Category: This and that

#ACUHOI Annual Conference & Exposition

acuhoi-annual-conference

In about a week’s time, I’ll be heading out to New Orleans to give a featured talk at the ACUHO-I Annual Conference & Exposition (ACE). In addition to speaking, I’m also meeting with ACE attendees as the “social media expert-in-residence” for the conference. I’m really looking forward to connecting with so many fantastic professionals. Here’s the description of my talk:


“We’ve Always Been Social (Media)”

Our communications and marketing tools evolve on a continual basis. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have become mainstays in our communications strategies. Learn how you can use the “big 3” to enhance your marketing endeavors, create opportunities for engagement, implement a content-based social strategy, and build measurable/sustainable connections.

Social Media Unsessions at #NASPA11

NASPA 2011 social media unsessions

I’m excited to announce that I will be leading two “unsessions” at the 2011 NASPA Conference. I’ll be facilitating two separate conversations. The first unsession will focus primarily on Twitter best-practices for professional development as well as how to use Twitter to connect with students. The second unsession is for folks who are ready to have a conversation about advanced social media tactics, strategies, and implementations. See you in Philly!

Twitter 202: Beyond #hashtags, @lists, and RTweets

Tuesday, March 15
9:30 AM – 10:15 AM
115 – B – Convention Center

Although only recently picked up by the general population, Twitter is now commonplace for individuals wanting to get breaking news. But Twitter is more than finding out what people are eating or the latest gossip. Attendees of this unsession should come prepared to share how they utilize Twitter in their professional development, as well as best practices for connecting with students. Please note, attendees of this unsession will benefit most if they already have a basic understanding of Twitter.

Social Media: Advanced uses, tips, and strategies for SA Pros

Tuesday, March 15
2:00 PM – 2:45 PM
115 – B – Convention Center

Social Media sessions have been highlights of student affairs conferences for several years. It’s now time to talk about how we have been using the tools in strategic ways to communicate and create connections with our students. This unsession will be a facilitated conversation for members of the community to share their social media best practices and advanced techniques for using social media to enhance their professional “tech-deavors”. Be ready to chat, share, and learn about advanced uses of Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube…a.k.a. “The Big 3.”

In addition to the two social media unsessions that I’m leading, there are two other must-attend sessions:

Social Media, Enriched Professional Development and the Future of Student Affairs

Coordinating Presenter: Mamta Accapadi
Monday, March 14
9:30 AM – 10:15 AM
115 – B – Convention Center
Social Media is not just a way to reconnect with friends from your past or share what’s going on in your day in less than 140 characters. Social media, especially with regards to professional development, is also a fantastic way to connect with colleagues and delve deeper into conversations. Attend this session, facilitated by author of the Leadership Exchange article Integrating Technology into your Daily Routine, to discuss ways to enhance your professional development capacity here in Philadelphia and beyond.

Facebook, Flickr, Foursquare, Film (YouTube): Facilitating familiarity through social media

Coordinating Presenter: Nathan Victoria
Monday, March 14
3:45 PM – 4:30 PM
115 – B – Convention Center
A little more than five years ago, all of the social media channels listed above did not exist. Now, these channels are used constantly to form connections and market to our student bodies. Attend this unsession to share your best practices around these social media channels, as well as have conversations about challenges you are facing.

#NASPA11 + #SAchat Tweetup

NASPA 2011 and SACHAT tweetup - Philadelphia

This year’s NASPA Annual Conference will be a social media student affairs extravaganza.

Have you signed up for the #NASPA11 #SAchat tweetup?

#NASPA11 Tweetup Sign Up Sheet
Monday, March 14 | 8:30 PM
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, Hotel Lobby
1201 Market Street

Meet, greet, and network with student affairs professionals from all over the world. The Philadelphia tweetup is going to be a major event. Don’t tweet? Never used Twitter? That’s okay, there will be plenty of folks to help get you into the Twittersphere. If you want to get a head start on learning how to use Twitter, I would highly recommend that you read this Twitter 101.

I’m guessing that a major topic of conversation will be the upcoming consolidation vote which begins on Tuesday, March 15th.

