8:00 a.m.
Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m.

Chairperson’s Welcome & Speed Networking

Become acquainted with your fellow training attendees in this fun and fast-paced forum!

Jim Donnelly, Director of Content
MEDIA MISER
Conference Chairperson

9:15 a.m.

Measuring Social Media Without A Spreadsheet

Social media monitoring has been around since before Mark Zuckerburg was born – we just didn’t call it social media.  Government and non-profits however, have always understood the wins that come from word-of-mouth and strong reputation and they have always had to deal with the negative fallout from whisper campaigns and scandal.  When it comes to social media measurement you need to understand what you are measuring and who and why you are measuring.  In this session Mike Spear, who has been around longer than Mark Zuckerburg and Facebook will look at what you should be thinking about measuring and how it isn’t all about ‘big data’. 

You will learn:

• To set your goals before you start measuring
• Quality without quantity still works
• Finding the niche measurement
• What not to like
• The myth of objective social media data

Mike Spear, Director of Communication
GENOME ALBERTA

9:45 a.m.

If You Build It, They Will Come, And Then You Can Measure It -- Government Social Media, Beyond The Numbers

Numbers are ever so important, especially for government departments and agencies with pre-set, use-it-or-lose-it budgets.  But when it comes to measuring success or ROI in social media, there is definitely more to it than just the numbers – followers, impressions, click-thrus likes, etc. etc.  Don’t get me wrong, all of these are an absolute necessity for any communications department, especially since they are so easy to obtain and understand.  But social media is a collection of layered, nuanced spaces that demand smart content and engaging narratives.  For government departments, it isn’t always easy to envision their services as having online personas, brand attributes, post-5 pm voices!

Using Conservation Halton – A government environmental agency – as an example, this session will look at how to build an online community that delivers continuous, candid commentary that isn’t contrived or led by marketing gimmickry.  How to read your brand image from this engagement, and how to tweak your online persona, and your brand’s voice, so that it is a true reflection of your products and services as well as engaging and authentic.

You'll leave this session with new advice and ideas for:

• Measuring the basics – traditional ROI
• Measuring your engagement
• Thinking about your stakeholders as your customers
• Picking the right voice, sentiment, narrative
• Being professional, yet folksy

Hasaan Basit, Director of Communications
CONSERVATION HALTON

10:15 a.m.

Idea Exchange: Questions, Feedback, Collaboration

10:25 a.m.

Morning Refreshment & Networking Break

10:35 a.m.

Group Round Table Discussion: Connect And Collaborate With Your Peers -- Share Social Media Measurement Tool Experience

We’ve heard from a number of speakers, now we’d like to hear from you. Network and discuss with fellow training attendees and speakers which social media measurement tools you’re using and where you have found the most success.

11:05 a.m.

Measuring What Matters: How to Identity Clear Goals & Objectives, Test & Implement Over Your Campaign

When launching a social campaign, you likely ask yourself at least one of the following questions:  What kind of engagement am I looking for?  How do I measure my results? How do I determine success?

A successful campaign depends on clear goals and objectives, and aligning all social activity with those goals.  It’s easy to get sidetracked by too much data and become obsessed with vanity metrics.  What you need to do is focus on the results that matter, usually a combination of qualitative and quantitative data.

Last January, as the #IdleNoMore movement swept across the country, we launched a social campaign around Alanis Obomsawin’s documentary, The People of the Kattawapiskak River.  This particular film highlighted the housing crisis in Attawapiskat, one of the issues at the heart of the protests.  As Canada’s public producer and distributor, one of our mandates is to provide access to audio-visual works that give a uniquely Canadian perspective on social issues.  It was a perfect fit, and the results of our efforts translate into a great case study.

By taking a closer look at this campaign, I will demonstrate how to:

• Identify clear goals & objectives
• Determine which metrics matter
• Perform tests to ensure optimal conversion rates
• Carry these lessons over to your next campaign

Julie Matlin, Social Media Strategists
THE NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA

11:35 a.m.

Understanding Where Social Media Is Today
And Where It Is Heading?

The Ontario Ministry of Labour is one of the country’s leading government departments in the field of social media use. It is now in its fourth year of including social media in its communications planning and execution. The ministry has seen success over success using social media as a public service, and has been applauded internationally on its work.

