Mother Nature MeetsMother Nature MeetsSocial MediaSocial Media

Erik ProseusErik ProseusMeteorologistMeteorologist

Cirrus Weather SolutionsCirrus Weather Solutions

History of Severe Weather History of Severe Weather ReportingReporting

Word-of-mouthWord-of-mouthAmateur RadioAmateur RadioLandline – trained public spottersLandline – trained public spottersCell Phone – spotters become mobileCell Phone – spotters become mobileSocial Media – everyone’s a spotter!Social Media – everyone’s a spotter!

Why social media for weather?Why social media for weather?

Immediacy – way to get the message out Immediacy – way to get the message out at any timeat any time

August 2011 - VA earthquakeAugust 2011 - VA earthquake

Why social media for weather?Why social media for weather?

Immediacy – way to get the message out Immediacy – way to get the message out at any timeat any time

Feedback – two-way mediumFeedback – two-way mediumAggregation – creates a sense of Aggregation – creates a sense of

communitycommunityGround truth, instantlyGround truth, instantly

Largest populations in the worldLargest populations in the world

ChinaChina 1,339,700,0001,339,700,000

IndiaIndia 1,210,200,0001,210,200,000

FacebookFacebook >750,000,000>750,000,000

United StatesUnited States 311,392,000311,392,000

IndonesiaIndonesia 237,556,000237,556,000

TwitterTwitter 200,000,000200,000,000

Source: WikipediaSource: Wikipedia

History of History of Social Social MediaMedia

FacebookFacebook

Launched February 2004Launched February 2004 Used by individuals… to communicate and Used by individuals… to communicate and

socializesocialize Used by business… to listen and build/promote Used by business… to listen and build/promote

their brandtheir brand Used by government… to inform and enable Used by government… to inform and enable

two-way communication with end users/publictwo-way communication with end users/public NWS beginning experimental use with positive NWS beginning experimental use with positive

feedbackfeedback

TwitterTwitter

Launched July 2006Launched July 2006Enables quick text message-style Enables quick text message-style

communication with links to additional communication with links to additional information (websites, articles, pics/video)information (websites, articles, pics/video)

Allows for very rapid (viral) spread of Allows for very rapid (viral) spread of information – information – right or wrongright or wrong

Can enable two-way flow of vital Can enable two-way flow of vital informationinformation

Twitter FactsTwitter Facts

Twitter hashtags (#)Twitter hashtags (#)

Keywords or search terms tagged with #Keywords or search terms tagged with #Extremely important for effective sharingExtremely important for effective sharing

Allows multiple sources to contribute to one Allows multiple sources to contribute to one “story”“story”

Allows info seekers to go to one sourceAllows info seekers to go to one sourceAllows others to contribute to the storyAllows others to contribute to the story ““Virtual bulletin board”Virtual bulletin board”

Twitter hashtags (#)Twitter hashtags (#)

#wxreport – NWS-initiated for storm reporting#wxreport – NWS-initiated for storm reporting#tnwx #mswx #arwx#tnwx #mswx #arwx#memstorm – Severe weather episodes#memstorm – Severe weather episodes#memflood – Historic flooding in the Mid-#memflood – Historic flooding in the Mid-

SouthSouth

#memstorm#memstorm

Proposed by a local social media expert to Proposed by a local social media expert to enable single source of info from many sourcesenable single source of info from many sources

Has become synonymous with severe weather Has become synonymous with severe weather in Memphis after April storms (i.e., “will this be in Memphis after April storms (i.e., “will this be another #memstorm?”)another #memstorm?”)

