Center for the Arts Planbook

KATA

BOLE

The Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech

A plan book that provides insight on utilizing social media and a campaign for Rush Seats

Doug Bowman Jessica McNamara Catherine Royka

Ricky Soto Caitlin Sweeney Chelsey Williams

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Doug Bowman

Jessica McNamara

Catherine Royka

Richard Soto

Caitlin Sweeney

Chelsey Williams

Doug Bowman is a senior at Virginia Tech majoring in public relations. He grew up in Richmond a lifelong Virginia Tech fan thanks to his dad, who also graduated from VT. Doug enjoys sports, music, writing, long-‐form reporting, and puns. He will graduate from VT in May and is currently seeking employment in Richmond or D.C.

Jessica McNamara is a senior majoring in communications with a minor in psychology. She plans to pursue a career in public relations or marketing. She loves working with children in her free time and volunteers at the local elementary schools. The past two summers she has

gained professional experience working for Northwest Federal Credit Union in Herndon, Virginia. She hopes her future career can combine what she’s most passionate about: sports,

writing and reading. She will graduate in May 2015.

Catherine Royka is a senior at Virginia Tech majoring in public relations with minors in political science and marketing. She works at the Writing Center in Newman Library and is a Teaching Assistant for the Floral Design class. She is also an active member of Alpha Delta Pi. Although she does not have a job following graduation, she plans on finding a job in the D.C. area or Nashville, Tennessee. She is excited for her new and exciting journey ahead!

Ricky Soto is a graduating senior in communication studies with a minor in professional writing at Virginia Tech. He has a passion for graphic design and community service. Ricky has been in Alpha Phi Omega for almost four years. He's performed over 500 hours of service and has served on the executive board two years in a row as the Communications Secretary and

Vice President of Membership. Ricky worked as a graphic designer for the Collegiate Times his sophomore year and for the Fralin Life Science Institute as a communications assistant his junior year. Ricky looks forward to finding a career in the marketing field in New York City.

Caitlin Sweeney is junior at Virginia Tech working on her double major in public relations and psychology. She is also learning the Russian language slowly but surely. In her free time, Caitlin serves on the executive board as Communications Secretary of the Zeta Beta chapter of the National Service Fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega. She accumulates at least 45 hours of community service every semester. She will be in Arkansas over the summer at the global headquarters of Tyson Foods serving as the public relations intern. Caitlin is extremely excited to be working with the Center for the Arts!

Chelsey Williams is a senior at Virginia Tech majoring in multimedia journalism as well as sociology. She grew up down the road from Virginia Tech in Pembroke, Virginia. She works

part-‐time as a service executive for the Virginia Tech Athletics Ticket Office and as a part-‐time board operator for the Cumulus Media radio stations in Radford, Virginia. When she isn’t in

class or working, she also helps with Virginia Tech’s campus radio, WUVT, as a DJ. Her interests include reading, writing, music, and videography. She is looking to pursue a career in

broadcast production.

Meet KATABOLE

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................. 4

Situation Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 5 Client Overview ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Rush Seats ....................................................................................................................................................... 5 Audience Analysis ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Social Media Presence .................................................................................................................................... 6 Competitive Analysis ....................................................................................................................................... 7

Virginia Tech Athletics ........................................................................................................................ 7 Virginia Tech Union ............................................................................................................................. 8 The Lyric .............................................................................................................................................. 9

Strategy and Planning ........................................................................................................................ 10 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 10 Goals and Objectives .................................................................................................................................... 10 Audience and Plan Management .................................................................................................................. 11 Social Media Action Plan ............................................................................................................................... 12

Refining the Social Strategy .............................................................................................................. 12 Promoting the Rush Seats Program .................................................................................................. 17 Improve the Visual Brand Presence .................................................................................................. 19

Dates to Remember ...................................................................................................................................... 20 Timeline ........................................................................................................................................................ 21

Content Examples .............................................................................................................................. 23

Appendix ........................................................................................................................................... 24 A -‐ Facebook ................................................................................................................................................. 24 B -‐ Twitter ..................................................................................................................................................... 28 C -‐ Instagram ................................................................................................................................................. 32

References ......................................................................................................................................... 34

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Executive Summary for the Center for the Arts

KATABOLE is looking to improve the Center for the Arts overall social media presence through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Flickr. Our target audience is all Virginia Tech students; we want them to recognize what great opportunities are offered to them through the Center for the Arts. This will be done by providing strategies to improve the already existing social media platforms, creating a social media campaign that will increase students’ awareness and participation in the rush seats service and improving their visual brand presence. We will do this by creating more engaging and visually appealing content that will grab our audience’s attention. We believe following more Virginia Tech students on social media will help with the Center for the Arts’ following base; gaining more followers on all social media platforms will help increase recognition from students across campus. We will integrate the social media platforms, which will make it easier for students to navigate through each platform. Integrating platforms will lead to an increase in views, likes, shares, followers and comments; the more engagement with students via social media, the more brand recognition. Our plan book is broken down into three phases: Situation Analysis, Plan and Content. Our Phase 1: Situation Analysis will look at the Center for the Arts’ current social media strategy and plan. This phase will give helpful background information and research regarding our audience and the four social media platforms we’ll be working with. Phase 2: Plan will introduce our goals and objectives and explain exactly what we’re trying to do for the Center for the Arts. This phase is divided into three distinct parts for our client’s convenience; the three parts will be: (1) Refining the Social Strategy, (2) Promoting the Rush Seats Program and (3) Improve the Visual Brand Presence. This section will provide effective strategies and tactics that will our client reach their goals. This section will also contain our measurements and benchmarks; we give the Center for the Arts realistic goals to reach every three months in order to see the results they want. Our Phase 3: Content will give the Center for the Arts one month’s worth of example content we have specially created for their four social media platforms. This example content will reflect our goals and objectives, which will result in a successful and effective overall plan. We are KATABOLE and this is the beginning to a new and improved social media presence for the Center for the Arts.

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Client Overview The Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech is housed in the Moss Arts Center. The Moss Arts Center is a 147,000-‐square-‐foot facility known for its performance hall and 1,274-‐seat theatre. The facility also includes art galleries, an experimental four-‐story venue known as the Cube, research studios and classrooms used by students. The Center for the Arts opened October 28, 2013 (Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech). The Center for the Arts has established its presence on multiple social media platforms including: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Flickr. The focuses of our campaign will be directed toward providing strategies to improve social media platforms, increasing awareness of the rush seats service and improving their visual brand presence. The Center for the Arts would like to promote rush seats through social media, hoping it will increase the attendance of Virginia Tech students at performances. The team was asked to utilize their Instagram account more effectively; their Instagram was recognized as their weakest platform because of the lack of followers and likes per post. However, this request does not limit the team to just one platform; there will be work done with Facebook, Twitter and Flickr as well. The Center for the Arts wants to increase student attendance at events and improve social media presence on Instagram while using the other social media platforms effectively by the fall. The client informed the team that Virginia Tech students are a crucial component to their success; the campaign will focus on drawing more attention from the student body. Rush Seats College students are busy and constantly on the go, too much to do and too little time. Rush Seats allow Virginia Tech students to receive free last minute tickets to performances. This opportunity is only for students who sign up for text notifications; this can be done by texting “arts” to 31996. Students who sign up will receive a text notification a little over an hour before the performance. The availability of rush seats varies by performance; these free seats are available on a first-‐come, first-‐served basis while supplies last. Tickets are located in the Moss Arts Center box office at 190 Alumni Mall. Students are required to bring their Virginia Tech Hokie ID for admission. Our group plans on taking the rush seats to the next level by promoting this service via social platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Audience Analysis The target audience for The Center for the Arts is Virginia Tech students. Since the rush seats service is only available to students, the campaign target audience will be Virginia Tech students. Virginia Tech students follow the main social media sites (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and are more inclined to pay attention to quick bits of information rather than read a long page (Vaynerchuk, G). Twitter will be the most effective social media platform to promote the rush seats service. Virginia Tech students have a routine. Squires, The Lyric, VTU’s sponsored events and university sporting events are often met with a large student body in attendance. These events are often offered at a low price and are easily accessible. If offered a low price or a no price at all option, students are more likely to attend.

