Incorporating and Integrating Social Media Tools -- Bringing Order to Your Digital World.

Social media continues to emerge as an increasingly popular and powerful form of communication. A primary benefit of using these tools for information dissemination is the near real-time speed at which the information can be shared. While these tools can improve the communication process between the experts and end-users, they can also stymie the process if authors do not grasp some of the basic concepts of the varying social media outlets. To produce timely updates and reach as large an audience as possible, content developers must learn to utilize the most appropriate social media tools for the content type being developed and must learn to automate the integration the various social media types. For instance, blogs are generally more appropriate for longer and more detailed content whereas Twitter and Facebook are often used to post shorter blurbs and/or links. Other important considerations include the integration of the various resources through automation, the use of dynamic content through video and photo sharing websites, and the utilization of these resources to develop interactive digital programs. Finally, identifying and interpreting the impact of your social media programs through various online metrics will help guide and maximize future efforts. This interactive symposium will attempt to address the potential of social media in the field of agriculture and present current real-world examples of its use.