Q&A with University of Michigan Social Media Director
Most Recent | May 15th, 2012 | Posted in Analysis, Strategy
In October 2011, I published an article, Web Industry Paradigm Shift at the University of Michigan, detailing my observations regarding an open position at the University of Michigan for a new social media director. I was very pleased to receive an email in March 2012 from the new director, Jordan Miller.
Jordan Miller: The University of Michigan’s Social Media Director
So, naturally, I asked Jordan if she would be willing to answer some follow up questions about this new position. She agreed and provided the following answers.
Describe your organizational mission and how it is reflected in the structure of social media/web in your division and university. How has this current structure evolved?
The University of Michigan considers social media to be a very high priority (as every major organization of any type should at this point), and that reflects in my placement as a direct report to the VP for Global Communications and Strategic Initiatives. I have a lot of flexibility in what I’m able to do and how it’s implemented, as well as being part of a group of very smart, experienced people who understand higher education and can help me do my job better.
Personally, my mission is to make the UM the key center of thought for social media in higher education and beyond. I want us to combine our academic resources with our focus on social media and emerging technology development to become a resource and a benchmark.
How often do (will) staff and management discuss social media and content strategies? Are these meetings part of a regular routine or as needed? Please describe and provide examples.
Naturally, I discuss it daily. That’s my job. And as I bring on a staff, that staff will be solely dedicated to social media as well. I am constantly in communication with people across the university, including faculty, staff and students as well as more marketing-focused administrators, helping make the transition to a new way of thinking, sharing, and doing. There’s a misconception that because we’re a large, prestigious university we must all be dinosaurs. That’s not the case at all. I have encountered virtually no resistance whatsoever — in fact, I have found people at UM to be very open, receptive and excited about social media and how they can take advantage of it. This is a research institution. People are looking for new and better ways to communicate and solve problems. For me, that’s a great environment to work in.
How do you collaborate (or hope to) with other campus communicators? Is there a committee or group of people for sharing and learning? If so, what form does it take?
I collaborate constantly. We have a large cross-campus forum for communicators, as well as several smaller strategic and communications groups that meet regularly. I also meet bi-monthly with the social media managers for the University of Michigan Health System and UM Athletics, and monthly with a newly-formed group of campus staff who are solely dedicated to social and digital strategy within their departments and units. We meet regularly in person, although I’m starting to work with some digital video solutions to help us meet remotely in a way that’s still engaging (so no one tunes out!).
How do you (or plan to) measure the success of your social media strategies? Is this measurement reviewed and contributed to by senior leadership such as the President, Provost, etc?
As any social media manager knows, measurement is the bright, shiny object we’re all reaching for. It’s still not an exact science. At U-M, we’re currently implementing enterprise-level measurement and reporting tools so that we can track conversation levels, sentiment and reach not just for the central brand but for athletics, the health system, and our various colleges, schools and units to get a holistic picture of where we are, where we should be, what we’re doing right and how to do it better. This will be both campaign-based and also based on our day-to-day activities.
To say that the number of fans/followers is a good measurement is widely-regarded as old thinking, but I disagree. If more people want to hear what you have to say, it means you’re creating and sharing good content, and people are sharing that content with their friends.
What level of autonomy do you have in order to respond quickly to social media needs?
I have almost complete autonomy to respond and, as I bring on staff, they will have the same. That doesn’t mean that I don’t call in for advice on different types of questions: I’m a voice, not an expert on everything. I’ve represented major brands in the social space for a while, and even though I make mistakes sometimes, it’s important in most situations to be able to respond quickly. The exception is in crisis situations, where we have a dedicated cross-campus team that will work together to make sure our messaging is consistent across all platforms for safety reasons.
Do you have enough staff to accomplish your goals? Why or why not?
I’ll be building staff as we discover our most pressing needs, as well as where we need to bring in new resources as opposed to taking advantage of some of the talented people we already have on campus. Michigan is a world-class university, and we’re a public university, which means we have to be very strategic with how and where we apply resources. That being said, the University takes social media seriously, and we know that means it isn’t free.
Thank you to Jordan Miller for taking the time to provide these answers. Please follow Jordan on Twitter @_jordanmiller_ or visit http://www.socialmedia.umich.edu
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