UCC shortlisted for Eircom Spider Award

19 Nov 2013

UCC has been shortlisted for an Eircom Spider Award under the category ‘Social Media Interaction’. The annual awards reward Irish businesses and community organisations for their creativity and innovation online.

They will be hosted by comedian Neil Delamere this year on 28 November 2013 at the Convention Centre, Dublin. UCC is in good company in its category, with AIB, Samsung Ireland, Electric Ireland, IDA Ireland, Funky Christmas Jumpers and Lucozade also in the running.

Tom McCarthy, Media and Public Relations Officer at UCC, commented: “We are delighted to be shortlisted in what has been a real team effort by a large team right across UCC. For a third-level institution in a globally competitive market, we see being proactive on social media as non-negotiable. In some respects, it allows us to punch above our weight nationally and internationally. UCC’s strong presence across multiple social media platforms has revolutionised the way it communicates, bolstered by a robust social media policy and guided by our Digital Estate Working Group. An edgy and fun presence helps nurture positive engagement online and is a world away from the ‘Ivory Tower’ stereotype sometimes associated with the third-level sector.”

UCC’s entry was based around its six main social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Storify and Tripadvisor (where it is currently ranked number 5 out of 76 attractions in Cork), along with more than 60+ supporting accounts from all over the university and its Digital Estate online guiding policies. Over the last year, UCC’s Twitter following has ballooned from c.6500 followers to nearly 15,000 today. Similar, its Facebook audience has grown from c.6500 in the same period to nearly 17,500.

UCC has enjoyed further success in this area over the last year, with a finalist result at the Social Media Awards 2013 for ‘Best use of social media by a state body’ and also making it to the finals of the Irish Web Awards 2013 recently under the banner of ‘Best education and third level website’.

The eircom Spider awards are considered an important benchmark for distinction and excellence in web-based business strategies. There are 25 categories overall, which will be announced on 28 November. Further details available here: http://eircomspiders.ie/categories.php