QR Codes + Mobile Content = Win

banana republic QR code

Here’s a quick tip for marketing folks who are using QR Codes:

I received a personalized mailing from the Banana Republic a few days ago. On the last page of the mailer was a QR Code. I scanned the code and it took me to this YouTube video:

If you’re going to use QR Codes, please send folks who take the time to scan the code to mobile optimized web content. Taking me to a YouTube clip after I scanned the code was a great way to keep me interested. If I scan your QR Code and it takes me to a regular, non-mobile-optimized site, what’s the point? QR Codes only work if the content that is being delivered is relevant to me and my mobile device.

I’ve seen several QR Codes on posters recently. The codes grabbed my attention because they were prominently placed, but the post-scanned content was just a standard site. Remember, QR Codes + Mobile Content = Win.

3 social media apps for listening / engaging

I’ve been testing out 3 web-based social media apps. Built to leverage the API’s of sites like Twitter and Facebook, these apps are web-based and can be accessed from any net enabled computer. TweetDeck (Chrome only), HootSuite, and Seesmic are all amazing in terms of functionality. I tested them all out using Google’s Chrome browser. This was mostly due to the fact that TweetDeck is only available as a web app via Chrome.

Aesthetically speaking, I really like the look and feel of Seesmic. It’s been my favorite Twitter app on Android and the web-based version doesn’t disappoint. It’s feature-rich and integrates the following social media services: Twitter, Foursquare, Google Buzz, Facebook, and LinkedIn. TweetDeck works almost as well as the desktop version. HootSuite has long been a popular alternative to TweetDeck. However, I find it’s interface to be less intuitive and quite a bit more “clunky” than Seesmic or TweetDeck. The API connection that TweetDeck leverages in Chrome is impressive. Tweets stream into your web browser almost as fast as they are posted. This makes it very easy to participate in Twitter-based chats using “ChromeDeck.”

In terms of social media listening / engaging, I would recommend that you try out all 3 apps to determine which one works best for you. I’ve been using TweetDeck in Chrome for fast-paced Twitter chats and Seesmic works really well in Firefox. HootSuite offers up a paid, Pro service for folks who want access to a larger feature set. It will be interesting to see how these app providers can continue to provide such amazing apps while at the same time covering their operating costs. While these apps are certainly not as powerful as the social media listening stations that Gatorade and Dell launched last year, I’m certain that you can do quite a bit with a browser, a connection to the Internet, and one of these web-based social media apps.

Which of these 3 apps do you use? Do you use something else?

Continue reading 3 social media apps for listening / engaging

Under the radar – #sachat needs to follow @tsand

One of my most favorite student affairs professionals is also one of the most unique SA pros in the biz. His name is Todd Sanders. As the Student Affairs “Web Guy” for the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, Todd is a prominent figure in the higher education web sphere. While I’ve never actually met Todd, I have virtually known him for several years. Having been a commenter on the higher education blogging circuit, I’ve run into Todd’s insightful comments for quite some time.

Follow Todd Sanders please
He’s also one of the funniest people that I “know” on Twitter. If you’re in student affairs and you don’t know Todd, it’s probably because there aren’t that many student affairs web devs in the SA-universe. The #SAtech crowd has had to regularly find communities that are outside of the usual student affairs associations. For example, I know that Todd has been a prominent member of the HighEdWeb crowd. It makes sense. Web Devs/Multimedia Producers/Marketers/Designers/etc. need to hang out with folks who share similar interests, challenges, and opportunities.

So why am I blogging about Todd this evening? Great question! The cool thing about Todd is that he is currently on the cusp of being a veritable student affairs celebrity for his overall amount of awesomeness.

Todd submitted the video at the top of this post for the Mercedes-Benz Tweet Race. His video was selected out of thousands of submissions. I mean, how could anyone resist the Mercedes-Benz logo made out of carrots! In all seriousness, Todd’s videography skills are top notch. I’ve never known anyone else in the student affairs community that can do what Todd does. I am thrilled that his video was chosen for this philanthropic contest.

“The Twitter-fueled campaign (http://on.fb.me/SBTweetRace) will put four two-person driving teams behind the wheels of specially equipped 2011 Mercedes-Benz vehicles – each embarking separately from Chicago, Los Angeles and New York and Tampa — on February 2 and converging on February 4 at Cowboys Stadium outside Dallas, Texas.

