The Get Social Project: The List of 15

As a supplement to the presentation (see post below this one) on social media marketing given at the Ohio ACTE Conference on August 7, 2008, comes The Get Social Project: The List of 15. The purpose of the list is to introduce you and allow you to explore social media tools on your own time and at your own pace. If you complete the list of 15 you will be more aware of the tools and may even decide that they can be useful in marketing, communications, or recruiting. If you have questions or need help, you shouldn't hesitate to ask by emailing Shane Haggerty at shaggerty@ohp.k12.oh.us or by posting your question or comment on this blog. To get started, you have to understand the reason why social media can be valuable. View this video for an easy explanation.

The List of 15:
Phase one:
1. Read one or two blogs and post a comment on at least one. Here are some blogs you can visit: OHP Office of Communications Blog, DrTimTyson.com, OHP Superintendent's Blog, or do a Google search like "Blogs About..." Posting comments is an important part because it contributes to the online conversation. Read any blog you want and make a comment.
2. Once you find a blog or blogs you are interested in, subscribe to it by adding your email if it has that option. If you can't subscribe to it, subscribe to the RSS Feed on the page. Need more help on understanding an RSS Feed? Watch this video.
3. Create your own iGoogle page where you can host various blogs all in one section. Here you will be able to view the various blogs you subscribe to and see if they have been updated. An iGoogle page is just a way to host your RSS feed subscriptions.
4. Create your own blog! You can create a personal blog (maybe you have something to say!) or create one for your school district or organization. You can use WordPress, TypePad, LiveJournal, or Blogger.
Phase two:
5. Visit Flickr and search around. Then, create a Flickr account to share photos or videos.
6. Watch YouTube videos. There are a number of colleges, especially, that have their own dedicated channel on YouTube for hosting. If you are brave, create a video and post it on YouTube. The thing to remember about YouTube or all online video is that people want videos to be REAL. This means it doesn't have to be slick or have high production quality. People enjoy rough, grainy, unplanned, transparent, etc.
7. Visit other video sites like Viddler, VeOh, and SchoolTube.
Phase three:
8. Visit Wikipedia and see what a Wiki is all about. Also, visit WetPaint and see what you can do there to create a Wiki. WetPaint is a bit more user friendly and controllable, in my opinion. Wikis are great tools for classroom collaboration and for internal staff collaboration. You can use Wikis for long-term project planning, meetings, etc.
9. Check out Yahoo! Groups and Google Docs and see all the tools you can use there. Yahoo and Google Groups are also tools you can use for collaboration and planning. Google Docs also has web analytics, e-commerce options, chat, organizational email services, and other services that allow you to manage better and embrace collaboration and cooperation.
Phase four:
10. Join Twitter and start following people. You don't need to know people you follow, but rather pay attention to the field they work in or what they are interested in. Twitter is a great way to network and seek out advice or professional help. Also, many news organizations and corporations (airlines JetBlue, Southwest) are on Twitter and you can follow them and benefit from their updates. You can follow me @shanehaggerty or follow Ohio Hi-Point @OHPthisminute. If you still don't get it, watch this video for an explanation.
11. Sign-up for a Facebook profile. It's easy and fast and you can divulge as much info as you want. Once on there, search for friends, search for groups (most colleges have alumni groups) or professional interest groups. Many businesses and organizations (especially non-profits) have embraced Facebook.
12. Sign-up for a Linkedin profile. Linkedin is a place for adults and professionals and is a great way to network and seek out professional advice and services. Many organizations and companies have started using Linkedin (which allows people to basically post online resumes) for human resource purposes. There is also a group for Ohio Career-Tech Communicators you can join or create a group that applies to what you do.
Phase five:
13. Explore del.icio.us and sign-up. Use this site to easily bookmark websites you come across you'd like to use later for resources or for presentations or just for enjoyment.
14. Explore StumbleUpon and sign-up. Again, this site can easily help you explore the web and keep track of it all.
Phase six:
15. Visit Second Life and learn more. Visit the Ohio University Second Life Campus video on YouTube to see it in action.

Share what you create, how you are using social media, what works and what doesn't, and your opinions, by emailing shaggerty@ohp.k12.oh.us or by posting directly to this blog. Join our conversation within the Ohio ACTE PR Academy.
Of course, you may not want to do all 15 things on the list so you can pick-and-choose and explore what you wish. By completing everything you are guaranteed to at least educate yourself on what your students are experts at. Career-Tech is an innovative form of education and each of us who work in it should be proactive about these tools and embrace them to lead the world of education in innovative ways to utilize these tools.