Developed into a mobile website Developed into a mobile website (memstorm.com) that displays current weather (memstorm.com) that displays current weather information from MWN and a stream of information from MWN and a stream of #memstorm tweets#memstorm tweets

#memstorm#memstorm

#memstorm#memstorm

#memflood#memflood

Suggested by a Memphian with an idea, Suggested by a Memphian with an idea, modeled after #memstormmodeled after #memstorm

Immediately adopted as the hashtag for Immediately adopted as the hashtag for the expected historic flooding eventthe expected historic flooding event

Local, then national, media adopted itLocal, then national, media adopted itUsed by gov’t & quasi-gov’t agenciesUsed by gov’t & quasi-gov’t agenciesSample of 500 #memflood tweets on 5/2: Sample of 500 #memflood tweets on 5/2:

1.2M views w/ an audience of 154K1.2M views w/ an audience of 154K

#memflood#memflood

7,345 views in 1 day!7,345 views in 1 day!Originally posted on private Facebook account with 328 friendsOriginally posted on private Facebook account with 328 friends

History of MemphisWeather.netHistory of MemphisWeather.net

It all started with a forecast… (1995-ish)It all started with a forecast… (1995-ish) MemphisWeather.net (MWN) brand started in MemphisWeather.net (MWN) brand started in

April ’03; revamped site in ’07 & again in ’10April ’03; revamped site in ’07 & again in ’10 Blog and mobile site started ’08 Blog and mobile site started ’08 Facebook and Twitter – early ’09 (automated wx Facebook and Twitter – early ’09 (automated wx

alerts on Twitter in Jan 2010)alerts on Twitter in Jan 2010) iPhone/Android apps released – 2011iPhone/Android apps released – 2011 April 24-May 7, 2011April 24-May 7, 2011:: website hadwebsite had 18K visits & 18K visits &

66K page views66K page views

MWN’s Use of Social MediaMWN’s Use of Social Media

Adopted in 2009 using Adopted in 2009 using @memphisweather1 handle@memphisweather1 handle

Started slow as social media (esp. Twitter) Started slow as social media (esp. Twitter) was just starting to gain momentumwas just starting to gain momentum

Continued use and word-of-mouth… and Continued use and word-of-mouth… and the snowball picked up more snow the snowball picked up more snow (literally)(literally)

Rapid growth in 2011 –> now over 7,000 Rapid growth in 2011 –> now over 7,000 MWN followers (Facebook + Twitter)MWN followers (Facebook + Twitter)

Why MWN uses Social MediaWhy MWN uses Social Media

Connect to the community – build Connect to the community – build relationshipsrelationships

Information sharingInformation sharingGather feedback on products / servicesGather feedback on products / servicesBrand liftBrand liftProduct promotionProduct promotion

How MWN uses Social MediaHow MWN uses Social Media

Used in conjunction with Used in conjunction with MemphisWeather.net on the web to MemphisWeather.net on the web to provide quick/rapid updates in severe provide quick/rapid updates in severe weather eventsweather events

““Wall-to-wall” coverage – without Wall-to-wall” coverage – without interrupting local programminginterrupting local programming

On-demand weather coverageOn-demand weather coverageProven very popular – great feedbackProven very popular – great feedback

How MWN uses Social MediaHow MWN uses Social Media

Facebook/TwitterFacebook/Twitter – quick posts, weather – quick posts, weather updates/nowcasting, interesting links, updates/nowcasting, interesting links, promotion of websitepromotion of website

YouTube/FlickrYouTube/Flickr – photos/videos – photos/videosBlogBlog – forecast discussions, event recaps/ – forecast discussions, event recaps/

summaries, promotion of websitesummaries, promotion of website

Other local media on TwitterOther local media on Twitter

Employees at all TV stations/some news-Employees at all TV stations/some news-radio stations tweetradio stations tweet

Some “company” accountsSome “company” accountsWMC used 3 meteorologists during spring WMC used 3 meteorologists during spring

severe weather/flash flood event (2 on air, severe weather/flash flood event (2 on air, 1 on Twitter in-studio)1 on Twitter in-studio)

FOX 13 also making excellent use of the FOX 13 also making excellent use of the mediummedium

Where to find MWN…Where to find MWN… http://www.memphisweather.nethttp://www.memphisweather.net

http://m.memphisweather.nethttp://m.memphisweather.net

http://blog.memphisweather.nethttp://blog.memphisweather.net

http://www.facebook.com/memphisweather1http://www.facebook.com/memphisweather1

http://twitter.com/memphisweather1http://twitter.com/memphisweather1

iTunes or App Store & Android MarketiTunes or App Store & Android Market