Digital 101:

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Digital 101 Social/Digital Media Beginners
Tutorial Workshop 502
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Workshop Objectives

• Understand how your online presence is your
  Regions public face to your community
• Learn basics of how customer-friendly websites
  social media can help you engage families in
  meaningful ways
• Boost your Regions searchability to help
  parents discover your Region online
• Learn what Facebook Twitter can do for your
  Region and how to set them up

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Your Digital Presence

• Your Regions Website
• Shutterfly Team Sites
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Other Social Sites

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Soccer.org

• If your Region website still has links to
  Soccer.org, its time to fix them! Soccer.org no
  longer redirects to the national AYSO website.
• Correct URL www.AYSO.org

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Are You Happy with Your Regions Website?

• If you arent why?

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Like or Dislike?
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• Uses 6 different font colors
• Hard to navigate
• Where is the About or Contact Us?
• No focal point
• Too much clutter!

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Like or Dislike?
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Your Region Website Create a Friendly Homepage

• Make city and Region prominent
• Use AYSO branding and logos
• Make the homepage easy-to-navigate.
• Emphasize dates and calendars
• Incorporate social media and National Office
  links
• Have a focal point
• Cut down on clutter (varying font sizes, too many
  photos, etc.)

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Region Website Must-HavesMake Your Region Look
Reliable

• Info on registration events
• Your refund policy
• Call-by date for coaches and parents
• FAQs
• Contact information
• AYSO Official News Feed
• News that makes it obvious that your website is
  up to date/being attended to

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If You Arent Happy With Your WebsiteYou can
fix it!

• Make a plan to address its shortcomings
• Start Fresh or Overhaul what you have?
• Content Old, New, Timeliness?
• Resources (Region Volunteers) to help you

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Be Searchable
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Be Searchable

• Parents are searching for youth sports
  organizations, but NOT for your Region number and
  maybe even not for AYSO!

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What are Parents Looking For?

• YES
• Youth soccer in Los Angeles
• Soccer Sign-ups LA
• Fall soccer California
• AYSO Los Angeles
• AYSO Fall soccer
• Soccer for kids
• Soccer summer camp

• NO
• AYSO Region 22
• U-6 girls soccer
• AYSO EXTRA
• UK International Soccer Camps
• Jamboree Soccer
• USYCA

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Be Searchable

• Important to include the city name(s) in the
  header.
• Include AYSO in website headers/titles
• Powerful keywords to emphasize youth soccer,
  soccer registration, youth soccer sign-up, youth
  soccer in (city name here)
• Straightforward navigation no rabbit holes
• Get linked to Links to your site from sponsors,
  press, social media all help you be searchable
• Update regularly

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Photo Fun

• Pick great action and posed shots
• Create slideshow or photo gallery
• Dont post full names of minors
• Use photo captions! U-8 player scores at AYSO
  Spring Tournament
• Professional quality photos available at
  AYSO.org/MarketingToolkit

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Keep Em Coming Back

• Your Region website should be the go-to
  destination for all parent and volunteer needs
  during the season.
• Keep it up to date and you will be very
  searchable!
• Other things to consider
• Game/volunteer schedules
• Field status Open or Closed
• Directions to the fields

Remember, stay safe! Dont do (or encourage)
private transactions (registration, banking,
etc.) on unsecured wireless networks.
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Good Website Good Customer Service

• Parents with answers are happy parents
• Think of your own web experience
• The easier the better
• Less work for you
• Theres not always an easy answer

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AYSO Website Providers

• Providers who have templates specifically for
  youth sports teams/leagues
• Blue Sombrero
• Active Youth Network
• Platforms that feature no or low cost,
  easy-to-build, easy-to update features
• Google Sites
• Wordpress
• Other Blogging Platforms
• Wix
• Choose one that you or other volunteers find easy
  to use the rest will follow.

Need help? Email webmaster_at_ayso.org
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• Shutterfly-AYSO Team Sites are free for your
  entire Region - and easy to use!
• Automatic for Regions that build their rosters in
  eAYSO
• Allow coaches to spend less time on
  administrative work they can contact all of
  their teams parents with the click of a button.
• Easy communication and memory-sharing for all of
  your Regions teams helps with parent and coach
  retention.
• Team Sites are Safe Haven approved and secure.
• Questions contact KristinK_at_ayso.org

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• Coach updates posted and sent via email with one
  click.
• Auto-populates parent contact information.
• Parents can upload photos, questions, etc.

Shutterfly questions? Contact KristinK_at_ayso.org
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Facebook is Your Friend

• Is your Region on Facebook?

