The document discusses how social media can be used to identify and engage opinion leaders to spread information. It defines key terms like change agencies, change agents, and opinion leaders. It also describes research on how Twitter was used during the H1N1 outbreak to communicate. The document advocates identifying opinion leaders on social media who are influential based on their social connections and engagement. It provides suggestions for how to strengthen relationships with opinion leaders and encourage them to help spread information to their own communities.
16. Meet the theory
Diffusion is the process by which
an innovation is communicated
through certain channels over time
among the members of a social
system.
- Ev Rogers
20. Meet the results
“I feel that the people I follow
on Twitter are credible sources
of information - as they are
professional folks whose
reputations are tied to what
they say in this forum.”
22. Meet the application
Information flows in diffusion:
• Change Agency == organization that desires change
• Change Agent == individual who represents that change
agency
• Opinion Leader == member of a social system who is able to
influence others’ actions
23. Opinion Leaders
• Take in more external communication
• Display greater social participation
• Have higher socioeconomic status
• Display more innovative behavior
24. Activity Break!
• In your Change Agency,
who are:
• Change Agents?
• Opinion Leaders?
25. Back to business
Other ways to identify Opinion Leaders:
• Who interacts with institutional accounts?
• Who interacts with other students, professors, staff -
online and IRL?
• Who has friends in many circles?
• Who has the toys?
26. So, we’ve always known
about Opinion Leaders.
What’s different now?
27. Today, people expect to share information, not be
fed it.
They expect to be listened to when they have
knowledge and raise questions. They want news
that connects with their lives and interests. They
want control over their information.
And they want connection – they give their trust
to those they engage with – people who talk with
them, listen and maintain a relationship.
– Michael Skoler
Media scholar
•
34. Activity Break!
Of your mentioned
Opinion Leaders, what
are their areas of
interest?
How can you create
interaction opportunities
between these leader
and their interest areas?
44. Your Opinion Leaders will
deliver communities if...
• You accept the importance of their chosen medium.
• You continue to build relationships.
• You share salient information - allow super-users to scoop
you sometimes.
• You encourage questioning.
• You fill the information vacuum.
• You reduce uncertainty.
45. You must not...
• Share information unworthy of your followers
• Ignore followers’ legitimate concerns
• Waste time sharing useless information
• Ignore misinformation
• Spread information you can’t confirm
• Abuse your followers’ trust
• Use any communication medium without pondering the
ramifications
46. Questions?
• tosmith@ualr.edu
• @marleysmom
• 501.324.9896
• Complete research is at
issuu.com/marleysmom
Hinweis der Redaktion
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All these things form your communication network.\n\nFor good or bad, they influence how we make decisions. And we all have them. \n
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All American family, right?\n1.8 kids, nice house, nice cars, good jobs\n\nEverybody wants to be like Joneses, but who are they? Really?\n
Plot? A seemingly perfect couple moves into an upscale gated community along with their equally perfect teenagers. The Joneses have better goods and game than any other family in town. The only problem is they’re not a family - they are employees of a stealth marketing organization, and they know how to make everyone else want what they’ve got.\n \n Like it or not, we can all be like the Joneses in our own little corner of the world. \n \n If you work in communication or marketing, like I do, then you know the importance of swaying people’s perceptions of whatever you’re selling. Cause that’s what we’re doing, we’re selling. \n \n I’m tired of it being a dirty word, and I’m tired of people asserting that if you use social media to accomplish goals then it’s not authentic communication. \n \n People know who I am. They know what I do. \n
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Communications Director at the UALR William H. Bowen School of Law\nCo-chair for #hewebAR\nCo-chair of the HighEdWeb regional support committee\nEarned master’s degree in applied communication studies in 2010\n\nBowen – one of two Arkansas law schools. It is located in the capital city, focused on teaching professionalism, public service, and access to justice to our 500 students. \n\nPrior to this position managing all the communication elements for the college, I was a public relations coordinator for UALR. Serves 13000 students.\n\n\n
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How many of you maintain personal social media accounts? \nHow many of you manage institutional accounts? 1? 2? more?\n\nHow many of you have tweeted from the wrong account? >.<\n
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Today, we&#x2019;re going to take some research (bah, research, who needs it?) and apply it to building communities in higher education. We&#x2019;re focused on a specific communication theory known as diffusion of innovation. That&#x2019;s where my research interest lies, and I think the theory provides a good foundation for anyone who is tasked with convincing people to do something - whether it be getting a vaccination or signing up for summer enrollment.\n
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Though my research applied to the use of Twitter to communicate information about an important event, the data we gained can be used for any computer-mediated communication vehicle.\n\nThis research project came down completely to a right place, right time thing. After a graduate program heavy with interpersonal communication theory and concepts, which can be used in our work, I was hungry for a course that allowed me to use elements of my everyday work. \n\nDiffusion of innovation (change management communication) gave me that. I knew I had to use this theory in my research, and I was personally involved in our campus&#x2019; response to communication about the H1N1 outbreak.\n
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Change agents&#x2019; success in securing the adoption of innovations by clients is positively related to the extent that he or she works through opinion leaders.\n
Started out with 3.4 MG of Tweets (almost 1200 pages of content &#x2013; 140 characters at a time\nApril 25 = WHO met to discuss epidemic and possible treatments and vaccinations\nSept. 4 = Number of deaths around globe ramped up\nOct. 24 = Obama declared national state of emergency to deal with outbreak\n\nThe results: \nContent analysis &#x2013; three themes:\nInformation-seeking behaviors\nMisinformation\nUncertainty reduction\n\nFollowed survey with phone interviews with volunteers to glean even more information about vaccination behaviors\n\n
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Survey of the users:\nHow often do individuals pass along information?\nHow do they choose what information to pass along?\nHow do they verify the truth of the information they see?\nHow does the information they see on Twitter impact their decisions?\n\nMajority of users pass along information 1-3 times per day, however, some tweet 10 or more times per day and pass along information that much too\nImportant to myself and followers, useful to me, &#x201C;something of interest that comes from someone who I know who isn&#x2019;t in my circle of followers&#x201D;\nCONNECTIVE TISSUE in community\nDon&#x2019;t verify information they see on Twitter, they trust those they follow\nTwitter is one of a set of tools they use to make decisions &#x2013; this was disheartening to me, but revealing, Users glean information from a variety of places &#x2013; family, friends, experts. Twitter cannot be the only way we share important information.\n\nCOMMON, IMPORTANT, VALUABLE information\n\n&#x201C;I feel that the people I follow on tweeter are credible resources of information - as they are professional folks whose reputations are tied to what they say in this forum&#x201D;\n\n\n
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People already want to believe what the members of their communities say online. Question is... \n\nHow do we create communities? \n\nEven more core to the discussion &#x2013; how do we develop relationships with those opinion leaders who will influence communities?\n\nFirst, find your opinion leaders&#x2026;\n\n
Cannot be too innovative, however. Not necessarily the early adopter category. System&#x2019;s norms determine whether or not an individual is innovative as an opinion leader. \n\nOften described as people on the edge. Brokers between groups.\n\nOpinion leaders build communities\n
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Change agents&#x2019; success in securing the adoption of innovations by clients is positively related to the extent that he or she works through opinion leaders.\n
Anybody remember the Mercedes Benz tweet race?\nHow about girlsgonewww?\n