Creating a social presence

Upon entering University one of the key things that I have learnt is that social media is a must have! It is a must have because of its ability to create an instant two-way communication channel between the organisation and its stakeholders. At my internship I have discovered the need for social media is no different! I'm currently working with the Community Goals department which is basically just the community relations arm of the Fremantle Dockers, and one of my main tasks is to create a Facebook page for the Community Goals team.

The creation of a Facebook page is simple enough, the back filling of information and pictures relating to the operations of the department was time consuming but easy (pro tip; have a simple filing system). The hardest part is to gain exposure and generate a large following or 'likes' on the page, especially when the other page held by the company holds nearly 200,000 likes.

Currently the page I have created has been live for about a week and in that time has only gathered 24 likes, with future activities to be used to boost that like number to a goal of 3000. To generate this many likes there are a few options in which the page can use:

1. Let it increase as the page grows older.
2. Use the Fremantle Dockers page to 'boost' its profile.
3. Use the current Facebook tools available.

For a business in my position I believe it is best that we should go on to utilize options 2 and 3 as these will allow us to generate large amounts of exposure relatively quickly when compared to option 1, but would this 'spamming' of the page limit the likelihood of it being liked? So there are certain decisions we must make and protocols we must follow and abide by before we make a decision on how to promote and communicate this page to the relevant stakeholders and not to internet trolls.

With the AFL season finished it will make this task a little harder but I am looking forward to the challenge as well as some quieter times in the office.

Feel free to check out Fremantle Dockers Community Goals on Facebook and until next time!

Lewis.

Freo Dockers, O-Day, and Cupcakes

As of February 6, 2014, my first media release has been picked up. The article ran in the Eastern Reporter on Tuesday February 18, page 7. It is a fantastic feeling, seeing a media release through the entire process, from finding a newsworthy story, interviewing the subject, drafting the release, sending it off, being informed it has been picked up, and seeing it in print. I have a copy that I will be laminating and adding to my portfolio. I have also had 3 more picked up since, so I am eagerly waiting to see if they will be published. 

My time at the Leukaemia Foundation is going very well. I am picking up valuable skills and experience, and enjoying every moment.

A couple of weeks ago, a group from the LF office, myself included, drove to Pinjarra to the AFL Auskick Super Clinic, an event for school kids to participate in drills with AFL players. We were there for the World's Greatest Shave as 4 of the Fremantle Dockers were shaving their heads. Those players were Michael Johnson, Zac Dawson, Jack Hannath and Michael Walters. There was a 5 year old boy who has been diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukaemia who came and sat next to the players while the shave happened. The media were conducting interviews, and it was good exposure for World's Greatest Shave. I filmed the shave, thankfully able to work out the video camera and tripod thanks to my media classes in high school. It was an interesting day and great to be part of the event.

I have also attended ECU Joondalup and Mount Lawley Orientation days to promote the World's Greatest Shave. We have had a stall and offered cupcakes for a gold coin donation. The focus of these was to increase exposure and gain interested in the shave event.

I have drafted more media releases and conducted phone interviews. My media releases are improving. When I started, I followed the template we had been taught in uni: (name), (age), has _______ to _______. The more I write though, the better and more interesting they are becoming. I am definitely gaining more confidence in my writing and learning new skills.

I am sadly now more than half way through, but I am looking forward to the big Shave events coming up in March.