Solving the Content Puzzle

Posted on January 30, 2024 by brent

Although we like to make fun of them, rich content abounds with the random “National Days of ___________” (insert whatever object, food, name, etc.). Morning radio shows, minor league baseball teams, and your favorite blogger capitalize on them all the time.

And guess what? Social media programs do too. At WSU, we have teamed up with our video team to create fun content for “holidays” such as National Area Code Day, National Twin Day, and National Hug & High Five Day.

These videos always hit the mark when it comes to creativity and timeliness but usually they are a one-and-done. We post them on the day they are observed and that is it. While that is all well and good, we wanted to take our efforts to the next level with our latest video.

Rhynne, one of our video interns, is just as good in front of the camera as she is in back of it. She lent us her acting chops and helped elevate our #NationalPuzzleDay video by starring in it.

Our social team selected National Puzzle Day as something fun to commemorate. We thought filming a timelapse of students putting together a puzzle could be cool. We were set to go that route when our video director suggested something a little more involved.

For National Puzzle Day, we decided to think outside of the box (pun intended – joke credited to Jason 😂)

Jason Refsland, who has served in his position at WSU since August 2023, suggested the idea of shooting a video where students put together a puzzle only to find out they are missing a piece. Upon that unfortunate realization, the students frantically look for the misplaced shape on a search that extends across campus. After turning up empty and with the students in despair, the video ends by challenging the viewer to use social media to find the missing piece.

Josh, a computer science sophomore, made this shot with his expression of despair. You must watch the video to get the full effect…the drone work is amazing!

How could we say “no” to such a brilliant idea? We cast the students and filmed the video. It turned out incredible and you can watch it right here. With the video team coming through in such a clutch way, it was time for our social media unit to complete the second half of the activation.

The look you get when you realize you are missing a single piece to the puzzle. This is Jayden, a pre-law freshman who played his role perfectly.

We posted our #NationalPuzzleDay video on Jan. 26, three days before the actual date of Jan. 29. Our plan was to reveal a clue of the missing piece’s whereabouts each day leading up to #NationalPuzzleDay.

The video ended with two still screens. The first one asked the audience to help find the missing puzzle piece (pictured). The second screen told the audience to view the caption for full contest directions.

Although the video was posted across our WSU Pullman social media channels, we made clue distribution exclusive to Instagram Story. Between 10 – 11 a.m. on Jan. 27, Jan. 28, and Jan. 29, students could go to our Instagram Story and type “clue” in the engagement box we had placed on the single IGS slide. Upon entering the magic word, we responded via DM with that day’s clue. Our goal with this method was to get a solid gauge of who was truly engaged with the contest.

In order to get a clue, students had to actually request it via Instagram Story.

On Jan. 27 the clue was the letter “I,” on Jan. 28 it was the letter “T,” and on Jan. 29 it was the letter “B.” Upon receiving the third clue, we encouraged our puzzle enthusiasts to put the letters from the previous days together to form the initials of a building on campus—ITB. The students took it from there.

This was how the first clue was presented to those who requested it.

We had eight students solve the riddle and triumphantly walk through the doors of the Information Technology Building. Upon entering the facility, they saw the puzzle placed on top of the table just like in the video. To the left of the puzzle was a small box with the missing piece inside. Each successful student had the opportunity to place the final piece into the puzzle and enjoy their moment of glory. The first four victorious students received swag bags while the final four received their choice of a single prize item.

Winning students actually had the opportunity to complete the puzzle by placing the missing piece.

What is the lesson in this? Well, I think there are multiple. First, go “extra” every now and then. Often “National Day” content can be low hanging fruit but there are opportunities to go above and beyond. Second, extend the shelf life and engagement of your video content by working in a social media promotion to go with it. Finally, and most importantly, listen to the ideas of everyone on your team…especially those video people 😉. Don’t Blink.

The X-Pulsion of Twitter

Posted on July 25, 2023 by brent

To be honest, I was a little angry.

Over the course of nine months, I observed an ego maniac cripple a social media giant with bad decision after bad decision. I watched this guy treat his employees like garbage, strive to create deliberate division, and chase whatever impulse he felt entitled to even if it was to the detriment of his company. I cheered when this toxic “leader” supposedly removed himself from day-to-day operations of Twitter by announcing a new CEO.

So after all the turmoil and damage that Elon Musk caused, I was happy when Twitter seemingly scored a big win. This past weekend, engagement numbers for the new social media platform that was supposed to send Twitter to its grave were released…and they weren’t good.

Forbes reported that the daily active user count for Threads plummeted from 44 million on July 7 to 13 million this past weekend. Even worse, the average daily time spent on the app tanked from 19 minutes in early July to four minutes as of July 21. Compare that to Twitter’s 200 million active users and average daily time spent on app of 30 minutes and you would think that new bird boss Linda Yaccarino and her crew would be toasting champagne. After so many months of crummy developments, Twitter notched a victory by standing strong against its latest (and what was supposed to be its “greatest”) direct competitor.

Leave it to Elon to sabotage the positive momentum.

I wasn’t impressed by Elon Musk’s name/logo change (graphic courtesy of The Mirror).

Twitter Deserved Better

I am disappointed in the rushed and Mickey Mouse-esque way in which Twitter was “re-branded” to X. Even as a digital marketing professional who knows the greatest constant of social media is change, what happened in this case was an impulsive shit show. A platform that has meant so much to millions of users over the span of 17 years deserved better than to be ousted overnight and replaced by a single letter with a logo that looked like it was created on Kids Pix.