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Social Media Presence Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flickr

The Center for the Arts boasts an impressive social media presence on Facebook according to the numbers. Their Twitter, Instagram and Flickr accounts have not been used to their maximum potential. Overall, all social media platforms have room for improvement. Facebook provides the ability to have longer posts and upload multiple pictures in the same post itself. The Center for the Arts’ Facebook account utilizes several social media strategies. The Center for the Arts currently has over 12,000 likes and over 1,500 visits since the page was first created in January 2011. They post anywhere between one to four times every two to three days. There isn’t a consistent system with posts on a daily basis; this can be vastly improved by posting more consistent content daily, which will lead to an increase in awareness. The Center for the Arts posts a variety of content including: promotional content for shows and reminders of show times and dates. This promotional content can vary from photos to trailers. They have visual elements on their page, which include photos from various shows. Additionally, they post links to interesting websites that are in the genre of art or innovative design. Twitter is a social media platform that provides a way for users to send out messages within a 140 character limit. The hashtag is a special feature that allows users to easily find tweets with a specific theme or content. Currently, the Center for the Arts has over 1,400 followers and nearly follows 2,000 users since they joined in January of 2011. The amount they post on a daily basis mirrors the strategies of their Facebook page. They post one to four times every two to three days. They tweet similar content to their Facebook page, including promotional content, photos and videos. They tend to overuse the retweet feature, which can result in losing followers. Instagram is a platform in which the user can capture photos or videos, while having the ability to edit pictures with filters and additional tools. The hashtag feature is utilized with Instagram, similar to Twitter. Currently, The Center for the Arts has over 220 followers and follows nearly 350 users. They promote upcoming performances, provide behind-‐the-‐scenes access and post interviews with artists. Posting photos is the only strategy the Center for the Arts uses; they have not utilized the second most important feature, video. The video feature allows the user to post up to 15 seconds of content. Flickr is a photo and video platform in which the user can share their work. The user can post individual photos, videos or albums. Currently, the Center for the Arts’ Flickr page has over 150 albums and over 6,000 photos since joining April 2013. However, their last album before March 2015 was in November 2014. The media content needs to be more consistent with albums needing to be posted at least once a month. The current albums they share include galleries, exhibits, performances, behind-‐the scenes, artists’ talks, meet the artist and exhibition openings.

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Competitor: Virginia Tech Athletics Virginia Tech athletics are a competitor for the Center for the Arts. Virginia Tech athletics attracts students to sporting events. Students go to sporting events for a variety of reasons, whether they love sports, have school spirit, enjoy being social or want to feel connected with the Blacksburg community, people want to be apart of something and sports offer that. The product this competitor is selling to its consumers is artistically different from our client’s product. The ultimate goal of both organizations is to put people in the stands, specifically Virginia Tech students. Virginia Tech athletics has an active presence on various social media platforms including: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Facebook Virginia Tech athletics strongest social media platform is Facebook. This platform has about 179,500 page likes; content posted on this platform is informative and visually appealing. Their Facebook page is mostly used for promotions and updates on athletes and teams. This platform has game day results from every Virginia Tech team. With many sports to cover in a college town, Virginia Tech athletics updates their Facebook page multiple times a day. They effectively use their Facebook platform to its maximum potential. Twitter @hokiesports Virginia Tech athletics official Twitter page has about 21,200 followers and follows 65 accounts. This platform is consistent with their Facebook page. Most of the information seen on their Facebook appears on their Twitter in a more simplified form. Although tweets are required to be short in length, when necessary, each tweet contains a link to Virginia Tech’s official website (www.hokiesports.com) with the detailed report of the specific event. This platform is updated frequently based on when sporting events occur; updates and results are posted daily within an hour of the conclusion of an event. If it’s a slow day, which is rare, upcoming events will be promoted. One downfall with this platform is the lack of interaction with its community. This was evident because the lack of replies, retweets and favorites. Overall, Virginia Tech athletics uses its Twitter effectively. Pinterest Virginia Tech athletics offers Pinterest as a unique social media platform option for its fans. Their Pinterest page currently has about 1,689 followers and follows 129 accounts. Their account consists of 22 boards, 1,509 pins and 30 likes. This platform is mostly visuals accompanied by a short caption. These visuals include images, infographics and videos. This platform goes beyond just the athletes and teams. Fans gain a new experience through this site with its selection of boards including: Virginia Tech sports teams, promotions, lunch pail, hungry Hokies, HokieBird, Virginia Tech weddings, among others. This platform is updated but not nearly as much as their Facebook and Twitter. Instagram Virginia Tech athletics’ Instagram currently has 107 posts, 2,366 followers and follows 18 accounts. The pictures and videos posted on their Instagram site are visually appealing and informative; their issue is the lack of updating. Their posts aren’t always consistent with the content on their Facebook and Twitter; content is posted about every two weeks, depending on the schedule of sporting events. Most of the Virginia Tech athletic teams have their own Instagram sites; these individual team accounts are more active and structured toward the specific team’s schedule.

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Competitor: Virginia Tech Union Another competitor for the Center for the Arts is the Virginia Tech Union (VTU). VTU is a student-‐run organization that budgets, plans, executes and markets various concerts and events on campus throughout the school year. Within VTU are subcommittees dedicated to concerts, alternative sounds, speakers, lively arts, films, special events, house and hospitality and public relations. The goal of the organization is to, “provide quality educational and social entertainment that represents the diverse culture of Virginia Tech’s students and its community” (VTU, http://www.vtu.org.vt.edu/). VTU currently utilizes Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and recently incorporated a Snapchat to their various social media portfolios. Facebook The VTU Facebook page currently has 2,628 likes and 143 visits. They do not post on their page every day, but around four or five days out of the week. During the days they do post content, they generally post once or twice. More content is posted if their is an upcoming event that the club would like to promote. A majority of the content posted promotes an upcoming concert, contains a survey asking the student body what they would like to see on campus and general updates about the events on campus. With their minimal content on Facebook, they are not using their profile in the most effective way. Content on Facebook should be consistent and daily. Twitter @thevtu VTU’s Twitter page was created in 2009 and has over 3,100 followers. This platform has a bit more traffic over their Facebook page, as they have 1,000 more followers on Twitter. A majority of their content that is Tweeted is similar to that posted on Facebook. They tweet at least every other day, and on the day of a concert or an event, they tweet multiple times to promote an event, concert or ticket giveaways. They primarily use their Twitter as a promotional and informational platform. For example, they will tweet about upcoming events and concerts, similar to their Facebook page. To engage with their audience, they will promote a show by tweeting multiple clues to encourage students to win free tickets. Not all of their tweets are solely text based, some include media such as links to vine videos, photographs from concerts or flyers promoting events. Instagram VTU’s Instagram is their least utilized and newest social media platform, with 634 followers since their start in October of 2013. They post on Instagram more when there is an event or concert coming up that they want to promote. They do not keep a consistent posting schedule. They tend to post content that promotes their upcoming concerts or events and some videos of these activities. They do not have much interaction on this platform from their followers with either minimal comments or none at all on their pictures or videos.

