My First Social Media Outbreak

PR and social media professionals usually describe social media as "viral."

When I first heard the term, I thought they meant that it would bring a virus into my computer.  However, I discovered the true meaning of the word yesterday while I was on Twitter.

Apparently what they mean by viral is that once something exciting, fun, and interesting is posted on a blog, Twitter, Facebook, or other media tool, it spreads quickly, drawing more attention to the post.

Chris Dessi discussed this in his talk with Marist students almost three weeks ago that inspired me to step up my social media game.  He encouraged us to put something interesting out there, because once your follower sees it and likes it, their followers will become interested, and so on.  This perfect networking situation is how students can encourage employers to ask YOU for your resume.  Is there a bigger compliment than that? =]

For my public relations course at Marist with Dr. Mark Van Dyke, we were assigned to create a strategic plan for an event, campaign, or social media project that we'd like to execute.  A few ideas came to mind, but my best ideas always come to me in the shower (does that happen to anyone else?)  I remembered hearing about something called a "TweetUp" at my internship last summer at the Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau.  I began researching about this type of event that is becoming very popular among organizations across the company.  The networking event allows people who connect on Twitter through trends and and mentions interact face-to-face.  Marist has created its own sort of online community, and holding a TweetUp would allow all members of the Marist community to learn more about social media and share their positive experiences with multiple tools.  

I completed my strategic plan, and with permission from my professor, I emailed my plan to Timmian Massie, the chief public affairs officer at Marist.  After I sent the plan, I tweeted Tim to let him know that it should be in his inbox.

THEN, the @marist college admissions office saw my tweet to @tcmassie about a #TweetUp and Dean of Admission Kent Rinehart asked me to send him a copy of the plan as well, because the admissions office would be interested in contributing to the event.  THEN Associate Director of Admission Brian Apfel (@apfelicus) asked me to send him the strategic plan too! Woah! Virus!  I was so excited that word of the event was spreading so quickly!

After all the encouragement, I decided to post my strategic plan to all who follow me by creating a GoogleDoc and posting the URL in a tweet.  I tweeted a couple of Twitter-crazed Marist students who I'd like to contribute to the event as well (@lshane262, @ARBro, @removethe1, @CuteCakesNY ) to send them the URL.  Others who follow these students saw my tweet, and the virus spread even more.  Within 3 hours of first tweeting Tim, I received 10 mentions, some from tweeters I don't even know!  Everyone is so enthusiastic about the event, and gave me the confidence boost I needed yesterday.

Each day I use it, I further recognize my growing passion for this social media stuff.  Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and this blog give me a voice in my academic and professional lives.  This is powerful stuff, and I'm so happy to soon share the passion with others at Marist College's first TweetUp event. Can you believe it?  Campus organizations are listening to ME, one of the 4,000 undergrad fish in the sea.  I've started a social media movement on campus! 

Watch out world, a new social media fanatic is on the loose!