Embracing
Conversations in
Emergencies and
Disasters
Nate Ritter
http://blog.perfectspace.com

Why Are You Here?
To understand why social media is important
To understand what social media tools should be used

“Social Media”
“A category of sites that is based on user participation
and user-generated content.”
“Tools that allow groups to publish content, engage in
peer-to-peer conversations”

“Social Media”
People + Publishing

Why is “Social Media” so
Important?

We’re talking, publishing,
and telling the story with
or without you.

Surprise!
You don’t control the conversation anymore.

Why Am I Here?
Who am I?
Why was I asked to be here to talk with you?

Who is Nate Ritter?
Revenue strategy consultant
(I help people make money)
Web developer
(I help people build their websites)
Entrepreneur
(I build companies)
Social media consultant
(I help people learn how to use social media)
Knowledge broker
(I help connect ideas)

Who is Nate Ritter?
http://blog.perfectspace.com

Why Am I Standing Here?
My story in bullet points:
1995, created first website

Why Am I Standing Here?
My story in bullet points:
1995, created first website
1997, created first web-based business

Why Am I Standing Here?
My story in bullet points:
1995, created first website
1997, created first web-based business
2003, created first keyword filtered RSS feed

Why Am I Standing Here?
My story in bullet points:
1995, created first website
1997, created first web-based business
2003, created first keyword filtered RSS feed
2007, popularized hashtags and the use of Twitter
during the San Diego wildfires

Wait. What are Hashtags?
Examples: #sandiegofire, #ike, #redsox
A way to contextualize information by keywords
Specifically used in micro-publishing media
Without the “hash” (#), it’s just a “tag” (keyword)
Makes information searchable

Wait. What are Hashtags?

Wait. What are Hashtags?
(the story)
October 22nd, 2007
Wildfires in San Diego uncontrolled

Wait. What are Hashtags?
(the story)
October 22nd, 2007
Wildfires in San Diego uncontrolled
3 blog posts re: resources and
satellite imagery

Wait. What are Hashtags?
(the story)
October 22nd, 2007
Wildfires in San Diego uncontrolled
3 blog posts re: resources and
satellite imagery
Too much too fast

Wait. What are Hashtags?
(the story)
October 22nd, 2007
Wildfires in San Diego uncontrolled
3 blog posts re: resources and
satellite imagery
Too much too fast
Enter Twitter

Wait. What are Hashtags?
(the story)
Started with prefix

Wait. What are Hashtags?
(the story)
Started with prefix
Encouraged to use
hashtags by
Chris Messina

Wait. What are Hashtags?
(the story)
Created hotline using
GrandCentral.com

Wait. What are Hashtags?
(the story)
People told people ...

Wait. What are Hashtags?
(the story)
... who told more people

Wait. What are Hashtags?
(the story)
... who told more people
From Vermont

Wait. What are Hashtags?
(the story)
... who told more people
From Vermont
to Florida

Wait. What are Hashtags?
(the story)
... who told more people
From Vermont
to Florida
to India

Wait. What are Hashtags?
(the story)
Hashtags, in this case, enabled
searchability for anything related to the
San Diego Fires.
#sandiegofire

Why Am I Standing Here?
Results: Clients and mentions

But, what happened?

Why Am I Standing Here?
November, 2007 - San Diego, BarCamp

Why Am I Standing Here?
December, 2007 - San Francisco, Net Squared

Why Am I Standing Here?
My story in bullet points:
1995, created first website
1997, created first web-based business
2003, created first keyword filtered RSS feed
2007, popularized hashtags and the use of Twitter
during the San Diego wildfires
now, building CrisisWire.com to save the cheerleader
(and save the world)

Yea? So what? ...

The attention economy
has changed things...

If you give me valuable,
reliable, timely information,
I’ll pay attention to you.

Traditional Media:
valuable (job is to sell news)
reliable
timely (verification process slows it down)

Government Publishing:
valuable
reliable
timely

Educational Publishing:
valuable
reliable
timely

Citizen Publishing:
valuable
reliable
timely

We’re listening to each other

What do you do now?

Listen
(We’re talking to you)

Respond

Fix the problem

Does this really work?

NASA EPA
Red Cross Social Security Administration
FDA USGS
Peace Corps US Intelligence Community
TSA US Small Business Administration
USGS 21 Municipal Fire Departments
State Governments 16 Municipal Police Departments
Congressmen/women USDA
Senators US Embassy Tokyo
Governors US Department of Veteran Affairs
Dept of Defense Smithsonian Institution
Dept of Energy Amber Alerts
Dept of Agriculture Missing Children
Dept of Homeland Security National Park Service

So “Social Media” is
important

Major tools and websites
(Specifically in times of emergencies)
... the “listening” part

Twitter.com
http://search.twitter.com

Flickr.com

Facebook.com

YouTube.com

Qik.com
Demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv_sqTnQ1Dk

maps.google.com

CrisisWire.com

Major tools and websites
(Not necessarily perfect for crises, but good to know)
... some for listening, some for responding/publishing

news.google.com

blogsearch.google.com

Delicious.com

Wikipedia.com

PBwiki.com

Wordpress.com

Getting Attention
Digg.com
crowdsourcing
Reddit.com
crowdsourcing
StumbleUpon.com
crowdsourcing, sortof

Podcasting
(Audio recording and publishing)
Odeo.com
Video Broadcasting
uStream.com
Qik.com
Seesmic.com
12seconds.com

The foundation of
usefulness...

RSS
(Real Simple Syndication)

RSS
(Real Simple Syndication)
What is it?
A set of rules on how to publish “well-formed” data (XML)

RSS
(Real Simple Syndication)
What is it?
A set of rules on how to publish “well-formed” data (XML)
Why is it important?
With the rules in place, we can create tools which can use these
rules, therefore making the data useful

RSS
(Real Simple Syndication)
What is it?
A set of rules on how to publish “well-formed” data (XML)
Why is it important?
With the rules in place, we can create tools which can use these
rules, therefore making the data useful
No rules (like .html, .pdf, and .doc files) mean the data
presented is not reusable.

RSS
(Real Simple Syndication)
What is it?
A set of rules on how to publish “well-formed” data (XML)
Why is it important?
With the rules in place, we can create tools which can use these
rules, therefore making the data useful
No rules (like .html, .pdf, and .doc files) mean the data
presented is not reusable.
The point
Always try to make an RSS feed available

So, what do you do now?

Change this...

Government Publishing:
valuable
reliable
timely

Government Publishing:
valuable
reliable
timely

How?

Government Publishing:
valuable (pertinent info for specific areas)
reliable (obviously, it will be)
timely (quicker and more often)

quicker
My simple suggestions:
Twitter
Google Maps

quicker
It happens by listening to the public first
changes perception (you care)
becomes more valuable (you know)

quicker
It happens by responding to the direct requests
tell how you found out (where you’re listening)
tell how you’re going to help (specifically)

quicker
Info by neighborhood (text releases, SMS)
Road closures (map)
Evacuation routes (map)
Exact location of danger (map)
Where to go for what types of help (map, text, phone)
Who to call if you can’t get out (phone, SMS)
Is it safe to go home? (phone)

My turn to listen and respond
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