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Competitor: The Lyric The Lyric is another competitor for the Center for the Arts because while they both may offer similar services, the Center for the Arts does not have the years of experience or the fanbase that The Lyric does. The Lyric is a non-‐profit movie theater and community center located in downtown Blacksburg, across the street from Virginia Tech campus. The main mission of The Lyric is to partner with community art groups and to provide a diversity of films, live programs, arts information and gallery exhibitions for the Blacksburg community. Students, faculty, Blacksburg residents and even people in the New River Valley are drawn to The Lyric because of their arts-‐related events, community involvement and inexpensive prices. The Lyric also uses social media platforms to reach their clients. They have a presence on Facebook and Twitter and they also manage a blog. Facebook The Lyric’s Facebook page by far has the strongest following among their social media sites. It has been operating since 2012, and they have 4,920 likes with 1,783 visits. They normally post everyday. However, there were a few days where no content was posted. Generally, they post once a day, but sometimes there are days where there are two, or even three posts. The majority of their posts revolve around movie showings. Most of their content is promotional and information. Specifically, they often post about movies that are coming soon, current movie times and certain promotions, like free popcorn on Mondays. For movies that are popular or award-‐winning, they will mention that information in their posts. They also share articles, links, videos and photos related to the movies they are showing. A small amount of content is dedicated to other arts and entertainment-‐related events that are going on in the area or at The Lyric. Noticeably, their posts aren’t very engaging or conversational with followers, but if someone posts a question, someone responds. Twitter @TheLyricTheatre The Lyric joined Twitter in July of 2009 and has 2,785 followers. They tweet two to three times everyday. The majority of the content is similar to what is posted on their Facebook page. They often promote movies that are currently playing or movies that will be coming soon. They mention showtimes and current promotions, like free popcorn. If the movie is popular or award-‐winning, then they are sure to mention that. These posts are normally a little shorter and get straight to the point. They often use links, videos and photos to draw more attention to their account. They also retweet reviews, thoughts and opinions from customers. A few posts stuck out because they were engaging and conversational with the audience. Once again, there is a small amount of content dedicated to other arts and entertainment related events at The Lyric or in the surrounding area. Twitter is utilized more often and more thoroughly than Facebook and it is more engaging, even though there is a smaller fanbase on Twitter. Blog They promote a blog on The Lyric’s website. The blog dates back to October of 2012. However, posts made before February of 2014 are not accessible through the archives. Posts made to the homepage are still accessible. The posts ranged from February of 2014 until June of 2014 and the posts were made every one to two weeks. Steven Mackay, a Lyric volunteer, would write and post his reviews on the movie or movies that were playing at the time. As already mentioned, this stopped in June of 2014. No posts have been made since then. There have been no promotions, engagement or conversation with people who follow the blog. It is not effectively utilized.

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Strategy and Planning

This section will go over the goals, objectives and the three parts of the Social Media Action Plan as well as dates to remember and the benchmarks that the agency hopes to meet.

The Center for the Arts at the Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech is one of the newest buildings on campus, as it opened in 2013. It houses a 1,260-‐seat performance hall, visual arts galleries, an amphitheater, a four-‐story experimental Cube and multiple studios. The Center for the Arts also offers a multimedia studio, a production control room, newsroom and associated classroom to support the Department of Communication. The Center for the Arts hosts several performances throughout the semester for orchestras, musicians, composers and comedians. One program offered is Rush Seats; this service allows Virginia Tech students to receive free tickets to performances the day of a show. This social media plan will target students at Virginia Tech to raise awareness and increase participation in the rush seats service. After completion of this plan, the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech should expect students on campus to not only know about the program but also use the program more. In addition, their ability to engage students via social media will increase.

Goal Statements 1. Providing strategies to improve social media platforms. 2. Create a social media campaign for the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech that will increase students’

awareness and participation in the rush seats service. 3. Improve the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech’s visual brand presence.

Objectives

1. Increase awareness of the rush seats service through an engaging social media presence. 2. Follow Virginia Tech students on Instagram and streamline engaging content to increase followers. 3. Integrate the social media platforms in order to increase presence and engagement with the audience.

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Audience This plan targets Virginia Tech students because the rush seats service is solely dedicated to Virginia Tech students. The most effective and efficient way to promote rush seats is to use various social media platforms; this plan utilizes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Flickr. Timely posts are critical to an organization’s success. The best times to post content are at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., according to the Huffington Post. Virginia Tech students will more likely see content posted at these times. In the morning, students tend to check all their social media platforms before or during their commute to campus. Posting during the lunch hour is a beneficial time because students typically have a break from classes to catch up on everything they may have missed that morning on social media. Another time to post content would be in the late afternoon; most students are just getting out of class for the day, so their eyes will be glued to their phones checking social media. This plan hopes to grab the attention of Virginia Tech students through the use of social media by promoting rush seats, creating effective and entertaining content and engaging the target audience. Plan Management Avery Eliades, Center for the Arts Digital Content Specialist, should run this social media plan. This plan requires daily commitment and incorporates the Center for the Arts Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Flickr platforms. It is vital that all posts are timely, accurate and engaging. We believe the Center for the Arts should consider adding one or two part-‐time social media interns to assist with posting content and engaging with followers. Adding extra staff would be beneficial because we hope to increase the amount of content posted across social media sites. This plan will require attention seven days a week, as there are events over the weekend that need to be promoted. Hootsuite would be beneficial to use because the Center for the Arts’ staff could schedule posts to help with this busy time commitment. Hootsuite is an online resource that provides active social media users the ability to organize posts and content with various multiple social media platforms. Users are able to schedule posts ahead of time, manage their time effectively and link all of their social media accounts.

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Social Media Action Plan Refining the Social Strategy, Promoting the Rush Seats Program and Improving the Visual Brand Presence

Part 1: Refining the Social Strategy This social media plan will engage four different social media platforms -‐ Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Flickr. A substantial portion will be dedicated to increasing the effectiveness of Instagram but all four will integrate at some point throughout the process.

Facebook Likes: 11,950 Visits: 1,491 Joined: March 2010 Summary Facebook is the largest social networking site in the world with over 1.3 billion users at the end of 2014. Facebook posts should include text and photos whenever possible. Unlike Twitter, there is no limit on characters so Facebook content can provide more information per post and ask engaging questions to the audience. When adding photos, the Center for the Arts needs to tag people and locations whenever possible, as this will spread the post across others’ respective news feeds. When providing links, make sure to use a proper link share to ensure an image appears in the posts. Posts with just a URL link are not appealing or engaging. Existing Page The Center for the Arts Facebook account primarily serves as an information based platform to inform followers about upcoming events. They tend to post at least once or twice a day with posts that almost always contain a visual aspect. They update their cover photo based on the upcoming performances. Their current level of engagement with their followers is adequate, in that they reply to their audience if they post or ask a question on something that is posted. Their page information is minimal on Facebook, but provides the basic information on the about section such as, address, location, website and a short description. Recommendations They could engage the public more by posting and asking followers what type of concerts or events they would like to see in the future. Since the Center for the Arts is focusing their attention on the student rush seats service, this could be a way to attract more students. They should continue to post photos and videos on their Facebook page because followers are more inclined to take the time viewing visual content. Facebook is a great tool to tell a story, whether it be about the Center for the Arts itself or a particular artist. The ability to post text, visual elements and link to other content without a character or space limit is unique to Facebook over any other social media platform. Content -‐ What to Post and When The Center for the Arts should continue to post content that advertises and informs their audience about upcoming events. They should post at least three to four times a day to keep followers informed and engaged throughout the day. The best time to post on Facebook is during the week and in the early afternoon between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Photos have been found to increase engagement. The Center for the Arts should continue to post videos and photographs, which will help improve their visual identity online.

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What is this: A short tweet on Twitter that directly speaks to its audience and provides quick insight to the rush seats program.

Why it works: It is eye catching because it directly says “college students” and it playfully states that free things are about to be mentioned. Followed by that is useful, relevant information that is right to the point. The hashtag included would be used on all social media outlets when regarding rush seats.

College students love free stuff, right? We want to give you free tickets! Learn more about #vtrushseats

An example created by KATABOLE

Engagement Strategies Facebook presents an opportunity to engage fans of the Center for the Arts through posts and subsequent conversations. The comments on any post provide consumer insights as well as the opportunity to connect with the audience. If someone responds to a Facebook post, be sure to not only read what he or she posted, but also respond. They could also engage in contests or promotions by offering free tickets or season passes to fans. The schedule release can be an optimum time to engage fans and create a dialogue. Performance countdowns and teasers can be a terrific way to build suspense and add fans when others share the content. In addition, Facebook groups offer the ability to engage certain graduation classes at Virginia Tech. Each class (Class of 2016, Class of 2017, etc.) has at least one Facebook group. The Center for the Arts should use these groups to interact with the undergraduate population and promote the rush seats service. Measurement/Analytics Facebook provides analytical data through “Facebook Insights,” which are available to pages after they are liked by at least 30 people. These insights can track the amount of page likes, post likes and the engagement on certain posts. Facebook Insights also provide demographic information about the people who like the page, including their age, gender, country, city and language.

