Uses of Social Media

Use 1: Share News

Use 2: Promote your own work

See how Purdue makes it easy to share their news

New Twitter use study

Lots of interesting results

For example: Vast majority newspapers feeds promoted organizations’ own work and sent users back to their websites. 93 percent.

But only 2 percent share (retweet, etc.) from other organizations

Use 3:Breaking news

The recent Paris shootings

Journalists took to Twitter to share news first

Use 4: Aggregation and curation

Sites like Upworthy

Plane crash

Topsy : A social media search tool (has largest Twitter archive, back to 2007) featuring more than 400 billion pieces content. To make sense of it all, Topsy uses a ranking system that considers how often a piece of content is cited by others.

Storify

The Connecticut school shootings and the Toronto mayor’s crack cocaine admission

Programs like Rebelmouse let you organize and display your social media for readers.

Use 5: Provide live information

Including live tweeting/Facebooking events

Use 6: To keep up with (and then get out) news

Reporters have their own list of Twitter/Facebook/Pinterest, etc. feeds they check regularly.

They get the breaking news tip to get the story out first.

Use 7: As a reporting tool

Use 8: Reaction and comments

Many people comment first on social media. If you aren’t online, you won’t get it.

The more people you follow on Twitter, the more likely you are to come across a lead or a useful contact. Or reaction.

Sites likes Twubs and hashtags.org let you search for specific hashtags.

Search functions help you

Or they comment only on Social Media like the Russian president or

But be careful, the same principles of journalism apply

http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/228255/globe-and-mail-incorrectly-reports-ex-nsa-chiefs-death-hoax-twitter-account-to-blame/

Use 9: To find sources

Or real people

Or story ideas or tips or crowdsourcing

Twitter can be valuable when you need a hand – an idea – or, reactions to an idea. Twitter is an instant focus group, on-call 24/7.

Purdue Exponent

To interview

But again, check before you use

Use 10: Show a different side/share different information

Reporters tended to share more of themselves in tweets. On average, reporters included personal anecdotes in 39% of the week's tweets. As with other findings, there was a wide range when it came to how casual those reporters were in their Twitter persona.

Use 11: Reach out to sources/reporters

• prnewswire: Social Media has provided the ultimate method of listening to clients, colleagues, journalists, bloggers…the list goes on.

• Intheblack: I reached out to a reporter/blogger last week on Twitter - led to a great interview and more importantly a great relationship.

Use 12: Interactivity with readers

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/12/facebook-users-flip-out-over-non-traditional-classroom.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=pbsofficial&utm_campaign=newshour

Social engagement

AP Style chat is one of my faves

Interactivity with fans

Monopoly’s social media poll

Use 13: Getting message out

The new activism

JeSuisCharlie

Check out how the Newark, N.J., mayor is using social media

Use 14: Supplementing online stories

This is a fairly new use: Merry Christmas on a plane

Ferry Disaster

Use 15: Finally, some say it is helping your writing

“Having an audience, particularly a vocal one, helps. Knowing your tweet, Facebook post or Instagram caption is potentially going to reach thousands of people can be a good incentive to proofread your social media posts. The fact that tweets can spread so quickly (even if you’ve deleted them) is another good reason to proofread them.” Source