This year at PR Day I had the opportunity to hear thoughts on social media from the first astronaut to “check-in” on Four Square from space. Astronaut Douglas Wheelock (@Astro_Wheels), gave us his thoughts on learning to tweet and how he hopes to bring those of us on earth along for the adventure.
From his viewpoint, which is sometimes from the space station, NASA has the opportunity to use social media to give us a first-hand view. This last year, NASA tweeted a view of Sochi from space, giving an entirely new view of the winter olympics.
Social media also makes NASA accessible to the public. We can tweet to astronauts in space, ask them questions and learn together on this journey. Recently, one of NASA’s astronauts used Google+ to quilt from space with other participants on earth. The quilt will be sewn together and sold at a quilt festival here in Houston. Another astronaut leads workouts from space to connect with a different audience.
Social media drives support. NASA is in dire need of public support to keep their program running. The use of social media can help show us all of the possibilities for the future and the importance of space exploration.
Social media inspires. This really hits home from me, because I can think of no better word to describe hearing Doug Wheelock speak other than “inspirational.” NASA is sharing photos of Mars, the Northern lights, the moon and other solar systems. It’s really amazing how much we are able to see. NASA is inspiring us to look far beyond our front door and continue to crave discovery. Wheelock says, “Live your life with so much passion that people can’t take their eyes off you.” NASA is doing just that by showcasing their most passionate stakeholders.
Here are some tips from NASA on social media use:
1. Be relevant.
A good example of this is the photo of Sochi during the olympics that I mentioned before. Another example is the use of NASA photos during weather alerts. Have you ever seen a hurricane from space? It’s incredible and equally terrifying.
2. Engage your audience.
NASA shares a large variety of content. A photo of One Direction visiting the headquarters engages a different audience than photos of space, however NASA shares both seamlessly. NASA also uses Astronaut Campaigns to reach different sectors of people. This sometimes even lands them in the news for “Best Selfie of the Year” or “First Tweet from Space.”
3. Create brand ambassadors.
Word of mouth is huge. It can gain you a larger audience and a positive reputation. NASA wants YOU to share their stories. Their ambassadors are so passionate, they even tweeted for NASA during the government shutdown with the hashtag #ThingsNASAMightTweet. This got mentions from major news outlets and NASA employees weren’t even at work.
4. Hangout.
NASA hosts many Google+ Hangouts from space, creating very sharable content. This helps the public feel more involved with the work NASA is doing. They also engage in Reddit AMAs (Ask Me Anything) so that the public can interview them and ask things such as, “What is the food like in space?”
5. Sustain success.
Images and video last longer than text. As brands catch on to this, we see more and more of this type on content in our news feeds. NASA is strategic in creating great content for their followers. This type of content leads to conversation, participation and feedback.
So after this social media lesson, what is Wheelock’s goal for us?
To no longer see the moon as two dimensional. He longs to bring depth to us and share the beauty of what is outside our atmosphere.
PR Profesh 