Twitter Tweets: 1,252 Following: 1,990 Followers: 1,556 Joined: January 2011 Summary Twitter is a microblogging platform that allows users to “tweet” messages using 140 characters or less. It has become a major news source for live events and breaking news. Twitter posts should be concise and creative to attract the attention of other users. One of the unique components of Twitter is the hashtag, which allows users to create #hashtags around a concept, campaign or idea. For example, Budweiser has found great success using the hashtag #BestBuds. Existing Account The Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech joined Twitter in January 2011. They currently tweet four times every two to three days. This does not include retweets they have been tagged in from other users. Occasionally, they will respond to tweets they are tagged in, but it is not a consistent practice. Recommendations The Center for the Arts retweets too many times per day. On average, they retweet anywhere from five to ten times a day. They need to focus on interacting with their followers by replying directly rather than just retweeting when being mentioned.

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What this is: A Facebook post about both a show and the Rush Seats program.

Why it works: This post is both informing the audience about a show and it is showcasing fellow Hokies. It makes the idea of winning Rush Seats real and being tagged in a post will make the winners feel special and want to tell their friends. There is also some very quick information on how to attain access to participate in the Rush Seats program

Congratulations to (tag Rush Seats winners) for winning a free ticket to tonight’s Anthony de Mare show! Want a chance to win a free ticket to any of our remaining shows? Join our Rush Seats program! Bit.ly/1EDlmaz


Content -‐ What to Post and When An effective tweet is concise and catchy while providing enough information to engage the audience. It should be simple and easy to read. A good Twitter feed isn’t just retweets but invites a conversation with the reader. Hashtags should only be used when they are relevant and in context. The best times to post on Twitter are around 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., according to the Huffington Post. On performance days, tweets in the hours leading up to the event is a good idea. The amount of tweets will vary based on the event schedule but there should be at least two tweets per day. Engagement Strategies When someone tweets at the Center for the Arts they need to respond to create a dialogue in order to encourage them to return. Asking followers which performances they would like to go to will increase engagement. Tweeting interesting facts about performers will add to the overall personality and storytelling factor to this platform. Measurement/Analytics Twitter provides free analytics at analytics.twitter.com. This will allow the Center for the Arts to track engagement on each individual post as well as track their follower count over time.

Instagram Posts: 57 Followers: 155 Following: 234 Joined: May 2014 Summary Instagram is an online photo sharing social network that allows users to post high-‐quality photos and videos. It was founded in October 2010 and acquired by Facebook in April 2013 for approximately $1 billion. Despite Facebook’s presence as the parent company, it functions as a stand-‐alone website and mobile application. Instagram provides several filters to edit pictures and allows followers of a particular user to comment or like the content. Instagram’s video feature was debuted in June 2013. Existing Page The Center for the Arts posts about past performances and speakers. The photos are high quality but are not always engaging to the audience. Instagram is typically used by the younger generation so the caption under the photos should appeal to that audience.

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Recommendation The Center for the Arts has potential to capture the audience’s attention with high quality, exciting photos. The Center for the Arts could use their high quality photos and add engaging captions to excite the audience and make them want to see the performances they put on. Content -‐ What to Post and When A necessary step for content is to post an engaging photo or video that captures the audience’s attention and makes them interested in what the Center for the Arts has to offer once a day (not more because users find multiple posts a day on Instagram annoying). The photos or videos should focus on upcoming events or events happening that day. The Center for the Arts posts maybe once a week -‐ it needs to post once a day. Engagement Strategies The Center for the Arts currently posts high quality photos but the caption below the photo does not capture attention or engage with the audience. Often, the photos are of people that have spoken at the Center for the Arts, unless someone attended the event, the audience will not know who the person is or why they are important. The Center for the Arts should take advantage of the ability of using the video feature (limited to 15 seconds) for promotional trailers of upcoming performances, behind-‐the-‐scenes work, etc. Measurement/Analytics Instagram doesn’t offer a built-‐in analytics feature; however, there are a number of third-‐party applications (both free and subscriber-‐based) that offer that kind of data. One such free application is Iconosquare. Iconosquare provides information about the number of followers, tracks which photos do well and can even determine what time of day is working best for a post. At the very least, keeping a weekly spreadsheet of followers as well as likes and comments on each post will be beneficial to track which kind of posts perform better than others.

Flickr Posts: 155 albums (6,384 photos) Joined: April 2013 Summary The Center for the Arts’ Flickr account provides a platform to share photos taken from performances, events and galleries. Flickr is an image and video hosting website that was created in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to harboring an online community, it is a common place to store images that will be embedded in blogs and other online content. As of February 2014, Flickr has over 92 million users. Existing Page The Center for the Arts joined Flickr on April 13, 2013. The Flickr page provides a way for displaying events the Center for the Arts hosts. The page currently had 155 albums as of March 23 and over 6,834 photos total. The last album they posted was on March 27, 2015 and before that was in November 2014. They need to work on consistently posting more albums or it might just lead to an inactive page. Recommendations The Center for the Arts needs to include photos of dress rehearsals, pre-‐performances and post-‐performances to Flickr. The focus needs to be on uploading pictures that tell a story and are captivating to their followers. The Center for the Arts needs to avoid uploading multiples of the same picture, which adds clutter to the albums. Adding 10 to 15 pictures from each event is more beneficial to users and keeps the story that is being conveyed short and manageable. Flickr has an additional option of geotagging photos, which means adding the performance location (Center for the Arts, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA).

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Content -‐ What to Post and When The current albums they share include galleries, exhibits, performances, behind-‐the scenes, artists talks, meet the artist and exhibition openings. They need to do this at least twice a month. The frequency of their album posting varies anywhere between four and ten albums per month. The amount of albums is sufficient because it provides content for their followers and can enhance engagement after a show or performance; they need to be concise albums that show the story of the show or performance from start to finish. Engagement Strategies In regards to engagement strategies, the Center for the Arts can improve engagement by advertising the download of the Flickr mobile app. This strategy is directly targeted toward undergraduates that attend Virginia Tech. Most college students are active on Instagram but by posting their albums on Facebook and Twitter, the Center for the Arts can promote their Flickr page. There is a testimonial section for Flickr accounts and the Center for the Arts needs to add to this section to give this platform more of a personality and increase engagement. Flicker also allows you to upload up to three minute videos in 1080p. These videos can be used as a promotional tool for performances, bios of performers, recaps of the month, etc. Measurement/Analytics The Center for the Arts needs to track how many views they receive on each photo and album. In order to do this, there is a platform online at Statsr.com. On Statsr, there are several features to track the number of likes and followers you gain on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.

