Twitter For Newsroom Leaders

for Newsroom
Leaders
@stevebuttry
Gazette Communications
Mid-America Press Institute
Feb. 13, 2010
#mpichange

Resources to help journo tweeps
“Twitter tips for journalists” on my blog: stevebuttry.wordpress.com
“Breaking news” and “Twitter”categories on my blog
These slides (and other Twitter slideshows) at slideshare.net/stevebuttry
#mpichange

What’s your social media strategy?

Why should you use Twitter?
Let’s ask the tweeps

Why should you use Twitter?
It improves your journalism
It connects you with the community
It changes your newsroom culture
You can use it quickly
It shows that you are learning and changing, too

How Twitter helps journalists
Quickly locate eyewitnesses & participants in breaking news
Connect with sources, journalists
Monitor community discussion, get story ideas
Promote content
Write tight (no lead longer than a tweet)

How do I get started?
Open account
Be sure to fill in bio, location, picture
Decide how to use phone
Start Twittering
Follow some people

Twitter terminology
Tweet, an update (noun or verb), up to 140 characters
Tweeps, your followers
Retweet (RT), to pass on a link or thought (can be quote, paraphrase, starting point)
Tweetup, a physical gathering of tweeps

An editor to follow

Mid-Am newsroom leaders
@carolynwashburn (DM Register)
@kgreenbaum (Waterloo Courier)
@dennisedit (Lawrence Journal-World)
@JoeHight (Oklahoman)
@SCJMitchP (Sioux City Journal)
@amestribeditor (Alexandra Hayne)
@henryhoward (Lafayette Journal & Courier)
@DaleAlison (Burlington Hawk Eye)

What should I tweet about?
Link to a new blog post, story, video, photo
Retweet (with a comment) a link from a colleague
Reply to someone from your community
Tweet an unfolding story
Tweet something insightful or funny

Linking with Twitter
Use compressed links: bit.ly, tinyurl.com, is.gd, tr.im, etc.
Write a headline or a comment; give tweeps a reason to click
Credit (RT or via)
Use Publish2

People to follow
Look for sources (find people)
Ask sources
Journalists in other communities
When someone follows you, check out to see whether you should follow back
When you follow someone, check whom they follow
Tweeps mentioned in interesting tweets

Tips from Nancy Newhoff
“Short quick sentences and get it sent. The whole idea is to be an instantaneous as possible.”
“Hit send and then start typing right away again.”
“It teaches you to paraphrase in a tight way. Tweeting is great for tight writing.”

Quakes show Twitter’s value
Indonesia
Twitter HQ
Lists
Location search
Term or hashtag search

Great crowdsourcing tool

Examples from one day in Iowa
Click trends
Search hashtag #iagaymarriage
@tdorman from Supreme Court, press conference
@DM_in_the_PM from rally
@dianeheldt from court

Twitter’s value in breaking newsnot happening in Iran, Haiti
Emergency landing
DC Metro crash
@jkrums on Hudson emergency landing
@2drinksbehind on Denver plane crash
Fargo flooding

Twitter twists
Tweetbeep & Tweetscan
Interface w/other social media
Publish2
TweetDeck, Tweetie, etc.
Twitpic
Lists, favorites, retweets

Ways to use Twitter
Follow people on the beat (put their feeds on beatblog)
Crowdsource (“Does anyone know anything about …?”)
Story ideas (ask, monitor chat)
Connect with eyewitnesses
Drive traffic to blog posts, stories

Ethical considerations
How do you identify yourself?
Separate personal and professional Twitter feeds?
How do you verify?
What language is acceptable (WTF)?
What, if any, opinions are OK?

Let’s check advice
from the tweeps

Wrapping up
These slides at slideshare.net/stevebuttry
Follow me on Twitter: @stevebuttry
Twitter tips, time management tips, links to journalists & helpful resources on Twitter on my blog: stevebuttry.wordpress.com
Make Twitter part of social media strategy

Final advice
From @mathewi (GigaOm):
Don’t answer, “What are you doing?” Answer, “What am I thinking?”
And from @stevebuttry:
“What do I want to know?”

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Twitter For Newsroom Leaders

by Steve Buttry

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