The rising question at the ministry and other early adopters is “now what?” What does the future hold in the short, medium and long range? Is social media a passing fad or here to stay in government communications? Is social media a specific job title or a skill set now needed for all communicators? Are any of those people making predictions on the ball, or just speculating? Hear where the ministry’s Social Media Planner expects the Ministry of Labour will be going tomorrow and beyond in the realm of social media.

In this session, you will learn:

• Options for thinking about the future of social media in your organization, short, medium and longterm
  
• How to sustain internal staff interest in social media, and at what level
  
• The kinds of daily routines and standards to make on-going social media operations efficient and not burdensome

Bruce Skeaff, Social Media Planner
Ontario Ministry of Labour

12:05 p.m.

Your Opportunity To Ask Questions

12:15 p.m.
Lunch On Your Own -- But Not Alone!

Join a group of your colleagues for lunch with an informal discussion based on a social media hot topic. Take this opportunity to join others in a small, interactive group setting to network and brainstorm solutions to your most pressing social media measurement concerns.

1:45 p.m.

Group Round Table Discussion: Social Media in Gov Industry Xchange

Join this social media in government industry exchange to discuss solutions to your most pressing issues!

The group will identify several hot topics and you will join the break out group that interests you to brainstorm ideas and solutions.

2:15 p.m.

Engaging youth using the various technologies that are available can be a challenge.  However, measuring the ROI of these technologies can be an even bigger challenge.  In this case study, you will learn how Pathways to Education Canada has developed some innovative processes and models for utilizing technology and measuring the impact of Facebook/Twitter and other platforms.

Specifically, you'll learn how to:

• Utilize social media to increase staff efficiency
  
• Utilize text messaging to facilitate effective engagement with youth and volunteers
  
• Use Twitter to monitor opportunities for proactive engagement
  
• Identify models for measuring ROI of social media in an organization

Jason Shim, Digital Media Manager
PATHWAYS TO EDUCATION CANADA

2:45 p.m.

Your Opportunity To Ask Questions

2:50 p.m.

Data -- Not for Data's Sake: Demonstrating the Value of Social Media to Senior Leaders

Social Media offers government communicators a unique opportunity to engage with the American people and, for the first time, to truly measure contact and impact with individuals.  Unlike traditional media measurement, the government communicator no longer needs to exrapolate impressions (or overestimate them) or measure column inches.  Social media analytics let the public affairs practitioner know how many people, viewed, liked, shared, or commented on your content and, most importantly, creates a two-way dialogue with the audience – all in real time.

Through several real-life examples including Hurricane Sandy and the critically acclaimed Coast Guard Alaska and Florida television series, you'll learn:

• Why using social media to create brand ambassadors is better than measuring “likes”
  
• Strategies for your agencies comparative advantage to create authentic content
  
• How to demonstrate the value of your social media program to your leadership
  

Christopher Lagan, Chief of Social Media
United States Coast Guard Public Affairs

3:30 p.m.

Using A Mix Of Web Analytics And Traditional Market Research To Assess The Success Of Your Social Media Program

Measuring the success of your social media presence takes more than counting likes, followers and subcribers.  A sophisticated, well planned social media program will ladder up to high-level organizational goals – and it’s important to know how to measure success.

Through this corporate case study of a large, global organization, you'll learn strategies to help you measure your own programs, including:

• Stategic Reporting: Shows the value of your social media program at the executive level, including traditional marketing research metrics such as New Promoter Score, Favourable Opinion and other measures down the “purchase” funnel
• Tactical reporting – designed to show insights at a platform level, tactical reports use web and social analytics to trend metrics over time
• Content reporting: More frequent content reports show the effect of individual units of content upon release and allow for content optimization over time

Mark Goren, Vice President of Client Services
NEXALOGY ENVIRONICS

Mike Ellis, Social Media Manager
FORD CANADA

4:00 p.m.

Your Opportunity To Ask Questions

4:10 p.m.

Day One Wrap-Up

4:30 p.m.

End Of Day One

4:45 p.m.

Networking Reception: Please Join Us!

We invite you to join us for a drink as you relax with your peers. All training attendees and speakers are welcome to join us for this special opportunity to continue networking. Don't miss this chance to benchmark new ideas over complimentary drinks!

Sign up during the day for dinner with a group. Take advantage of Toronto’s fine dining while you continue to network with your colleagues.