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Part 2 -‐ Promoting the Rush Seats Program Introduction The rush seats service is available only to Virginia Tech students. It provides free tickets to students on the day of the show via a text message notification. This part of the plan will increase awareness and participation in the rush seats by the student population. Since Flickr encourages posting albums instead of individual posts, it will not be used in this part of the plan. However, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram will be the primary tools used to achieve our goal. Social Tactics Facebook There are several ways to promote the rush seats service via Facebook. At the beginning of the semester a post should be made explaining the service and encouraging students to sign up. A post should also be made at the beginning of the semester with a video tour of the Moss Arts Center. Doing this will engage students who have not physically visited the building. This will be especially effective for the incoming freshmen who will be looking to get involved and do things on campus. However, the target audience is not limited to incoming freshmen. One method to promote rush seats is to post in each graduating class group on Facebook. One Facebook group for the Virginia Tech Class of 2018 has over 7,000 members. Each class currently enrolled has a group as well. This is a great way to quickly educate thousands of Virginia Tech students. As the semester progresses, the Center for the Arts should reinforce the ability to join the rush seats service often. As a show day approaches, a Facebook post should be counting down to the show and encouraging students to sign up for rush seats. Include videos of the upcoming performers to show students what they could see. On the day of the show, the Center for the Arts should post in the morning about the show that night and mention there is still time to sign up for rush seats. Everyone likes free stuff. Twitter At the beginning of the semester, tweet a welcoming message to students, specifically the freshmen, encouraging them to stop by the Moss Arts Center. Include a photo of the Moss Arts Center so they can identify the building because freshmen may not know where anything is. Much like Facebook groups for the Class of 2016, 2017, 2018, etc., many students hashtag their graduating class in their tweets. For the incoming class in the fall, two popular hashtags are #VT2019 and #VT19. Adding these to tweets will allow the Center for the Arts to engage the freshmen class without having to individually contact them. If a student follows the Center for the Arts they should be followed back and tweeted at with a link to the sign up page for rush seats. As events occur at the Center for the Arts, reminder and countdown tweets about shows and the rush seats will be effective. Individually tweeting at participants of the rush seats service would help promote awareness; this will make students feel special and will generate retweets from students. This will then put the service in front of all of that student’s followers.

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Instagram Along with Facebook and Twitter, Instagram is heavily used by Virginia Tech students. At the beginning of the semester students will saturate Instagram feeds with photos of being back in Blacksburg. To push the rush seats service in front of these students, geotagging any Instagram posts with the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech and Blacksburg are good ideas. This will put the Center for the Arts’ Instagram posts in with all the other posts around campus being uploaded. Hashtags on Instagram can effectively do this too. #VirginiaTech and #GoHokies are common. We recommend creating a #vtrushseats hashtag as well to associate Instagram posts with the service. As events approach, post an Instagram of the artist with a tag to their own Instagram account. Include in the caption a reminder that students can attend a show for free by signing up for rush seats. Include the link to the sign up page as well.

What this is: An Instagram post that is simple and appealing to the viewers.

Why it works: There is not too much text, both on the photo and in the description. College students don’t want to go through a long paragraph, but instead want quick answers. For those who already know about rush seats, it is a quick reminder. For those who do not know what they are, it is eye catching and provides quick instructions.

“Don’t know about our Rush Seats program? Text “arts” to 31996 to have a chance to see a performance for free, we’ll notify you the day of! #VTrushseats #AtTheMAC


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Part 3 -‐ Improve the Visual Brand Presence Introduction The Center for the Arts has social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Flickr. These platforms are used regularly to connect with their audience. As mentioned in Phase 1, the Center for the Arts Facebook account is constantly sharing photos from events or videos from performances to influence their audience to attend events. When evaluating the other platforms, Twitter, Instagram and Flickr seemed to be lacking in terms of portraying a visual brand. Their Instagram account has high-‐quality and engaging photographs but lacks the amount of followers compared to their Facebook. They also did not utilize the video capability of Instagram, which may benefit their visual brand presence. Social Tactics Facebook The Center for the Arts is very active on Facebook; they post at least once or twice a day about an upcoming show, performance or event. Almost all of the content they post incorporates a visual aspect of some sort, whether it’s promoting an upcoming show or a past event. The Center for the Arts should continue to post these visual elements because they are engaging and effective in keeping an informed and intrigued audience. The Center for the Arts could incorporate more video or photo shares from their Flickr account. This would be beneficial because it would create more traffic on their Flickr account, as well as continuing their strong visual presence. Twitter For creating new content on Twitter, the Center for the Arts should focus on reducing the amount of retweets and start to create conversations by replying to followers. Creating relationships with your target audience is crucial. Their Twitter page should be focused on interacting and engaging followers with relevant information; do not fill followers’ newsfeeds with endless retweets. Instagram In order to create original content, the 15 second video feature on Instagram should be utilized. This is an excellent way to streamline effective and engaging content. Videos are a beneficial way to promote events and performances held at the Center for the Arts. We believe creating these short clips will intrigue followers to attend performances and events. Flickr To effectively use Flickr for improving visual brand presence, the Center for the Arts should create a cap on the amount of photos they upload. At the moment, there are over 6,000 photographs on their account, and many of these images are duplicates. Limiting the amount of photos and carefully selecting the ones that accurately portray the event should be uploaded. Selecting 15-‐20 quality photographs from each event will effectively organize their visual content and capture the best moments from the event. An additional way to improve their visual brand presence would be to share Flickr content on Facebook. Integrating social media accounts creates awareness from a target audience.

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Dates to Remember The fall semester is always an exciting time on campus. The weather is great, football season has arrived and several thousand new Hokies are roaming the campus. Home football dates are listed below and those Saturdays will not be an effective time to share social media.

Wed, Aug. 19 -‐ Freshmen move-‐in begins. It is very important to engage the newest group of Hokies starting with their first day on campus. While classes don’t start till Monday, freshmen will be moving into the dorms beginning on Wednesday. They will be curious about what to do on campus and social media posts during this time period will be effective.

Mon., Aug. 24 -‐ Classes Begin Classes begin on this day but many students will be arriving in Blacksburg throughout the prior week.

Fri., Sept. 5 -‐ Gobblerfest (based on 2014 date) Gobblerfest is a giant festival where campus organizations can provide information and free stuff to freshmen (although the event is not limited to freshmen, they’re the primary target). While this isn’t a social media event, a booth at Gobblerfest would be a good idea. Use social media to inform followers of where the booth will be and what will be given away. This would be a good idea to try something like a free ticket giveaway as well as urge students to sign up on the spot for the rush seats service.

Mon., Sept. 7 -‐ Labor Day (Home football game vs. Ohio State) Sat., Sept. 12 -‐ Home football game vs. Furman Sat., Oct. 3 -‐ Home football game vs. Pittsburgh Fri., Oct. 9 -‐ Home football game vs. NC State Fri., Oct. 16 -‐ Fall Break Sat., Oct. 24 -‐ Home football game vs. Duke (Homecoming)

The homecoming game and the week prior present an opportunity to attract attention. There are many homecoming events on-‐campus leading up to the day of the game. A creative social media post relating to homecoming can be very effective. However, be careful with posting content later in the week because the Homecoming concert, Homecoming dance and Homecoming game will all draw much of the attention.

Sat., Nov. 21 -‐ Thanksgiving Break Begins and Home football game vs. UNC With Thanksgiving Break starting on Saturday, many students will take the opportunity to head home a few days early by leaving on Thursday or Friday.

Sun., Nov. 29 -‐ Thanksgiving Break Ends Wed., Dec. 9 -‐ Classes End Thurs., Dec. 10 -‐ Reading Day Thurs., Dec. 17 -‐ Exams End

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Plan Evaluation & Benchmarkers Three Month Evaluation

Increase Instagram and Facebook audience by 300 followers each (goal -‐ 100 each month) Average 30 likes per photo or video on Instagram Average 10 retweets and 15 favorites on Twitter Incorporate Flickr once a week into Facebook posts to show followers multimedia Have a goal of reaching up to 600 new, student rush seat participants Record/measure the amount of participants that utilized the rush seats service

Six Month Evaluation Increase Instagram and Facebook audience by 300 followers each (goal -‐ 100 each month) Increase the amount of Twitter conversations with followers before and after events Average 60 likes per photo or video on Instagram Average 15 retweets and 20 favorites on Twitter Increase the amount of views by 600 each month (goal -‐ 100 each month) Gain 100-‐150 new rush seat participants Record/measure the amount of participants that utilized the rush seats service

Nine Month Evaluation

Increase Instagram and Facebook audience by 300 followers each (goal -‐ 100 each month) The ratio of followers to following on both Instagram and Twitter should be a minimum of 2:1 Average 90 likes per photo or video on Instagram Average 20 retweets and 25 favorites on Twitter Incorporate Flickr page across social media platforms at least twice a week (post on Facebook or Tweet link to Flickr account) and increase the amount of views each month by 150 Gain at least another 100-‐150 new rush seat participants

Keep retention with active rush seat participants by engaging them with email reminders containing the benefits of the service

Twelve Month Evaluation After a year of implementing the social media plan, the Center for the Arts will have created content that will effectively meet their goals and objectives. The Center for the Arts had goals that targeted Virginia Tech students to sign up for the rush seats service. Their social media platforms will be used more effectively with an appealing visual presence. The Center for the Arts should see a noticeable difference in terms of student attendance for events and performances. Followers and likes on social media platforms should increase as well as the number of participants for the rush seats service. If the Center for the Arts continues to make goal and evaluation statements, they will be able to create a better social media presence for their audiences.

