Writing for Social Media
Chip GriffinInteractive Writing SeminarPRSA National Capital ChapterMarch 16, 2010
Goals & Principles
Listen First
Relationships
Focus
Evaluate & Adjust
Many Platforms
The Guy in Pajamas
• “You couldn’t have a starker contrastbetween the multiple layers of check and balances [at ‘60 Minutes’] anda guy sitting in his living roomin his pajamas writing.”
• - Jonathan Klein, former Executive Vice President, CBS News
Are these guys in pajamas?
No Pajamas Here
Social Media Differences
140 Calorie Snacking
Water Cooler + Reception
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alisdair/
140 Characters (or less)
A Simple Request
A Simple Response
Sharing (some) personal detail
Think before you publish
Oops!
Oops! Oops!
The Consequences of Oops!
Want a Tweetshirt?
“Don’t Pitch & Ditch”
• “Don’t jump onto Twitter, send a pitch and then jump off for the next 8 hours. Monitor your DM’s, @replies and email and respond quickly. Twitter is fast-moving, baby, and you risk missing opportunities by not being on the ball at all times.”– PRCouture.com
Engaging in conversation
Action/Reaction
What your writing tells us all
The results of pitching online
Clear message + link
What about hashtags?
Hashtags can be integrated
S/T you abbrev b/c of space
Giving others credit
Enough Snacking
The Importance of Headlines
... and subheads, bullets, etc.
Formating your message
Brevity and Specificity
Inviting conversation
Advice
Analysis
It’s all a bit abstract
The power to respond
List Frenzy
Rounding it all up
A few cautionary notes...
Transparency & Disclosure
It’s a global audience
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