook of New Media: Social Shaping and Consequences of ICTs, edited
by Leah A Lievrouw, Sonia Livingstone.
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=VwJ4xsYHboYC&oi=fnd&pg=PP
2&dq=social+media+and+research+organizations&ots=bpDuswtlev&sig=wNEzAxphpp86aX8sUbtAOSfvdA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=social%20media%20a
nd%20research%20organizations&f=false
3. Social Media and think tanks: lessons from London Thinks by Enrique
Mendizabal on June 18, 2012. http://onthinktanks.org/2012/06/18/socialmedia-and-think-tanks-lessons-from-london-thinks/
4. Connectivity Doesn’t End the Digital Divide, Skills Do #social_media.
http://www.danicar.org/2011/12/15/connectivity-doesn%E2%80%99t-endthe-digital-divide-skills-do-social_media/
5. Communications Strategy for Think-Tanks,
http://pasos.org/7434/communications-strategy-for-think-tanks/

13. Contact:
Danica Radovanovic, information specialist.
Social media consultant and internet researcher
danica@danicar.org
www.danicar.org
@DanicaR