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1

To implement the plan, KATABOLE made recommendations to the Center for the Arts’ social media platforms. The Twitter account should engage with the audience by retweeting at relevant times and interacting with followers by directly replying to tweets rather than just retweeting when mentioned. The Center for the Arts could use their high-‐quality photos on their Instagram and add engaging captions that will excite the audience and make them want to see the shows and performances. Their Facebook

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can be used for feedback to interact with the audience; they could engage the public more by posting and asking followers what type of concerts or events they would like to see in the future. The focus on Flickr needs to be on uploading pictures that tell a story and are captivating to their audience. The Center for the Arts will be encouraged to use Hootsuite to organize posts and content on different social media platforms.

Summary

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Content Examples Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Flickr

The content created will help reach the targeted goals and objectives for this fall season at the Center for the Arts. The new social media content has an emphasis on the rush seats program and a focus on creating effective content and improving visual brand presence of the Center for the Arts.

The content that was created for Facebook also emphasizes the promotion of the rush seats program. When the Facebook page was analyzed, there was hardly any content that discussed the rush seats program, but with this newly created content, students will be more aware of the rush seats program because it will be promoted more often across all platforms. The posts created are more tailored to students to attract them to the Center for the Arts. Please see Appendix A for examples.

For the Twitter content that was created, there is an emphasis on creating content that promotes events heavily the day before and the day of an event to encourage your target audience to attend. The current Twitter account has more retweets than tweets, so the focus was to incorporate three tweets a day into your plan to encourage you to tweet more of your own content, while continuing to retweet followers positive responses about shows and performances they have attended at the Center for the Arts. Multiple tweets a week emphasizing the rush seats program will encourage Virginia Tech students to sign up for the program. The certain times these tweets are posted correlate with student schedules on campus and are the most effective times to post on Twitter to gain the most traffic according to research (1-‐4 p.m.). Some of the tweets also include contests for followers to win tickets to performances to engage with followers. Please see Appendix B for examples.

Instagram posts will become more frequent than they are now, with a post once a day, whether it is a 15-‐second video clip or picture. The 15-‐second video feature will be utilized more to show behind the scenes clips, a trailer for a performance and sneak peak interviews with performers. Instagram posts will include more photographs of students who attended a performance with a quote in the caption about what the student enjoyed from the performance. Please see Appendix C for examples.

This new content will better engage and encourage the target audience, Virginia Tech students, to sign up for the rush seats program and to continue attending events throughout the season. It will also create a more effective brand and visual presence for the Center for the Arts.

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Appendix

Part A – Facebook

Week 1 8/19/15 - 8/25/15

8/19/15 Welcome back Hokies! We hope that you’re ready for all that the Center for the Arts has in store for you this year! (insert some photos from behind the scenes)

8/20/15 Our 15-16 season is complete! Check out all our events and performances on our website http://bit.ly/1EDImaz and follow our Instagram and Twitter for fun, up to date news about preformances and galleries!

8/21/15 What are you doing on your last free Friday before school starts? Check out these behind the scenes photos of what is to come this year at the Center for the Arts! (Insert photos)

8/22/15 Want to do something relaxing on your first Saturday back? Come support your fellow Hokies and check out the ______ gallery at the Moss Arts Center! (Insert Photo)

8/23/15 Have the jitters before your first day of class? Take a relaxing stroll through our art galleries and check out the performances scheduled for this year!

8/24/15 Happy first day of classes Hokies! Have an awkward break between classes? Walk on over to the Moss Arts Center building to see what the Center for the Arts has in store for you today! Hint: your fellow Hokies have been slaving away on these paintings.

8/25/15 While you’re singing karaoke at TOTs Tuesday, picture yourself singing on stage in the Moss Arts Center (Inset Photo of stage)! Did you know that it holds over 1,260 people?

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Week 2 8/26/15 - 9/1/15

8/26/15 What’s that? The first performances of the season are around the corner! Get excited for Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society jazz band performing September 4 and September 10 at a Moss Arts Center building near you.

8/27/15 What’s better than seeing a live show? Seeing it for FREE! Sign up for Rush Seats at http://bit.ly/1EDImaz. Any Virginia Tech student can sign up and has the chance to win a free ticket to a show!

8/28/15 It’s Freedom Friday! Now that you’re free from class, come on over to the Center for the Arts and relax at one of the galleries before jumping into the weekend! (Insert photo)

8/29/15 Countdown to Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society: 5 days! Check out some of their past performances and get hyped to see them September 4! (Insert YouTube video of past performance)

8/30/15 Is it getting hot in here or is it just this art? There’s been lots of traffic through the galleries this week! Don’t be the only one of your friends that hasn’t seen the amazing works from your fellow Hokies! (Insert Photo)

8/31/15 Countdown to Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society: 3 days! Make sure to buy your tickets or sign up for Rush Seats to get your FREE ticket! http://bit.ly/1EDImaz

9/1/15 Countdown to Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society: 2 days! The first performance of the season is going to be amazing! Here is a behind the scenes look at what is to come! (Insert short video/photos)

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Week 3 9/2/15 - 9/8/15

9/2/15 Students, want free tickets to a show? Sign up for our Rush Seats program and receive tickets on the day of the show!

9/3/15 What do jazz music, live painting, and video animation have in common? They are all apart of Brooklyn Babylon, which premieres tomorrow! Buy your tickets now! Students, sign up for Rush Seats to get free tickets on the day of the show. http://bit.ly/1EDImaz

9/4/15 Show Day! Come see Brooklyn Babylon tonight at our season opener! Students, there is still time to sign up for Rush Seats to receive a free ticket to the show. We’ll send you a text message if you win. http://bit.ly/1EDImaz

Congratulations to (tag winners)! They received a free ticket to tonight’s show via our Rush Seats program. Sign up here to have a chance to win a free ticket to any show left on the schedule! http://bit.ly/1EDImaz

9/5/15 Be sure to stop by our Gobblerfest booth today! We’ll be at (location of the booth) giving away free prizes, memorabilia, and tickets! We’ll also make it super easy to sign up on the spot for our Rush Seats program! http://bit.ly/1EDImaz

9/6/15 Did you miss Friday’s show? Don’t worry. Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society is back next Thursday with Real Enemies. Jazz, Theatre, and Edward Snowden make for an intriguing show! Students, sign up for Rush Seats to receive a free ticket on the day of the show!http://bit.ly/1EDImaz

9/7/15 Doesn’t get any better than Gameday in Blacksburg! Before your start tailgating for tonight’s game, be sure to come check out some of the awesome art we have in our gallery! Go Hokies! #startjumping

9/8/15 A) What a game last night! Hope everyone is recovering well! Remember, two days until Real Enemies! Virginia Tech student tickets are free with an ID! B) Tough loss for our Hokies last night. We’ll get the next game though. Remember, two days until Real Enemies! Virginia Tech student tickets are free with an ID!

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Week 4 9/9/15 – 9/15/15

9/9/15 Do you like conspiracies? Come to tomorrow night’s show as Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society performs Real Enemies. It begins with Edward Snowden and progresses through A DOZEN conspiracies of post-war America. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and Virginia Tech student tickets are free with a Hokie passport!

