Social Media for Practical Journalists
v
Colin Delany
Former political staffer (Texas)
Founder/editor Epolitics.com
Online communications consultant
Political advocate
V
Social Media is....
SOCIALSOCIAL
Information Spreads Person-to-Person
Social Media Needs...
Relationships
Content
Does social media replace journalists?
Does social media replace journalists?
NO![it gives them new tools]
Journalists can use it to:
promote stories
find sources
build a personal "brand"
bypass filters
crowdsource projects
Why social media?
Big Reason #1: Your audience is there
Big Reason #2: People can tell their own stories
Institutions can use social media
Institutions can use social media
So can individual reporters
And reformers
Social media & the Arab Spring
WARNING!
Social media can bypass media gatekeepers
WARNING!
BUT
WARNING!
[Almost] Nothing stays anonymous online for very long
Crowdsourcing
The Social Media Big 3[plus 3 more]
General Tips for Social Victory
• create content people want to engage with
• create content that people want to share
• make it easy for them to share it
• interact with them
• track statistics & reinforce success
• Facebook rewards “engagement”
• Post content that makes people want to Like, Share or Comment
Facebook: Visual Content
• identify opinion leaders & follow them
• participate in the conversation
• share links to articles and other content
• use #hashtags and @replies strategically
• Track @mentions and retweets
YouTube
• use video to amplify your stories
• try including citizen video
• short clips usually work best
• doesn't have to be “slick”
• promote via Twitter & Facebook
Extending Your Reach with Video
Rule #1
Don't be afraid to experiment
Thank You
Colin Delany
Epolitics.com
@epolitics
+1 202 422 4682
