Mandy Jenkins @mjenkinsmjenkins@digitalfirstmedia.com

LANG Extravaganza, March 2012

Journalists and Social Media

Don't Be This Guy

8 Rules of Social Journalism 1. Respond to replies, comments and questions (especially questions) everywhere 2. Be transparent in all you do

3. Ask for help when you need it

4. Be thankful

8 Rules of Social Journalism

5. Make corrections quickly and publicly 6. Address criticism without spats 7. Be consistent

8. Don't just push your content out, share other links too

Twitter for Journalists

Not just what you had for breakfast...

● Post links w/ comment or question, not headline

● Monitor the people you cover ● Crowdsource stories by asking for info ● Quickly find witnesses, info with search● Live report from the scene of a news event● Show your work

It's All About Who You Follow

Who you should follow

●Your competitors (& bloggers too)●People on your beat●Popular people in your local

Twittersphere●Those who reply to you●Those who re-tweet, share your links

Finding who to follow

●By subject/location: Twellow.com, Wefollow.com

●NearbyTweets.com●Muckrack.com (for finding

journalists)●Look at others’ follows/followers●Spy on Twitter lists ●Listorious.com

Got Tweeter's Block?

●Ask for info/feedback from followers on a story you wrote or are working on

●Re-tweet tweets you like ●Tweet what you’re reading

●Jump in on other conversations

Why Use #Hashtags?•Find other sources•Expand your audience•Organize content (for feeds & contacting)

Before You Hashtag•Search for hashtag(s) already in use•If a hashtag is already in use, adopt it•If not, choose one that’s simple & unique (do quick search first)•Geographic abbreviation helps (#CAstorm)•Geographic better than branded (#CApolitics better than #PTpolitics)

Go Live For Breaking News

When Live-Tweeting● Warn followers in advance● Mix play-by-play with context,

background● Think value over white noise● Take questions when possible● Note long breaks

Search Tweeps & Content

●Search by keywords, location, time ●Search before the stream is

overtaken by reaction

When You Find Leads

● Connect with eyewitnesses, get contact info

● Follow who you reach out to● Have them wait for a reporter on

scene● Verify!

Journalists on Facebook

Profiles

● One place to manage everything

● Control your privacy● Timeline design with

large image● Could mix

personal/professional

Pages

● Completely separate presence from profile

● Completely public● Timeline design with

large image● Detailed analytics to

see who visits

Going Public On Facebook

●Turn on Subscriptions: Anyone can read your public posts

●Set up a vanity url at facebook.

com/username ● Add your job history and a snappy bio to

About section (and make it public)

Build Friends Listsfacebook.com/bookmarks/lists

Custom Privacy Settings

Target updates

Everyone Sees It Differently

Create An Engaging Presence

Take advantage of timeline with photos, milestones and videos

Whatever You 'Like'● What would you share on Facebook? ● Ask questions, feature the responses in

stories ● During news, you can't overpost ● Photos and videos work well

Whatever You 'Like'

Wording Matters

●Posed Questions +64%●Call to read or take a closer look

+37%●Personal reflections +25%●Clever, catchy tone +18%

% more feedback over averageSource: Facebook

Images Matter

Google+: Do It For The SEO

Primp that Profile

Link Your Profile to Google News

Under your profile settings:● Add the email address linked to your byline on

your website● Make sure your workplace/title are public● Link to your blog, articles● Link to other social accounts

Make Circles to Follow Sources

Interviews, Chats by G+ Hangout

Follow Trends, Track News

Mandy Jenkins

mjenkins@digitalfirstmedia.com@mjenkins

Blog: Zombiejournalism.comThese slides & more at slideshare.

net/mandyjenkins

THANKS!