9/10/15 Show Day! Come see Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society perform Real Enemies and investigate a dozen American conspiracies. The show starts at 7:30 p.m.! (Teaser Trailer video)

9/11/15 How ‘bout that show last night! Check out highlights here. (Highlight video)

9/12/15 Good luck to the Hokies today. Be sure to stop by The Center for the Arts if you’re walking around campus. #StartJumping

9/13/15 A) What a game last night! Hope everyone is recovering well! Remember, only a few days until Anthony de Mare (tag) performs Liasons: Re-imagining Sondheim from the Piano. Virginia Tech student tickets are free with an ID! B) Tough loss for our Hokies last night. We’ll get the next game though. Remember, a few days until Anthony de Mare (tag) performs Liasons: Re-imagining Sondheim from the Piano. Virginia Tech student tickets are free with an ID!

9/14/15 Our next show is Sept. 18 as Anthony de Mare (tag) performs Liasons: Re-imagining Sondheim from the Piano. VT student tickets are $10. Sign up for our Rush Seats program to receive a free ticket.http://bit.ly/1EDImaz (video of past Anthony de Mare performance)

9/15/15 Countdown to Anthony de Mare: 3 days! Get your tickets now to see this amazing pianist. Virginia Tech students, buy your tickets for $10 or sign up for our Rush Seats program today to have a chance at a free ticket! http://bit.ly/1EDImaz (Video of past Anthony de Mare performance)

Week 5 9/16/15 - 9/18/15

9/16/15 Two days until Anthony de Mare! Buy your tickets today! The show starts at 7:30 p.m.! Virginia Tech students, sign up for our Rush Seats program for a chance to win a free ticket on the day of the show! http://bit.ly/1EDImaz

9/17/15 Don’t miss Anthony de Mare performing Liasons: Re-imagining Sondheim from the Piano tomorrow night!. VT student tickets are $10. Sign up for our Rush Seats program to receive a free ticket.http://bit.ly/1EDImaz (video of past Anthony de Mare performance)

9/18/15 Show Day! Anthony de Mare performs Liasons: Re-imagining Sondheim from the Piano tonight at 7:30 p.m. VT student tickets are $10, but there is still time to sign up for our Rush Seats program! Sign up and possibly win a free ticket to tonight’s show! http://bit.ly/1EDImaz

Congratulations to (tag Rush Seats winners) for winning a free ticket to tonight’s Anthony de Mare show! Want a chance to win a free ticket to any of our remaining shows? Join our Rush Seats program! http://bit.ly/1EDImaz

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Part B -‐ Twitter

Week 1 8/19/15 - 8/25/15

8/19 • 8/19 (9:00 a.m.) Welcome Class of 2019 Hokies! We hope you enjoy your new home! (attach photo) • 8/19 (1:00 p.m.) Exploring campus? Stop by the Moss Arts Center & check out this season’s upcoming

shows & events. • 8/19 (4:00 p.m.) We hope everyone is all moved in! Take some downtime & check out our galleries of

artwork created by fellow Hokies #AtTheMAC

8/20 • 8/20 (9:00 a.m.) It’s never too early to start learning about your new home - check out these 10 facts about us https://www.vt.edu/arts/center/index.html

• 8/20 (1:00 p.m.) Too hot outside? Stop by & cool down while checking out fellow Hokies artwork in our galleries #AtTheMAC

• 8/20 (4:00 p.m.) Our 15-16 season is complete! Check out all our events & performances on our website http://bit.ly/1Qkn1rE

8/21 • 8/21 (9:00 a.m.) Enjoy your weekend Hokies because the fall semester is around the corner! Maybe you’ll get lucky & have class #AtTheMAC #TGIF

• 8/21 (1:00 p.m.) The Moss Arts Center is HUGE! Why? Because it’s our institute for creativity, arts & technology. Learn more about what’s inside https://www.icat.vt.edu/facilities/living_labs

• 8/21 (4:00 p.m.) Calling all Hokies that might find themselves downtown tonight! Enjoy this pretty sight (picture of the Moss Arts Center at night) #TGIF

8/22 • 8/22 (11:00 a.m.) We hope you’re enjoying your weekend & we can’t wait to see you soon #AtTheMAC

8/23 • 8/23 (11:00 a.m.) Ready for classes tomorrow? We are! Stop by in between classes & learn more about our fall schedule!

8/24 • 8/24 (9:00 a.m.) Get up Hokies! Happy first day of classes! Don’t be late to class (unless you decide to take the long route passing the Moss Arts Center)!

• 8/24 (1:00 p.m.) College students love free stuff, right? We want to give you free tickets! Learn more about #vtrushseats https://www.artscenter.vt.edu/online/subscribe

• 8/24 (4:00 p.m.) You’ve just about made it through your first day of the fall semester! Congrats! Want to make it better? Come visit us!

8/25 • 8/25 (9:00 a.m.) Ready for another day of classes? We want to hear all about your first day of the fall semester #vtfirstday

• 8/25 (1:00 p.m.) Calling all Hokies! Don’t forget to check our full fall schedule! We want to see you soon #AtTheMAC http://bit.ly/1Qkn1rE

• 8/25 (4:00 p.m.) We love our VT students! We want to give you FREE tickets! Who’s signing up for #vtrushseats? http://bit.ly/1GNSjz9

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Week 2 8/26/15 - 9/1/15

8/26 • 8/26 (9:00 a.m.) It’s hump day & you’re halfway through your first week! Stay tuned for today’s contest; you just might win a prize!

• 8/26 (1:00 p.m.) Tweet a photo of you in front of the Moss Arts Center, use the hashtag #AtTheMAC & win free tickets! Winner announced tomorrow morning!

• 8/26 (4:00 p.m.) We know you’re lovin’ our Twitter! Go follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Flickr right now! You won’t be disappointed!

8/27 • 8/27 (9:00 a.m.) Congrats to our #AtTheMAC contestant winner (@Winner)! Stop by today & claim your free tickets to (performance name)!

• 8/27 (1:00 p.m.) We’re very excited today! Why? Because we’re 1 week away from action #AtTheMAC

• 8/27 (4:00 p.m.) Our opening reception is 1 week away! We’re excited to welcome Stephen Vitiello to the Cube #AtTheMAC

8/28 • 8/28 (9:00 a.m.) It’s Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday! We’re proud of you; you made it through your first week of classes #TGIF

• 8/28 (1:00 p.m.) You’ve earned this weekend! Who’s got exciting plans? #TGIF • 8/28 (4:00 p.m.) Have a fun & safe weekend Hokies #TGIF (picture of the Center for the Arts staff)

8/29 • 8/29 (11:00 a.m.) Can’t start jumping yet! We’re also sad there’s no @VT_Football today! How will everyone spend their Saturday?

8/30 • 8/30 (11:00 a.m.) Anyone headed downtown to grab brunch? You might see a really cool building on the way! (picture of the Moss Arts Center)

8/31 • 8/31 (9:00 a.m.) Go away Monday blues! One week until @VT_Football opens their season against Ohio State at Lane Stadium #ESPN #OrangeEffect

• 8/31 (1:00 p.m.) Stephen Vitiello’s new sound installation exhibition opens & Brooklyn Babylon brings an exciting & upbeat performance this week #AtTheMAC

• 8/31 (4:00 p.m.) Don’t forget VT students… you can attend our first fall performance for FREE #vtrushseats https://www.artscenter.vt.edu/online/subscribe

9/1 • 9/1 (9:00 a.m.) We’re only 2 days away from our fall opening! Use the hashtag #AtTheMAC to share your experiences throughout the season!

