Can a bad hair day nix your raise? Why is it risky to pitch an idea that is too perfect? These topics are headline fodder for stories about academic research by Stanford Graduate School of Business professors. In this talk presented at 2015 Confab Higher Ed, Karen Lee shared how Stanford Business turns potentially dry academic studies into engaging stories, and strategically disseminates them for targeted reach and high impact. For those who find original content creation challenging, this presentation reveals six principles on how our editorial team works with faculty to retain academic rigor while telling stories that people want to read and share. Karen also showed effective ways to extend the reach of your content via the web and social media, how to tailor content for your own properties and mass media partners, and why it’s important to recycle stories.

1. Making Academic
Research Go Viral
Karen Lee
@karenlee
#confabEDU

2. We looked back on what we learned
- what worked, what didn’t -
from writing and sharing academic stories
Six Principles from
Stanford Business

3. While I was at the GSB, I felt
intellectually on fire – now that I’ve
graduated, the GSB keeps that flame
alive by providing me with stimulating
content and unique perspectives on
big compelling issues.
- Alumna

4. 1. Create stories that teach and reach
“If you can’t explain to a six year old, you don’t understand it yourself.”
- Albert Einstein
➔Fulfills a public purpose to promote education
and learning
➔Fuels people’s desire for lifelong learning
◆Help people better understand the world
◆Inspire people (practical, aspirational)

5. Stanford Business objective
We help increase the reach and impact of
business management research and insights to
influencers who are seeking knowledge to
change lives, organizations, and the world.

6. Our website is the anchor

7. Before: June 2012

8. Designed & organized for readers

9. Bigger type
Jump to topic
pages
Emphasis on
richer visuals
Social sharing
Dive into
other stories
See faculty
profiles and
related papers,
articles

10. Sign-up for our
e-newsletter
Jump to
related stories
Shortened link
to share
Social sharing

12. “Those groups without whose support the organization would cease to exist.”
- 1963 memo, Stanford Research Institute
2. Be accountable to your stakeholders
➔Who are your stakeholders?
➔How does your organization build trust?
➔How do you convey your mission & goals?
➔When do you seek their feedback?

13. Editorial process
Trigger
Do research
Meet with
professor
Brainstorm
story format
Develop
story/assets
Share story
with
professor
Receive
feedback,
make edits
Get approval
Get feedback
from professor
Publish on
website /
magazine
Promote

14. 3. Find storytelling to fit your audience
➔Who is your audience?
➔What types of storytelling formats do you
use?
➔How does the type of content or platform
influence the way you choose to tell a story?

15. Story: Who’s making the ethical
decisions in a driverless car?

16. Story: A change to a tax credit could
kill the nascent U.S. solar industry

17. Embrace criticism because it’s good
for quashing bad ideas (here’s how)

18. Best practices for video interview
➔Do your homework
➔Keep it conversational and light
“It’s all about control without making it look controlled.” - Beth Rimbey
➔Go in with a narrow idea of what you want the
end product to look like
➔Take your time

19. 4. Focus on building your reach
➔Where is your audience?
➔Can you do more with less?
➔How unique is each channel, platform, or
product? Where is there overlap?
➔What are the requirements to support your
platform or product?

20. Where you can find Stanford Business stories
Website
Magazine
Email PartnersSocial Media

21. 5. Think evergreen: recycle & repackage
➔What channels do you use to share your
content and stories?
➔When can you recycle and peg your stories to
what’s happening in the news?
➔How do you tailor your content to specific
channels?

22. SlideShareA Look Back at 2014

23. 7 Business Books and Business GoalsSetting Vague Goals

27. Goals: Teach & build a relationship
➔Reach more people
➔Create compelling content
➔Engage with content
➔Read other stories
➔Amplify story
➔Create loyalty

28. 6. Define and measure your success
➔What do you keep track of (or not)?
➔How do your metrics measure your
organization’s objectives?
➔What is your process for determining what
you should continue or stop?
➔In what ways do you encourage new ideas
and experiments?

29. Potential experiments and tests
➔What angle should we use?
➔Are people interested in reading about this
particular topic?
➔Will readers watch a video?
➔Does story format affect social sharing?
➔Which subject line is better?
➔Should we be on Periscope?

31. Tumblr
Long-form story

32. Video story

33. Infographic Infographic

34. Use Buzzsumo to find your viral stories

35. ➔ When Power Moves at Work
Backfire
➔ 7 Myths of Boards of Directors
➔ Why Winning Could Go Wrong in a
Fitbit World
➔ Facebook Profiles: The Biggest
Bank of Personality Data?
➔ When To Bootstrap Your Startup
Facebook Profiles 28.1%, 5.2%
7 Myths of BoDs 27.0%, 7.1%
Email

36. Follow on Periscope:
@StanfordBusiness

37. 6 Principles from Stanford Business
1. Create stories that teach and reach
2. Be accountable to your stakeholders
3. Find storytelling to fit your audience
4. Focus on building your reach
5. Think evergreen: recycle & repackage
6. Define and measure your success

38. If you’re interested in a copy of my e-book on
how to tweet, get in touch:
Karen Lee
karen.poi.lee@gmail.com
@karenlee
Thank you!