Social Media for Newspapers

Joy Mayer's guide to effective use of social media by newspapers

Transcript

1. Texas Tweets, Posts ‘n’ Pix A social media strategy how-to guide for community newspapers
2. I have yet to work with journalists who I didn’t think could find good use with Facebook. But plenty of news brands have audiences that just aren’t on Twitter, Reddit, Pinterest, Snapchat or Tumblr. Before journalists (or really, anyone who uses social platforms to get a job done) jump onto new social platforms, they need to determine whether it’s worth their investment. Start with these questions. • Is your audience there? You know, the people who follow you in general, or will be interested in the project you’re considering sharing there. Are they already there? • Is your potential audience there? Think about audience growth. Who are the people you don't currently reach but would love to reach? Are they there? Four questions Is a social media platform right for you?
3. • What do people DO there, and do you fit in? Have you spent time studying the platform? Do you understand what the customs are, what the utility is and how people behave? Do you have content to offer that is genuinely consistent with all that? • Do you know what you want to accomplish, and how will you measure success? What do you hope will happen for you with this new adventure, and are you prepared to build in time for assessment? Each new platform takes time, and it’s better to do some things really well than to spread yourself too thin. What if you discover your audience really isn’t there? Or that what you thought you would do isn’t resonating or finding an audience? Whether you’re working for clicks, shares, crowdsourcing, community building, story ideas or something else, know how you’ll decide if the return on investment is worth it.
4. Checklist: How to edit for social media • Do a typical copy edit … spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. • Double check every fact against source material or story … proper name, number, gender pronouns, etc. • Check the tone to see if it is a good fit for the story or topic. Also check the context. Is it accurate in spirit, not just fact? • Check the voice and content of the post to make sure they fit the platform they’re headed to.
5. • Ask what the post is designed to accomplish, and if the writing and frame are as compelling as possible. Does the post give users a reason to click? If there are questions posed, will those questions elicit interesting answers? Are you asking a question people are dying to answer? • Are you using appropriate tags and handles? Are there people/groups you could tag who might especially want to read/share? Would it be a good idea to give credit to anyone for having shared something first, written something, etc.? • Are there images in the post? If so, are they the right ones? If not, is there a photo, graphic, screen grab or quote that would add impact?
6. • Check links in the post if applicable. Make sure links send users to the right story. And make sure they’re publicly available links, not internal admin links. • Double check the time the post is scheduled for. Does it match what’s intended (and what’s logged on your organization’s planning doc, if you use one)? Will the post still read correctly at the time it goes live (that time references like today or yesterday are still accurate, that we’re not being too specific predicting tomorrow’s weather, etc.)? • Check that you’re on the right account, and not sending a tweet to Facebook (if you use a tool that covers both), a sports tweet to the news account or newsroom posts to your own accounts.
7. 8 questions about your Facebook and Twitter use 1. What do you share now that your audience reliably responds to? What do they like? Share? Read? What do they value in you on each platform? 2. What do you share now that your audience ignores or doesn’t see? How can you change your strategy there or stop doing those posts? 3. Are you talking on social media in a way that blends in with the other people and pages your community members are following? Are you using the platforms in a way that is consistent with how people use the personally? 4. Are you using social media to help people understand you as a journalist, as a newsroom and as a brand? Are you sharing your process and inviting readers behind the scenes?
8. 5. Do you highlight what is most interesting in each story, not just what is most important? 6. When deciding what to share, are you considering what your community is talking about and wants to know, not just what your newsroom is up to today? 7. Are you inviting community conversation? Are you a force for good civic dialogue? Are you asking questions people want to answer and considering conversation a part of your journalistic process and product? 8. Are you listening to your community? Do you watch for comments on your own posts and respond more often than not? Have you liked pages, joined groups and followed accounts that will help you know what your audience and prospective audience are talking about?