Gathering and Promoting News (and Yourself) with Social Media

Kristen Landreville

First, A Few Questions

1. Does your newspaper have a CMS?2. To what extent does your newspaper have a

social media presence?– YouTube?– Blogs?– Facebook?– Twitter?

3. What would you like to change about your newspaper’s social media presence?

4. What is the likelihood that changes will occur?

Stats on Social Media

• Video– 71% of online Americans use video-sharing sites– Rural use matches urban and suburban use

• Social Networking– 65% of adults use Facebook, MySpace, or LinkedIn– Purpose: To stay in touch with family and friends– 13% of adults use Twitter

• Mobile Media– 50% of adults have apps on their cell phones

Why is an online presence important?

• Local newspapers (online and off) are top sources for news.

• 31% of adults get news and information about local businesses and restaurants from newspapers (online and off)

Plan of ActionFor Your Career and Newspaper•Flickr for Photos•SoundCloud for Audio•YouTube for Video•Blogs for a Portfolio and Newspaper•Facebook•Twitter•Social Media for Story and Source Management•Social Media for Networking and Branding•Resources

Flickr for Photos• Promote your photojournalism (for free!)• Demonstration– Student Work– Photostream– Uploading photos– Headline and caption writing– Creating a slideshow– Sharing the slideshow

• Hands-On– Create an account

SoundCloud for Audio

• Promote your audio reporting (for free!)• Demonstration– Student Work– Record or upload– Create tracks– Share tracks– Explore tracks

• Hands-On– Create an account

YouTube for Video• Promote your video reporting (for free!)• Example: Denver Post on YouTube• Shared: Denver Post video on OWS protests

• Example: Casper Star Tribune • Google Search: “casper star tribune video”• Results: YouTube vs. Newspaper Website

• Demonstration• Upload videos on a new channel• Get YouTube on your website• Sharing videos

Putting It All Together: Blog Portfolios

• Blogs easily showcase social media content• I recommend: WordPress• Portfolio blogs can enhance your brand! • Journalists (1, 2, 3)• Student Work• Set-up a blog on WordPress:

Tips on getting started and where to get help

HTML Basics for Blogging

Posting• Bold, italics, lists, paragraphs• Linking• Inserting photos and documents• Embedding Flickr, SoundCloud, YouTube

Newspaper Blogs• Beyond portfolio blogs, newspapers host journalist-

authored blogs as well• Examples– New York Times– Denver Post– Casper Star Tribune

• Uses include:– Creating a transparent news process– Opening a dialogue with readers– Posting additional information that didn’t make it to print

Good Blogs…• Update frequently• Write in the first-person and use conversation-style that

shows your personality• Provide specific headlines• Provide links elsewhere to helpful information• Allow readers to comment and comment back to readers• Can be your professional portfolio, journal, or

brainstorming session• Embed multimedia features• Are relatively short

Facebook and Newspapers

• “Create a page” on Facebook for the newspaperUses of Facebook• Report events live using Facebook: Example• Promote stories and content• Create a community and engagement– Use simple wall posts and status updates– Encourage conversation and feedback

• Other tips

Introduction to Twitter• Explanation of Basics

– @username– #topics– RTs (retweets)– Followers– Lists– SnapBird for searching tweets

• Uses of Twitter– Storytelling– Story and Source Management– Networking and Branding

Twitter for Storytelling• Live tweet events and breaking news with visual

storytelling– Example: Joanna Smith, Toronto Star reporter for Haitian

earthquake• “Was in b-room getting dressed when heard my name. Tremor.

Ran outside through sliding door. All still now. Safe. Roosters crowing.”

• “Fugitives from prison caught looting, taken from police, beaten, dragged thru street, died slowly and set on fire in pile of garbage.”

– Example: Alabama meteorologist James Spann reporting on tornadoes

Twitter for Storytelling• Writers and editors can later create stories

with live tweets• Let sources speak for themselves

Social Media for Story and Source Management

• Ask for feedback on story ideas or rough drafts– Using Facebook, Twitter, or blogs

• Check out Storify, Bundlr, or ChirpStory– Poynter explanation of Storify

• FourSquare for live reporter check-ins• TagWhat for creating stories and viewing location-

based multimedia stories• TweetDeck for source and tweet management• Other great examples

Social Media for Networking and Branding

Networking•Follow other journalists•Follow journalism-related chats on Twitter

– Search “#journchat”

•Contribute to community with @references and #topical commentsBranding•Promote your work with links to stories•Promote your newspaper•When you’ve built a brand…

Resources

• Sustainable Journalism• Poynter • Social Media Examiner• Media Helping Media• Knight Digital Media Center– Resources– Multimedia Training (free tutorials!)

• Mindy McAdams’ Teaching Online Journalism

Thank You!

Keep in Touch: Email: Klandrev@uwyo.edu

Twitter: @klandreville Blog: http://uwyojournalism.com