Sorry to sound cranky, but I am also irked from a professional standpoint. The haphazard “re-brand” means our WSU team needs to swap out countless Twitter depictions found in areas such as our website, residence hall posters, online social media directories, and even my analytics reporting spreadsheets. But even more frustrating than swapping a bird for an X is that I have been answering for Elon to my WSU colleagues for nine months now. I have given him way too much leeway while advising my fellow Cougs to stay the course. But when is enough truly enough?

X Isn’t Going Anywhere

Well, enough is still not enough…at least not for now. Despite Musk’s latest and most extreme stunt, the sun still rose for the platform now known as X. On Monday morning, my favorites like CNN, Darren Rovell and the Seattle Mariners were all still twe—I mean Xing? Despite the hideous new logo, the app is still essentially the same microblogging platform it was before Sunday. We shook our fists at Elon and mocked the rollout but it was still business as usual in terms of content deployment on the platform formerly known as Twitter.

So, yes, once again I advise not to pause/delete your X presence. The vast majority of accounts will continue to exist and engage on the platform and the stakes may be too high not to participate. If Twi—sorry, X—has proven one thing over the past nine months it’s that it is stronger and more resilient than a man who seems hellbent on destroying it.

Elon’s Motives Aren’t Mine

Perhaps I shouldn’t be so appalled at Elon Musk’s quest to dismantle what we knew as Twitter. After all, it is his company and his priorities aren’t mine. I look at the changes happening through the lens of a social media strategist who wants to preserve X as the social media powerhouse it once was. That’s not Elon’s vision. He wants to make X an enterprise that people depend on for fulfilling the most pressing tasks of life. With a goal like that, I guess I can see why posting updates about what you ate for breakfast might not be his primary concern.

But based on Musk’s decision making, maybe I am giving him too much credit. Although I can see why he would buy a platform with millions of users to springboard his lofty goals, I don’t think the way he treats people nor the prideful esteem he holds himself in will translate to the glory he is seeking.

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So let the X era begin. I hate being held mercy at the hands of a whiny billionaire but as I have said time and time again, we must adapt to the constantly changing ecosystem of social media. Don’t Blink.

Hanging By Threads

Posted on July 7, 2023 by brent

When this month started, I was focused on becoming proficient with Google Analytics 4. But just as I was starting to get a grasp of GA4, another new platform dropped that didn’t give us nearly the warning that we received for the latest version of Google Analytics.

Meta recently released Threads in a sophisticated rollout. I advocate gaining a grasp of the platform before formulating a strategy for brand accounts.

Hello, Threads.

To be fair, most of us in the digital marketing world knew Threads was about to hit, we just weren’t given the nearly three-year notice that Google provided users about its transition from a hit-based web analytics tool to an event-based one. Instead, Meta announced on the Fourth of July that Threads, an extension of Instagram but a standalone app, would launch on Thursday, July 6. Then, in a true power play of “under promise and over deliver” mixed with “catch all social media managers off guard” the app launched a day early.

And here we are two days later. The social world is still in a frenzy over the release of Threads, an app that resembles Twitter in a purer, yet clunkier, form. I have read reviews that run the gamut but I have noticed an overall sentiment that leans more positive of Meta’s big release. To be honest, I categorize most of these reactions as nothing more than hot takes. With it being less than 48 hours after the launch, I don’t take much stock in these initial opinions.

With that said, whatever the final verdict on Threads will be, most of us who work in social media knew Meta would release a capable and competitive product. Over the past 10 years, anything released under the Instagram umbrella to counter other social media platforms has thrived. As I have chronicled over the years, Instagram doomed Vine with the introduction of video, challenged Snapchat with its own ephemeral content (Stories), and put TikTok on its heels with Reels. Now it is going after Twitter. Needless to say, Instagram is a powerhouse social media channel that is ever-evolving and cutthroat.

The Storylines

So what will happen to Twitter? Well, if recent history tells us anything, I still think the app is here to stay. If Elon couldn’t destroy Twitter over the past nine months with his erratic management, I don’t think Instagram’s major move will either. With the exception of Vine, both Snapchat and TikTok survived challenges from IG. Although they didn’t come out unscathed, it wasn’t the kiss of death and I feel the same will hold true for Twitter. The bird app is simply too established to fall victim to the Instagram sword.

Meta slaying Twitter isn’t the only Threads-related narrative I reject. Although very slick in its rollout, I don’t believe the seamless Threads sign up process for Instagram users is a guaranteed slam dunk for success. Just because you download an app doesn’t mean you will consistently use it. I have a whole page of apps on my iPhone that I have only used once. Sure, the millions of initial downloads are impressive but will people continue to open the app? If not, those mind blowing numbers are as meaningless as a social media account with a seven-figure following but little-to-no engagement.

Using Threads

But let’s get away from speculation and address utilization. How do we plan to use Threads at WSU? Our social team will take an approach where we learn first and strategize second. We joined Threads and published some introductory posts but now is the time to observe and learn. Before jumping in headfirst, we want to figure out how we can measure success, give Meta an opportunity to work out some bugs, and establish a content strategy.

Some social media experts suggest throwing spaghetti at the wall with your brand accounts during these early days of Threads. However, isn’t that what our personal Threads accounts are for? Over the past couple days I have posted a mix of content on my own Threads account (@BrentReser) from top performing blog posts, favorite TikTok videos, and family photos. Instead of making our WSU accounts the guinea pig, I will gladly reserve that designation for my own account.

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I feel Threads is an app with lots of potential. Given the track record that Instagram has with new rollouts, it is easy to believe that the sky is the limit for Adam Mosseri’s answer to Twitter. However, I don’t think it will be a cake walk. I am curious to see if the millions of people who are now “Threaders” will actually thread 😊 Let’s stay tuned. Don’t Blink.