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Facebook is Your Friend

• Facebook is the most visited site in the world
  even over Google and Yahoo
• 1 BILLION users worldwide sharing 2.5 BILLION
  pieces of content per day
• A Facebook Page is a public profile created by
  businesses, organizations, celebrities and anyone
  seeking to promote themselves publicly through
  social media.
• Facebook pages have "fans" instead of "friends."
• These pages are publicly visible online and often
  post status updates, links, events, photos and
  videos to their fans' news feeds and walls.
• Facebook pages provide a way for businesses and
  other organizations to interact with customers
  and potential customers.
• Mini-website a hub for information

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Facebook is Your Friend

• Women outnumber men on Facebook, the greatest
  disparity coming in ages 26 44, AYSOs sweet
  spot for the age of mothers who sign their kids
  up for soccer.
• Its an easy (and free!) way to publicize your
  Region, become more searchable and connect with
  your community.
• Mobile penetration is always increasing
  notification preferences means this can be an
  instant way to share new content with your
  families
• Easy for you to post news, answer questions
  interact with families
• They have to be looking for your Region website
  not the case with Facebook another way new
  families can find out about you.

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Facebook is Your Friend

• Set up your account as a Business Page, not a
  personal profile, community page or group page
• Be responsive
• Post consistently
• Make your settings work for you
• Pick a simple, clean URL
• Set the ground rules
• hashtagit
• Use AYSO Facebook tools (Visit AYSO.org/MarketingT
  oolkit -gt Social Media Tools click on Facebook
  icon)
• http//www.ayso.org/For_Volunteers/resources/marke
  ting_toolkit/socialmedia_tools.htminfo

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How To Set Up Your Regions Facebook Page
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Step 1 Choose a Classification Name

• Navigate to facebook.com/pages/create.php
• Choose a classification
• Local Business or Place
• Company, Organization, or Institution
• Brand or Product
• Artist, Band, or Public Figure
• Entertainment
• Cause or Community
• Youll be asked to Name Your Page
• Location, AYSO, Region are all good to include
  i.e.Facebook.com/CrotonAYSO455

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Step 2 Fill In Your Basic Information

• Facebook will automatically walk you through four
  basic sections to complete the fundamental
  aspects of your Page.
• "About" Section
• The main 2-3 sentence description for your Region
  Page.
• Will appear on your main page, so make it
  descriptive but succinct.
• Be sure to include a link to your website
• This is also where you can select your unique
  domain URL, for example facebook.com/CrotonAYSO45
  5. 
• Upload Profile Picture
• The main visual icon of your page, appearing in
  search results and alongside any comments you
  publish. Any perfectly square image will work -
  recommended size is 180 x 180 pixels.
• Add to Favorites
• Every individual Facebook user has a vertical
  navigation bar to the left of their News Feed.
  You can add your Business Page as a "Favorite"
  item here -- similar to bookmarking a web page
• Reach More People
• Facebook will prompt you to create an
  advertisement to draw attention to your Page. NOT
  recommended until you build a stream of content
  and gain some organic followers/fans

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Step 3 Understand the Admin Panel

• The shell of your Business Page is now live.
  Facebook will ask if you'd like to "Like" your
  Page. You may want to save this for later when
  there is content on the Page.
• In the top navigation go to "Settings to set up
  four core settings to start
• Page Info This is where you can add
  additional details about your Region. This
  section will also unveil different fields based
  on the classification from Step 1.
• Notifications This section allows you to
  customize when and how you'd like to receive
  Page alerts. Set a frequency that fits your
  social media marketing schedule.
• Page Roles Whether or not you'll be the main
  manager of the Page, and granting others at your
  Region access to your Facebook Page. Here, you
  can invite other colleagues to make changes to
  your Pages
• Posting content for coaches, parents, referees,
  etc.
• Photo editor/master
• Publicity PR
• Registrar
• your discretion!
• User interactions/Page filters

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Facebook is Your Friend
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Step 4Publish Content!

• Basic content needed to get your Page going
• Posts Your page will populate as you publish
  more updates. Posting options
• Plain text status
• Photo with caption
• Link with caption
• Video with caption
• Event page
• Location check-in
• When posting on your page, be sure to use a
  variety of content.
• Pictures help every post
• What images would your audience like to see?
• Pin to Top You can also click the little grey
  arrow in the top-right corner of each post to
  move one of your posts to the top of your Page's
  Timeline for 7 days.  Good for major events,
  announcements.
• Cover Photo
• This is the large, horizontal image that spans
  the top of your Facebook Page. Typically, this is
  a branded image to help attract people to your
  Page. The official photo dimensions are 851 x 315
  pixels.
• Inviting users to Like your page
• Invite fellow volunteers, colleagues to Like your
  page and its content to build some initial
  activity.
• Second, invite parents and other community
  supporters in your network. Encourage them to
  engage.
• Third, promote your Page everywhere you promote
  AYSO email signatures, posters, flyers,
  mailings, signs, etc.
• See how youre doing

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Facebook is Your Friend
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Facebook is Your Friend
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Twitter is Handy, too

• Is your Region on Twitter?

