Facebook: Has Clark University Used the Groundswell?

Li and Bernoff relate that longstanding businesses that were used to a successful marketing model prior to web 2.0 often have the most trouble transitioning into marketing themselves in a groundswell effective manner. So how does our University stand on the social media curve?
I will examine their Facebook page specifically, and focusing mainly on the images, conduct an analysis an potential plan for improvement.

Facebook
Clark University has a Facebook page that 3,848 people "like." It produces interesting content, including pictures of special student activities, or recent events. In particular I was impressed they had significant photos, especially of the recent snowstorm. This, and personable status updates in the tone of Clark as a "personified individual" seem to be an effective strategy to create responses from critics as several people responded, recollecting their pleasant Clark winter memories.

Clark University:

Buried in snow!

February 3 at 3:39pm

My only criticism of this approach was while the photo's were decent, none of them particularly impressed me. Granted, as a digital photographer I have perhaps a more discerning eye then most, but I feel considering the very talented student body (I personally know MANY phenomenal photographers at Clark), it would be very easy to have better photos. All I can really say to the Clark Facebook page is take a hint from Linux and other open source business models and DELEGATE EVERYTHING YOU CAN, and USE WHAT IS ALREADY THERE.

This would be especially easy considering their is so much related content about Clark already on Facebook! From student's taking photo's of themselves and their friends lounging on the green, to photos students have taken on campus for artistic purposes, their is plenty of content already out there! For example, ten seconds of browsing found me this photo a friend of mine had taken in the fall.

Photo: Brendan Golubjatnikov

Clark University might even pay for a photo like this to be taken by an outside source. However, all the resources for good photos are right in front of them, they just need to know how to harness the power of the creators in their own community for promotion!

Current Clark University "Profile Pictures"

Clark Profile Pictures: Only 5 unique shots, all relatively underwhelming.
The J.C. shot has potential, but the low quality of the upload is unacceptable in
this day and age where cellphones have 10 mega pixel cameras.

A few Photo's taken by another Student friend of mine, all from Facebook



Photos: Rick Segal

Specifically note the content of the last picture, Geography publications. Clark continually markets itself on its reputation for Geography. A quick glance it it's wikipedia page makes this especially apparent. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_University) A photo such as this could be used effectively by Clark. As it stands, content produced by the student body far exceeds the quality of content produced by Clark's social media team. This holds true even for photos on the main website. Furthermore, it would be a great way for Clark to support their students, display their talents, and would look very cool to prospective students.

This example is not limited to photography, and seems to hold true for Clark's social media presence across the board. It is great that the people behind Clark's new media marketing program have taken the first step by clearly realizing the importance of an effective social media presence, but their content is still lags behind where it COULD be, and is mostly un viewed. However, Clark University student content is remarkable, across Youtube, the blogosphere, Flickr, and of course Facebook.

As Li and Bernoff state, taking advantage of this "user generated content" only encourage creators to create more, as is an incentive for such users to have their work shown on a greater level and receive comments from the "critics" and responses from the "conversationalists." Clark University needs not only to listen to the web 2.0 groundswell on the whole, but first it needs to learn how to appreciate and utilize the growing groundswell within its own community. As digital photography is a hobby of mine I use this example, but the formula holds true in all areas. Clark is clearly working hard to improve their web presence, and they have made great strides even in the past year, but their is still much room for improvement.