• 9/1 (1:00 p.m.) Are you a visual person? With our opening just days away, we’ll stop talking & let you learn more at our website https://www.artscenter.vt.edu/Online/

• 9/1 (4:00 p.m.) Are you excited for the fall schedule? We are! What performance, event or exhibition are you most excited for? #AtTheMAC

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Week 3 9/2/15 - 9/8/15

9/2 • 9/2 (9:00 a.m.) Good morning Hokies! There’s plenty to be excited about! Sound artist Stephen Vitiello premieres his work at the Cube tomorrow #AtTheMAC

• 9/2 (1:00 p.m.) Who’s excited for tomorrow’s big opening reception!? @TheHokieBird is (picture of the HokieBird in front of the Moss Arts Center)

• 9/2 (4:00 p.m.) Don’t forget to come see Stephen Vitiello introduce his new installation at the Cube tomorrow starting at 6 p.m. #AtTheMAC

9/3 • 9/3 (9:00 a.m.) We would love to hear your feedback about last night’s installation with Stephen Vitiello. Tweet back your thoughts #AtTheMAC

• 9/3 (1:00 p.m.) We’ve got another show tomorrow we think you’ll enjoy! Make sure you have your tickets for Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society #AtTheMAC

• 9/3 (4:00 p.m.) Hokies, don’t forget to sign up for #vtrushseats for free tickets to events & concerts. Check out how to sign up http://bit.ly/1zgdpc8

9/4 • 9/4 (9:00 a.m.) Another day, another great show! Make sure you are free tonight for the showing of Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society #AtTheMAC

• 9/4 (1:00 p.m.) Tonight will give you a taste of big band jazz, video animation & live painting in Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society #AtTheMAC

• 9/4 (4:00 p.m.) Only 3 hours left until the show! Students - check your texts for the possibility of #vtrushseats you won’t want to miss tonight’s show!

9/5 • 9/5 (9:00 a.m.) It’s the weekend Hokies! Don’t forget to keep checking our events page for more upcoming concerts.

• 9/5 (1:00 p.m.) Over the weekend, make sure you are signed up for #vtrushseats I mean who doesn’t love free tickets!?

• 9/5 (4:00 p.m.) Are there any performers, events or groups you would like to see? Tweet back your thoughts & advice, we would love to hear from you.

9/6 • 9/6 (9:00 a.m.) Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Flickr to receive the latest updates. All accounts can be found on our website https://www.artscenter.vt.edu/Online/

• 9/6 (1:00 p.m.) You still have until Sept. 13 to enjoy Stephen Vitiello’s “A Scuttering Across the Leaves” sound exhibition #AtTheMAC

• 9/6 (4:00 p.m.) Stephen Vitiello’s sound exhibition is open Tuesday-Friday from 3-8 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m #AtTheMAC

9/7 • 9/7 (9:00 a.m.) It’s a new week Hokies! Enjoy some @VT_Football tonight & be sure to check out our events & gallery exhibitions this week. Don’t miss out!

• 9/7 (1:00 p.m.) Hokie students, have you signed up for #vtrushseats? We provide free tickets the day of a show - first come, first serve.

• 9/7 (4:00 p.m.) Take a sneak peak of Stephen Vitiello’s exhibit #AtTheMAC (include pictures)

9/8 • 9/8 (9:00 a.m.) If you want to check out pictures from past events, check out our Flickr #AtTheMAC https://www.flickr.com/photos/artscenteratvt/

• 9/8 (1:00 p.m.) Plan early! Acclaimed concert pianist, Anthony de Mare, will be here Sept. 18 for an evening of musical spectrum #AtTheMAC

• 9/8 (4:00 p.m.) VT students, you can sign up for #vtrushseats at any time during the year. You definitely don’t want to miss out on this opportunity.

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Week 4 9/9/15 - 9/15/15

9/9 • 9/9 (9:00 a.m.) Clear your schedule for tomorrow night for the second round of Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society: Real Enemies, the workshop edition #AtTheMAC

• 9/9 (1:00 p.m.) Students, there’s still a possibility of receiving free tickets for tomorrow night’s show! Be sure to sign up for text notifications #vtrushseats

• 9/9 (4:00 p.m.) What show or event are you most looking forward to this 15-16 season? #AtTheMAC

9/10 • 9/10 (9:00 a.m.) Tonight at 7:30 p.m. is Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society. $15 general admission & $10 for students #AtTheMAC

• 9/10 (1:00 p.m.) Hokie students - be on the lookout for a text in the next few hours about the possibility of free tickets for tonight’s show #vtrushseats

• 9/10 (4:00 p.m.) Tonight’s show offers a marriage of music & theater who depict a history of post-war America that may or may not be true #AtTheMAC

9/11 • 9/11 (9:00 a.m.) What’d you think of last night’s show? We want your feedback, so tweet back at us! Pictures will be on Flickr later today #AtTheMAC

• 9/11 (1:00 p.m.) Students, did you utilize the #vtrushseats last night? How did it work out for you? We care about your experience!

• 9/11 (4:00 p.m.) Keep checking our website to keep your nights free for events & exhibitions http://bit.ly/1Qkn1rE

9/12 • 9/12 (9:00 a.m.) Rise & shine Hokies! Text “arts” to 31996 & we’ll add you to our #vtrushseats list giving you the opportunity for free tickets to shows!

• 9/12 (1:00 p.m.) Another show is coming! Anthony de Mare performs “Liaisons” which spans classical, jazz, opera, pop music, musical theater & film worlds #AtTheMAC

• 9/12 (4:00 p.m.) *Tweet a picture of gallery exhibition or Center for the Arts*

9/13 • 9/13 (9:00 a.m.) Good morning Hokies! Who went to the @VT_Football game this past weekend? #HallOfFame #WhiteEffect #MilitaryAppreciation

• 9/13 (1:00 p.m.) Worried about not getting tickets? You can buy season ticket packages to ensure you make it to all our great events & performances!

• 9/13 (4:00 p.m.) Keep signing up for #vtrushseats Hokies! You can’t pass up this amazing deal! Who doesn’t love free stuff?

9/14 • 9/14 (9:00 a.m.) Another great week of performances! Keep checking our website & Facebook for details on all our events.

• 9/14 (1:00 p.m.) Have some free time this afternoon? Swing by & roam around one of our many galleries.

• 9/14 (4:00 p.m.) Communication & Engineering students, how are you liking your classrooms this semester #AtTheMAC?

9/15 • 9/15 (9:00 a.m.) Rise & shine Hokies! Text “arts” to 31996 & we can add you to our #vtrushseats list so you can get free tickets for concerts, events & shows!

• 9/15 (1:00 p.m.) Don’t let the semester pass you by! Make time to come & see us #AtTheMAC! • 9/15 (4:00 p.m.) Only 3 days until Anthony de Mare’s performance. Who has purchased their tickets

already?

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Part C – Instagram

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References

The Lyric (2011). The Lyric Theater. The Lyric. Retrieved from http://www.thelyric.com/

The Virginia Tech Union (2015). The Official Virginia Tech Union Facebook. Facebook. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/thevtu?fref=ts

The Virginia Tech Union (2014). The Official Virginia Tech Union Website. Retrieved

from https://www.facebook.com/thevtu?fref=ts The Virginia Tech Union (2009). The Official Virginia Tech Union Twitter. Twitter.

Retrieved from https://twitter.com/thevtu (@thevtu). The Virginia Tech Union (2013). The Official Virginia Tech Union Instagram.

Instagram. Retrieved from https://instagram.com/thevtu/ (@thevtu).

Vaynerchuk, G. (2013). Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to tell your story in a noisy social world. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Virginia Tech Athletics (2008). The Official Virginia Tech Athletics Facebook Account. Facebook. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/hokiesports?fref=ts&ref=br_tf.

Virginia Tech Athletics (2008). The Official Virginia Tech Athletics Twitter Account. Twitter. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/hokiesports (@hokiesports).

Virginia Tech Athletics (2013). The Official Virginia Tech Athletics Instagram Account. Instagram. Retrieved from https://instagram.com/hokiesports/ (@hokiesports).

Virginia Tech Athletics (2013). The Official Virginia Tech Athletics Pinterest Account. Pinterest. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/hokiesports/.

Center for the Arts Planbook

Documents

Transcript of Center for the Arts Planbook