Social Media Event Review

January 5, 2015

Event Messaging Challenges

1.) Occurred very close to high-impact event on Saturday Jan 3rd

-Did not allow normal event messaging timeline

2.) Storm track remained uncertain-Minor change has big impact

-Messaging focused on uncertainty

3.) Amounts were borderline warning-Advertising amounts a challenge

4.) Timing and rapid onset of snow-Messaging focused on impacts

-Challenge of indicating rapid onset of impacts

5.) Ongoing Wind Chill Products Impacted WWA Map

- Watch was “masked” by Wind Chill advisories.

-How do you message an event that can’t be seen?

Facebook Statistics

(January 3-6)

Statistics Overview

Facebook (January 3-6)

Cumulative Gain:

1304

Highest Daily Gain:

897 (day before the event)

Cumulative increase of Followers

Cumulative increase of Followers

10,939

897

253

78 76

12,248

Statistics Overview

Facebook (January 3-6)

Over 30% of new “likes” came from mobile devices

Statistics Overview

Facebook (January 3-6)

Total Organic Reach of Posts

Total Organic Reach: 395,098

Total Post “Likes”: 3588

Total Post “Shares”: 2820

Total Post “Comments”: 3342

Likes, Comments, Shares

Twitter Statistics

(January 3-6)

Statistics Overview

Twitter (January 3-6)

25,243 45,249 46,413 16,243

Engagement was 4.6%

higher than 90 day average

Impressions were nearly

20K/day higher

Statistics Overview

Twitter (January 3-6)

3,701

6114

January 1-6 Gain:

229

Most Popular Tweet

Most impressions in first 1-3

hours of the lifespan of the

tweet, shows need to keep

information flowing!

Facebook Specifics

Facebook Timeline

3rd 4th

5th

6th

3 posts

Our Most Popular Post

Total Post

1st post of an event is often

the most successful. Why?

1.) Catches the Eye

2.) User is Excited

3.) News is “Breaking” to them.

On Shares

Addressing

Event Challenges

How Can We Convey Uncertainty?

Provides Context to the

Event & Alternatives

How Can We Influence the Decision Process?

**Directions to produce short

animated GIF loops of

precipitation will be coming

soon!**

Videos will auto-play in Facebook

Timelines. The short duration of the clip

held retention longer.

Post was served to 98K

Nearly 50% viewed

video.

Show Alternative Presentations of Important Info

How Do We Focus on What’s Important?

What, When, Where and How Bad

Media & Government Sharing

Try to provide information to

emphasis the risk/threat and

make it as clear as possible.

IMPORTANT: The

presentation of information

must evolve if the message

changes

How Do You Advertise a Product

No One Can See?

Why Couldn’t You See the Watch?

WWA map priority was given to an existing

wind chill advisory already in effect

Where Can You Plot Individual Products?

1.) GFE Hazard Image

2.) NWS EDD Page

3.) CR Briefing Creator

Social Media Suggestions

Moving Forward

Provide Alternative Decision Information

Challenges exist to how to advertise rapid

onset of hazardous conditions and how to

“Now-Cast” those situations.

It is always good to show impacts of the

event in real time. You may persuade a

decision.

Impact Ideas:

1.) Road Images

2.) Accident Reports

3.) Visibility

4.) Timing of Arrival

Provide Alternative Decision Information

Additional Examples

Simulated Radar

Forecast Winds Timing/Impacts

Now-Casting Snow

Spice Up Your Post

Hourly snowfall observations may be great for Twitter, but perhaps not Facebook.

How can we

improve this

post?

Post is now:Through 3pm, we’ve had 4 inches of snow in Sioux Falls!

Grab your ruler and measure the snow for us! Who has the

most? 1.) Informative

2.) Prompts Action

3.) Shows Emotion

4.) Being Social

Use a Headline/Bullets in Text

Headlines in Facebook post text can:

1.) Draw more attention to the post than usual.

2.) Pull out the most useful information of the post.

However, Be Careful not to Overuse

1.) Any repetitive action can desensitize

the viewing audience.

Usage of Symbols to Capture Attention

Symbols such as a “caution” catch the eye, and will focus direction towards

what you may want the viewer to see (Impacts, Danger)

These symbols are all available in PowerPoint clipart, by searching (caution, sign, warning sign)***

One Weather Story = 5 posts?Break Important Information into Continuous Flow of Info for Twitter/Facebook

Main Wx-Story/Post # 1

Post #2

Post #3

Post #4

Post #5

Be Careful on Post Repetition

“Reach”: 10,712

“Likes”: 38

“Shares”: 46

“Comments”: 5

“Reach”: 37,269

“Likes”: 90

“Shares”: 186

“Comments”: 13

“Reach”: 94,400

“Likes”: 119

“Shares”: 572

“Comments”: 44

• Facebook algorithms are not favorable for repetitive images Declining Reach

• Facebook user may not realize you are sharing “New” information

1st 2nd 3rd

Over 30% of new “likes” came from mobile devices

Be Aware of the Viewing Platform

Things to Remember:

Font Size: Try to keep minimum font size at 18

Font Colors: Keep colors simple. Dark outlined fonts can

be hard to read if also outlined in dark colors. Use color

fonts to highlight key points. Shoot for 4 or less.

Label Embedded Maps: Color tables are nice, but add

a text labels to snow maps, wind chill graphics.

Potential Size of Image

on Mobile platform

The “Mobile Eye” Test

To test fonts and appearance on mobile platforms,

change PowerPoint slide zoom percentage to 40/50%.

This will give you an idea of how image will look on

mobile devices

Be Aware of the Viewing Platform

Initial Post Adjusted Post

Removed

outlined

fonts

Added Data

Labels

Simplified

Wording

Darkened

Background

Image for

Contrast

Example of Image Adjusted for Mobile Users, Could Be Even Simpler!

Don’t Always be “Sioux Falls Centric”

Highest Populated Areas:

Sioux Falls: 164,676

Sioux City: 82,459 (2013)

Brookings: 22,943

Mitchell: 15,539

Yankton: 14,591

Marshall, MN: 13,483

Huron: 13,097

Worthington, MN: 12,943

Spencer, IA: 11,150

Storm Lake, IA: 10,790

Madison, SD: 6,949

Pipestone, MN: 4,157

Major Universities:

U of South Dakota

South Dakota State

Augustana College

Dakota State

U of Sioux Falls

Southwest Minnesota State University

Buena Vista University

Western Iowa Tech Community College

While the majority of our social media exposure is within the Sioux Falls metro,

there is significant opportunity outside of Sioux Falls.

Specific details for other cities and can help build that base, and not show a “Sioux

Falls Bias”

Be Careful of Posting Confusing Info

Image that was behind the link contained

LSR data. LSRs were cumulative from

beginning of event, confusing some

followers and prompting criticism.

A GREAT response to the criticism

Post an Image and just

include text link in the text

portion of the post

Positive Feedback!

Summary

WE did many great things as an office to enhance the messaging given this

challenging event.

For the most part, information continued to flow as the event unfolded.

Responses to questions asked were timely, and accurate.

Plenty of positive responsive was had by the social media community!

It’s Important to:

• Continue to experiment with new ideas for presenting the most important

message.

• Keep presenting decision making materials

• Be cautious about posting continual hourly snowfall reports on Facebook

• Make sure to check older posts for new questions