Writing for Social Media

@stevebuttry

LSU Media Writing Class

April 22, 2015

Tweet during class

• At least 3 tweets #mc2010

• Use your account & post if you want

• Write on laptop or notebook & don’t post if you want

• No more than 140 characters

• You decide content: quote, commentary, question, disagreement, observation

Whatever your platform …

• Get to the point quickly

• Keep it brief (even if not limited)

• Consider images & make writing fit w/ photo or video

• Consider tone (what will make people want to RT, share, engage?)

• Rewrite

Opinions in social media

• Opinions aren’t inherently bad journalism (editorials, columns, cartoons, commentary, etc.)

• Opinions can be troublesome for some journalists in some positions or orgs

• Know whether opinions are appropriate for your media role

Tanya Sichynsky,USA Today

Social media = journo tool

• Monitored competition

• Found neighbor who tweeted at TV station

• Checked neighbor’s Facebook page

• Found post w/ neighbor’s email

• Reporter tracked down neighbor, got story & more photos

• Posting too often annoys friends, fans

• No 140 limit but short is best

• Good questions start conversations

• Engage, don’t intrude

• Make a point in 140

• Story can unfold in multiple tweets

• Hashtags help more w/ search, conversation

• Engagement not as intrusive

Why converse w/ no link?

• Question invites conversation

• Engagement w/ question boosts views/engagement on subsequent links

• Builds brand, gain followers

• Do you enjoy conversation w/ people always calling attention to themselves?

CT Twitter study:

• Newsroom accounts mostly heads & links

• @ conversational (links to competition, RTs, replies, great info)

• @5thDistrictCT = 2x to 10x more referrals per Twitter follower

Tips for being conversational:

• Monitor @ mentions & reply (answer questions, thank for links, address critics)

• Make link posts conversational

• RT competition, community bloggers

• Ask questions

#Hashtag tips

• Use existing hashtag if there is one

• Search before launching hashtag (avoid duplication)

• Look for secondary hashtags, especially in events or breaking news

• Hashtags help find sources

• Use regular hashtags: #lsu

Crowdsource

Crowdsource

Writing benefits of Twitter

• Paste lead into tweet box. If it’s >140, challenge whether it’s too long

• 140 characters gives great practice at getting to the point

Even in longer writing …

Whether you’re writing a long story for a newspaper or magazine,

or a political speech or a book, whatever you write, consider boiling the essence down to a

single tweet.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt@FDR

We have nothing to fear but fear itself. #NewDeal

Anne Frank@AnnesDiary

Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart. #DiaryofaYoungGirl

President John F. Kennedy@JFK

Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country. #NewFrontier

Rachel Carson@RachelCarson

In nature nothing exists alone. #SilentSpring

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.@MLKing

I have a dream today! #Freeatlast

Ronald Reagan@TheGipper

Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall! #Freedom

Your tweets