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Presentation on use of social media that I gave at 2010 APSE Convention
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Using Social MediaPresentation by
Tim Stephens, Sports Topics ManagerOrlando SentinelAPSE Convention
June 2010Salt Lake City
What is social media?
Why social media?Effective use of social media helps journalists:Connect with their community.Connect with sources, other journalists.Change the newsroom culture.Because the tools are quick and easy to use.Build themselves and their media outlet as a
brand of specific information.Promote content and themselves.Write better. THINK TWITTER, NOT TWAIN!
Social media is NOT…An RSS feed: Readers distinguish between
spammers and information-sharers.A one-way conversation: Readers expect
information exchange to be an interactive transaction.
A free-for-all: Company guidelines on its use are a good idea. My general rule: If I wouldn’t say it in a press box or in print, I probably shouldn’t say it on Twitter or Facebook.
Social media’s impactWays we’ve found social media works for us:Increase in online traffic.Reader interaction with reporters and
editors: including in-game commentary, feedback on stories and other suggestions.
User-generated content.Story ideas and links.Identifying hot topics and breaking news.
10 ways we’ve used social media 1. We discovered story ideas – including the most viewed blog
post on our Website in 2009. 2. We took reader suggestions for headlines during the NBA
Finals – and even used some of them. 3. We live-blogged important games via Twitter, then directed
conversation to our site. 4. We sold advertising to sponsors for an NBA Finals “tweet up”
watch party. 5. We recruited fan bloggers. 6. We gathered news, developed sources through contacts found
via social media. 7. We identify topics people are discussing RIGHT NOW and
target content to the conversation. 8. We get instant feedback from readers. 9. We promote content and build our brand as a source of
specific kinds of content. 10. We have fun.
Is Twitter really social media? A study by Korean students presented at the 2010
World Wide Web Conference found that Twitter actually is used primarily as a traditional news medium. Their analysis of more than 41 million user profiles and more than 106 million tweets found:
Only 22 percent of following on Twitter is reciprocal. The vast majority of updates are filed by an extremely
small minority of users. About 35 percent of “retweets” occur within 10
minutes of the original update.
They surmised that the majority of Twitter participants are using it as a “live” news service.
The headline here is:Your followers are subscribing to YOU.
Devising a strategyWe made participation
mandatory.We made it competitive.We tracked results.We gave prizes.We experimented
around big events.We promoted our social
media efforts in print, such as at right on our College Gridiron 365 page.
But we still weren’t quite sold until …
The No. 1 blog post
on OrlandoSentinel.co
m in 2009
originated, was
reported and
went viral through
social media. It:1. Probably wouldn’t have been a story at all if we’d been thinking like a traditional newspaper.
2. Probably would’ve been overlooked entirely if not for Twitter.
3. Never would have become a continuing storyline without the Web.
4. Was best told in a digital form.
5. Generated residual traffic for months.
Big Baby = BIG BANG
Getting startedKnow your audience.Be very specific in your profile. What will
you tweet? What information can people expect from you?
Know the platform protocols and how to use them.
Learn whom you should follow and how you find them.
Know the things that will get you unfollowed.
Know the dangers of mixing business and personal life.
Setting up shopDo …1. Be precise in
the bio and contact information.
2. Describe what you’ll be tweeting.
3. Personalize the page look.
4. Include a photograph.
5. Interact.6. Manage
followers.7. Create lists.
Personalized subject pagesStrong points1. Direct
connection to target audiences.
2. Headline feeds easily shared.
3. Strong use for developing sources.
4. Good networking opportunities with other journalists.
Tricks of the Twitter tradeHootsuiteURL shortenersTwitpic.com and
Flickr.comTwittergrader.comMashable.comTwitvid.comTinychat.com
Twittertim.esTwittersheep.comTwiangulate.comWhatthetrend.comTwellow.comFriendorfollow.comLivestream.comQik.com
Hootsuite.comStrong points1. Web based – not a
memory hog.2. Allows user to
track click-throughs.
3. Easy to manage multiple accounts.
4. Easy to publish to other social mediums such as Facebook and LinkedIn.
5. Can pre-set up to 10 RSS feeds.
6. Can pre-schedule tweets.
Livestream.comStrong points1. Useful tool for
live Web broadcasts, including chats, press conferences, interviews and more.
2. Can be personalized to specific content themes and imbedded into blogs or .html files.
3. Headline tickers and hyperlinks.
4. Can be synchronized with Twitter, Facebook and other social media.
http://friendorfollow.comStrong points1. Reciprocal following important to you? Learn who follows whom here.
Twitter.grader.comStrong pointsGrades Twitter users using a formula that calculates number of followers, power of followers, update frequency and recency, ratio of followers to following and engagement.
Whatthetrend.comStrong pointsAllows users to learn why topics are trending on Twitter. Good tool for identifying and capitalizing on hot topics for content and SEO purposes.
Twittersheep.comStrong points1. Analyzes
Twitter stream of your follower’s list.
2. Notes key words and topics your followers are discussing.
3. Cloud is updated in real time.
4. Can use findings to target content and followers.
Twittertim.es.comStrong pointsOrganizes headlines generated from links or shortened links within your Twitter feed in a reader-friendly, newspaper-style format.
Sports journalists on TwitterGood list of sports personalities
and journalists to follow: http://www.theteliosgroup.com/tips/sports-business-people-on-twitter
Some active Orlando Sentinel staffers: @osaadelson @osgators @osseminoles @osknights @BianchiWrites @JeffShain @GeorgeDiaz @taniaganguli @joshuabrobbins @NCAAFootballMan @MagicMattOS @OS_Recruiting @osvarsity
APSE on Twitter: @APSE_sportsmedia
Other important siteshttp://mashable.com/guidebook/twitter/ http://sreetips.tumblr.com/post/87435969/
ASNE social media slideshow: http://www.slideshare.net/stevebuttry/asne-twitter-presentation-1174408
Now what?Do Don’t1) Encourage your staff
to be active in social media.
2) Take the lead yourself.3) Talk with readers, not
at them.4) Monitor what people
are talking about.5) Adjust your delivery
to what THEY want.
1) Automate it and leave it.
2) Be the annoying spammer.
3) Forget social media is an extension of yourself and your paper.
4) Follow everybody who follows you.
5) Lose sight of what your followers are expecting.
More helpful tipsTwitter basics for the newsroom: http://www.notrain-nogain.org/Train/Res/Multi/twit.asp10 things that will get you unfollowed:
http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/web/10-twitter-crimes-that-will-get-you-unfollowed-593895
Common reasons you might struggle to gain followers: http://bhlaab.com/twitter/9-reasons-why-you-arent-being-followed-on-twitter
Things you absolutely, positively must know about RTs (that’s “retweets” for the newbies) : http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/dan-macsai/popwise/report-nine-scientifically-proven-ways-get-re-tweeted-twitter
For more informationwww.twitter.com/twstephens
www.facebook.com/TimWStephens
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 407-420-5698
