CFM Forum Speaks to Life-Changing Event
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Life changed, as we knew it, on September 26, 2006. An event occurred that was the equivalent to the Earth shifting on its axis and dogs no longer fighting with cats. On that date facebook opened its membership to everyone age 13 years or older.
In 2006, facebook had 12 million users and The Oregonian reported its weekday newspaper circulation was about 380,000. Four years later the newspaper has 130,000 fewer subscribers and facebook says it weighs in with 400 million members, 700,000 in the Portland Metro area.
These are a few observations from a presentation by Tom Eiland and Hannah Smith made before education public relations groups in the state of Washington. Click here to view the slideshow “Social Media: More Tools for Communication and Engagement.”
Citing recently released Pew Research data, Eiland and Smith noted:
- The Internet now leads both newspapers and radio as key sources of news.
- 92% use multiple sources for information
- 59% get news from a combination of online and offline sources.
- 46% get use four to six news sources
- Just 7% get their news from a single media platform.
And sharing the news is just as important as getting it.
“News consumption is a socially engaging and socially driven activity, especially online. Participation by consumers comes more through sharing than through contributing news themselves,” the CFM presentation notes, citing a study by the Pew research center.
“Getting the news out was much easier when the key sources of information were the daily newspaper, the evening news and radio news at 5 and 35 past the hour,” Eiland said. “But those days are gone.”
Eiland went on to note that many districts are embracing social media. “Online media tools are relatively easy to use and you can target core groups important to school districts, students and their parents.”
To support the analysis, Eiland referred to a study conducted by CFM for Seattle Northwest Securities in August 2009. In that telephone survey, CFM found:
- 53 percent of Washington voters are using the Internet to get information about education;
- 80 percent of parents use the Internet to get information about schools; and,
- 80 percent of voters age 18 to 34 years, and 40% of those 45 to 55 years, use facebook.
As far as the use of social media tools by school districts in Washington, a CFM survey of the Washington Schools Public Relations Association (WSPRA) found:
- 58 percent of WSPRA members use social media for external communications with parents, students and the general public;
- 19 percent say social media is fully integrated into an external communications plan;
- 4 percent say social media is somewhat integrated with the overall external communications plan; and,
- 57 percent say their district is just getting started with social media.
Among the districts using social media, the poll found e-newsletters (86 percent), facebook (75 percent) and Twitter (71 percent) are used most frequently.
Which social media tools are you using for external communications for your school district?
Eiland cautioned the poll results were based on only 38 of 295 school districts responding. Those districts had a disproportionate share of high enrollment with more than 5,000 students.
“Yet, results show some districts recognize the opportunities social media presents as an effective tool in a school district’s communications tool box,” Eiland noted. “In the near future, more districts will begin to use social media.”
Links:
View the presentation “Social Media: More Tools for Communication and Engagement.”
Pew: Social Media and Young Adults
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