Below are some statistics from Manchester Libraries and our use of social
media. But I agree with Phil, stats don't tell the whole story, and for me
too, one main benefit is that it gets your current news and announcements
out in a syndicated format, the display of which you can automate anywhere.
We recycle content to Twitter, Facebook, on our website, online forums,
local blogs and more. It's a really useful way to get out into your
community - it's just outreach, but online plus feedback. Blog posts, Tweets
and Facebook updates can be scheduled in advance and all sent from one
client (we use Hootsuite) which saves time. Kathleen Shiel asked a similar
question on this board in November and provided a detailed and useful
summary of responses for social media business cases and ROI.
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A2=ind0911&L=LIS-PUB-LIBS&T=0&F=&S=&X=6DC4E62F4DDC713BFB&Y=thnomad%40googlemail.com&P=54044)
Here are some good enumbers...
Google analytics show a rise in traffic to specific pages within the
Manchester library website when I post links on Facebook and Twitter. A page
showing a before and after photo gallery of Moss Side Power House Library
(which recently had a £1 million redesign with young people having a big say
in the work) had 17 views before the online promotion and 280 a day after it
appeared on FB. (www.facebook.com/manchesterlibraries
www.twitter.com/manclibraries)
A 'new books' RSS feed was updated with archeo-thrillers to coincide with
the publication of Dan Brown’s Lost Symbol. We published a link and some
details on Facebook & 350 people had a look that day. The feed was also
published on the blog and Google analytics tells us that there were 300
views in a 24 hour period.(http://manchesterlitlist.blogspot.com)
Manchester Central Library begins a 3 year temporary refurbishment in April
2010. We have posted a series of FAQs on the website and detailed
descriptions, but to help people understand the scale of the job we posted a
6 minute on video on Vimeo which travels through 22 miles of stack in 6
minutes. The video has been watched 522 times since Feb 1st.
(http://www.vimeo.com/8715096)
The Chorlton Book Festival brochure was published in a 'turn the page'
magazine format on Issuu.com. It received 2338 views on Issuu.com in one
month. We also use Facebook for to ask for volunteers to help us with the
Chorlton Book Festival. Volunteers responded directly on Facebook and helped
us to promote the festival on their own social networks, on Facebook and
Twitter. (No longer online)
There were 12 childrens essays in the first Book Award 'Question of the
Month' newsletter in October 2009 published in a print format. After the
same document was published on Issuu.com and embedded in the library
Facebook page and Manchester Book Award website 31 essays were submitted in
November and the document was viewed 492 times online.
(http://issuu.com/manchesterlibraries/docs/mbaoctoberquestions
www.manchesterbookaward.com)
Sue Lawson
Service Improvement Assistant: Outreach & Promotions
Manchester Library & Information Service
[log in to unmask] www.twitter.com/shedsue
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