Social media for journalists

How blogging, Twitter and Facebook can help connect you with your audience

From tweet to print

From tweet to print

• Salem NewsTwitter post goesup at 1:50 p.m.

From tweet to print

• Salem NewsTwitter post goesup at 1:50 p.m.

• By 4:30 p.m., a complete story with slideshow and a map

From tweet to print

• Salem NewsTwitter post goesup at 1:50 p.m.

• By 4:30 p.m., a complete story with slideshow and a map

• Local blogger poststo TwitPic. How do we get him involved?

Case study #1

• Newton blogger Doug Haslam posts photo of snowy sidewalk

Case study #1

• Newton blogger Doug Haslam posts photo of snowy sidewalk

• GateHouse’s Greg Reibman retweets Haslam’s post

Case study #1

• Newton blogger Doug Haslam posts photo of snowy sidewalk

• GateHouse’s Greg Reibman retweets Haslam’s post

• Mayor Setti Warren calls Reibman, andthe snow is removed

Case study #2

“Yes we do censorreader comments.

“We’ll continue to.”

Case study #2

• “Norton Street” comments onurban-design issues

Case study #2

• “Norton Street” comments onurban-design issues

• Reveals himself to be Jonathan Hopkins, an architecture student

Case study #2

• “Norton Street” comments onurban-design issues

• Reveals himself to be Jonathan Hopkins, an architecture student

• NHI’s Paul Bass accompanies Hopkins on walking tour of city

Case study #3

SeeClickFix: Your local assignment desk?

Case study #3

New Haven Independent runs SeeClickFix RSS feed on its site. Residents start complaining about “the ugliest storefront on Chapel Street.”

Case study #3

• NHI’s Melissa Bailey writes a story, citing 42 SeeClickFix complaints

Case study #3

• NHI’s Melissa Bailey writes a story, citing 42 SeeClickFix complaints

• Business ownerpledges to workwith community

Case study #3

• NHI’s Melissa Bailey writes a story, citing 42 SeeClickFix complaints

• Business ownerpledges to workwith community

• NHI story generates another 24 comments from readers

Closing thoughts

• You need to be where your readers are– Facebook– Twitter– YouTube– Flickr

Closing thoughts

• You need to be where your readers are• Don’t just publish your RSS feed

– Let readers hear the voice of individual reporters and editors

– Social media are more about listening than broadcasting

– Encourage audience participation: story ideas, photos and videos

Closing thoughts

• You need to be where your readers are• Don’t just publish your RSS feed• Think of your Web site as a hub

– Use your site to push readers out to your social-networking places

– Use your social-networking places to pull readers in to your main site

Closing thoughts

• You need to be where your readers are• Don’t just publish your RSS feed• Think of your Web site as a hub

• YOU ARE THE EXPERTS. What is working best for your news organization?

(cc) By Dan KennedyFebruary 4, 2010

Some rights reservedCreative Commons license online at:

www.dankennedy.net

Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA 02115