Mercedes-Benz is donating $25,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at the start of the race AND another donation of $20,000 if #MBteamS gets to Dallas with the most social points! However, if they can raise $5000 here, the grand total going to St. Jude will be $50,000!

Once the race starts on February 2, the driving teams will depart from their respective locations and attempt to generate as much Twitter activity, or “Tweet Fuel” as possible for their journey to Dallas. Over a three-day period, they will earn points not only for collecting Tweet Fuel, but for their performance on a series of social media-related challenges they will face along the way.”

Mercedes-Benz Tweet RaceSo how do you help Todd, Team S, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital?
It’s simple:

  1. Like the MB Team S Facebook page
  2. Follow @tsand on Twitter
  3. Spread the word about Team S (Short for “StudentAffairs”) and be ready to provide copious amounts of tweet fuel for #MBteamS between February 2nd and February 4th.

Campus Auxiliary Services Marketing in 2011: Social Media, Mobile Apps, and Sustainable Strategies for Success

NACAS-campus-auxiliary-services-marketing

I’m pleased to announce that I will once again be teaming up with NACAS to present information/strategies for campus auxiliary services marketers:

Are you or your staff tasked with managing or leveraging your organization’s social media / marketing ventures?

Social media is no longer an add-on for campus auxiliary marketers. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are now part of the traditional marketing mix. This two-part short course will teach you how to successfully leverage social media tools, mobile apps, and location-based services for sustainable auxiliary services marketing.

You’ll learn the latest strategies for creating a social media listening station and will learn how to effectively utilize: Facebook Places, Twitter Fast Follow, Foursquare, YouTube, SCVNGR, and QR Codes.

Campus Auxiliary Services Marketing in 2011:
Social Media, Mobile Apps, and Sustainable Strategies for Success with Eric Stoller

Part 1: Feb 22, 2:00PM – 3:00PM EST
Part 2: March 1, 2:00PM – 3:00PM EST
*Includes some pre- and mid-event “homework.”

In partnership with NACAS – the largest auxiliary services support organization serving higher education.

Blogging for Inside Higher Ed

Student Affairs and Technology - IHE year 1

I’ve been blogging for Inside Higher Ed (IHE) for 6 months. The word cloud represents the most-used words in the 45 posts that I’ve written for my “Student Affairs and Technology” blog. Twitter has been one of my favorite topics to write about. It’s such a wonderfully versatile social media tool.

I’m thoroughly enjoying my ride as a blogger for IHE. I write at least 2 posts per week. As a seasoned blogger, having deadlines and a post quota has been incredibly motivating. My editor has a fantastic sense of humor. He has been a delightful boss. I can’t wait to see if I can crack 100 posts in 2011.

The only caveat of course has been that this blog has been a bit neglected. I’ve been much more active on Twitter in 2010. With a paid blogging gig and Twitter taking up more of my publishing time, I do try to put something up on this site from time to time. Stay tuned for significant site updates. I plan on incorporating more of my consulting endeavors on this blog as I continue to navigate the “Stoller Coaster.”

Web Accessibility in Higher Education

I had an amazing time being on Seth Odell’s Higher Ed Live weekly web show. I was asked to talk about higher education and web accessibility. We just barely scratched the surface of what it means to have an accessible web. However, I think that this was a great conversation starter and I look forward to coming on the show to talk about accessibility in 2011.

The back channel conversation provided a lot of questions and insight. It was great to see so many higher education professionals engaging in a conversation on web accessibility and higher education.

Seth and I put together a terrific list of accessibility resources for folks to peruse over at his website. Like I said last night: We all go together or we don’t go at all. Accessibility is an ethical mandate. Accessibility might not be the sexy topic du jour (eg: social media), but it is necessary.

TweetDeck: The Best App for Twitter

tweetdeck-social-media-dashboard

I’ve been a big fan of TweetDeck for quite some time. It’s my go-to “mission control” app for Twitter. I generally have somewhere between 20 to 30 active panels of various searches, hashtags, and lists. The latest version of the TweetDeck desktop client incorporates “real-time streaming.” The nifty thing about TweetDeck is that it is available as a desktop client and as an app for iPhone, Android-based phones, and the iPad. If you want to leverage the power of Twitter as a communications and marketing platform, TweetDeck is by far the best free app for staying connected.