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What is Twitter

• 560 million users and over 49 billion tweets
  every day
• Twitter is a free social networking
  microblogging service that allows registered
  members to broadcast short posts called tweets.
  Twitter members can broadcast tweets and follow
  other users' tweets by using multiple platforms
  and devices.
• A quick (140 characters or less!) way to connect
  with families, volunteers and the community
• Perfect for sharing links, sponsor promos,
  updates
• Rain outs, schedule changes, approaching
  deadlines, etc.
• Less maintenance only what you post will show
  up on your feed

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Twitter is Handy for Regions too

• Hashtag it - AYSO
• Pick an appropriate Twitter handle (name)
• Make tweets timely rain outs, game schedules,
  registration announcements
• Send them to your homepage, or Facebook Page, or
  eayso registration page, etc for more info
• Connect with local business and/or sponsors
• (pizza parlor, sports store, etc.)

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How To Set Up A Twitter Page
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Step 1Set up A Twitter Account

• Go to twitter.com and sign up. Full name (Yours
  not the Region yet), email address
• You can set up access for others later
• Youll then be taken to a screen to fill out the
  rest of your Region Page account details. This
  includes choosing your username, or Twitter
  handle.
• Generally, the best practice is to use the
  shortest form of the name of your business or
  brand.
• Your entire username goes in when someone tweets
  to or references you, so you dont want the
  handle to take up too much space.
• Simple enough that people will remember it, so
  avoid extra strings of numbers or letters.
• Twitter will send you an email to the address you
  provided, and that email will include a link that
  verifies your account.

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Step 2Set up a Twitter Account

• From the screen where you created your
  accountTwitter will walk you through your
  profile
• Pick 5 relevant people to follow
• Follow AYSO National Twitter!
• Twitter will make recommendations
• Consider Team USA, MLS or star soccer player

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Step 3. Create Your Profile

• Click the Edit profile button on the right side
  of your screen, just below the header section.
• The profile photo should be something thats
  clear and distinguishable even as a tiny icon.
• It doesnt hurt to upload a larger image,
  though Twitter will shrink it down as needed.
  The header photo has more room for expression, so
  pick something visually striking.
• Update/provide the basic information that appears
  in your bio, which appears on the left side of
  the screen below your profile photo. You can
  update the full name that you initially provided
  when creating the account, plus your location,
  website, and 140-character bio.
• Make it clean and accessible. If you want to
  update the color scheme of your entire profile,
  theres also a button for Theme color that you
  can use to give more visual continuity to your
  account, tie in to your Region colors etc.

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Step 4 Make Your First Tweet!

• Remember, each tweet can only be 140 characters
  long tops, so youll have to be smart with your
  words.
• Read other tweets for lingo/style
• Gets easier with practice
• Aim to be concise without getting too casual -
  try to avoid texting shorthand
• Twitter will offer sample first posts that you
  can start with, complete with a myfirstTweet
  hashtag.
• Visit AYSO to see if there are in-the-moment or
  Regionally-relevant hashtags you can leverage.
• Youre probably better off composing your own
  first tweet in the text field below the samples.
• Hit the Tweet button and youre off and running
  with Twitter!

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Stay Social

• Once your Region is active on social media
• Create a posting schedule and post consistently
• Respond to posted questions/concerns within 24-48
  hrs.
• Tailor FB settings to ensure curse words, spam,
  or other unwanted posts dont appear
• Refer to Safe Havens social media policy
• Sync your Twitter, Facebook and Website for quick
  easy posting
• Email socialmedia_at_ayso.org for help or
  suggestions

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Dont Keep it a Secret! Keep Building Your
Audience

• Dont keep it a secret! Promote your New Digital
  Outposts - You can use
• Registration events
• Region business cards
• Region website
• Region newsletter
• Email blast to parents/families
• Share Your Page function on Facebook
• QR codes on posters, flyers and more
• AYSO email signatures
• And more!

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Password/Admin Etiquette

• Dont let one person hold your password hostage.
• On Facebook, always keep at least three admins,
  and a couple others with different access rights.
• Give your Board Members guidelines for social
  media usage.
• After turnover all passwords should be changed.
  
• Think of eAYSO Access Rights. Off the Board? No
  more access!

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What is a Hashtag?

• Social medias way of cataloguing everything its
  users are talking about
• Makes users a part of the larger conversation
• Helps businesses monitor what customers are
  saying about them
• Helps business connect with users in fun, new
  ways

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What is a Hashtag?
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Stay Social

• Remember, your social media efforts will
• Make your life easier (info taken rather than
  asked for)
• help your Regions searchability efforts
  which will improve your registration numbers!

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For more social media/website infoContact
SocialMedia_at_ayso.org