When I started to write this paper I was sitting on a train on my way into London for a meeting. What struck me the most was the number of people who were not necessarily heads down with eyes on their laptops producing reports but rather people checking their various social media feeds, reading the news or just looking at the plethora of random stuff on the internet.

I’m Darrell Swanson of Delta Aviation Consultancy and have been a member of the BAG Board since 2012 and currently manage the group’s Digital Media efforts as part of the Communications Working Group.

I started down the road of managing the group’s social media channels back in 2010 when I convinced the Board that having a LinkedIn Discussion Group was a good thing (not an easy task) and thus the BAG LinkedIn Group, or BLING as we call it, was born.

I then thought it would be a good idea to get myself elected to the board so I could affect more change and improve the way the group communicated with its members and the wider aviation community. Thus we created the Chairman’s LinkedIn Profile (BLIP) along with the BAG LinkedIn Company Page (BLIC), TBAG (our Twitter feed @BritishAviation), and our yet un-acronymed YouTube channel (BAGYT, BYT, BYTE…?).

With the new and improved British Aviation Group website it was decided that we needed a wider Digital Media Strategy to address all our digital communication channels, which is what I have just finished starting. I will qualify the statement “just finished starting” in that I never expect to have a finished strategy as, like the digital media environment, it is always evolving. However, in good old fashion terms, I then set out our digital media mission and objectives which I have reproduced for you below (much to your dismay if you are still reading this I’m sure).

Mission

  • To support the objectives and activities of the British Aviation Group through the use of the chosen digital media channels by leveraging the collective knowledge of the group, its members and the UKTI.

Objectives

  • To support the stated objectives of the British Aviation Group.
  • To enhance the communications channels (Broadcast & Engage).
  • Increase awareness of the British Aviation Group, its activities and its member companies.

The strategies as you can guess are wide ranging and far too dull present here, but I am sure I will get many suggestions which will be most welcomed.

I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t know much about social media when I started and there is no way I will ever know all I need to know but I’ve got great support from the Board, our secretariat and members of the British Aviation Group (thanks to Paul D’Witt of The Team). As such, I hope that you will be patient with us and help us better understand you so we can provide the information you need.

Below I have set out a few ways members, non-members and the wider aviation community can take advantage of our digital media channels.

For Members

  • Update your BAG member’s profile on the website where you can promote your latest ‘win’ or add to your list of products and services. If you need help contact Rosie Sweeney.
  • Tell us what you are doing and we will promote it as appropriate across our digital media channels. We only know what we know.

For Non Members

For Everyone

  • Sign up to our fortnightly email updates – news, events and opportunities – just contact Bettina Rigg. bettina.rigg@britishaviationgroup.co.uk
  • Follow our Chairman Chris Chalk on LinkedIn
  • Follow our LinkedIn Company Page
  • Join our LinkedIn Discussion Group (Sorry the group does not currently admit professionals from the recruitment industry).
  • Follow us on Twitter @BritishAviation
  • Follow our YouTube Channel – We will let you know when we officially launch it but we are in the process of subscribing to our members’ channels.

Next Steps

As we begin to act on our Digital Media Strategy hopefully you will see a marked increase in the quality of content we are making available through our digital channels. We now have a programme of regular updates from The Board which will touch on each of The Board member’s activities and how we are serving our members. In due course we will most likely send around requests for you to complete a survey and your participation would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Darrell Swanson - Board Member - British Aviation Group

http://uk.linkedin.com/in/darrellswanson/

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