The document provides guidance on writing effective social media content for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It discusses the importance of understanding the target audience, applying health literacy principles, and using plain language. The document recommends segmenting audiences, avoiding jargon, writing short messages in an active voice, and choosing familiar words and measurements to improve understanding. It aims to help health communicators craft relevant and engaging social media content that promotes health literacy.
This document provides social media guidelines and best practices for CDC employees and contractors using Facebook. It outlines the process for planning, developing, and engaging on Facebook pages including getting necessary approvals, developing branding and comment policies, and ensuring records management and archiving. It recommends keeping posts short and simple, identifying a regular posting schedule and best links, and determining an engagement strategy with fans through things like questions, contests and highlighting other social media.
This document provides a toolkit for using social media to improve health communication efforts. It includes an introduction to social media and its benefits. Sections cover developing a social media strategy, tools like buttons/badges and image sharing, and lessons learned from CDC's social media use. The goal is to help readers integrate social media into their health communication work to increase reach, participation, and transparency.
The document provides guidance on writing effective social media content for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It discusses the importance of understanding the target audience, applying health literacy principles, and using plain language. The document recommends segmenting audiences, avoiding jargon, keeping messages short, writing in an active voice and familiar terms, and providing clear calls to action. Effective social media writing can help spread health messages and encourage behavior change.
What Are Some Approaches For Researchers Using Social Media For Research, Com...Dr. William J. Ward
This document provides a guide for researchers on using social media. It begins with an introduction that defines social media as internet services where online content is generated by users. It then discusses what social tools are available, including blogs, microblogs, social networking, social bookmarking, and more. The guide interviews ten researchers about their use of social media for various aspects of research like identifying, creating, assuring quality and disseminating knowledge. It aims to provide both benefits and limitations of social media to help researchers decide how to integrate these tools into their work.
The document summarizes findings from a Pew Research Center survey about search engine use in 2012. Some key findings include:
- While most users are satisfied with search engine results quality, many are concerned about personal information collection during searches and feel targeted ads and personalized results invade their privacy.
- Google remains the dominant search engine, used by 83% of respondents compared to 6% for Yahoo.
- Overall views of search engine performance are positive, though many users are unaware of how to limit personal data collection from websites.
How social media is bridging the gap between local government and citizens in...Cyber Mum
In each of the last three years, BDO’s Local Government Social Media Survey has explored social media within local government to understand how councils are using social media as a tool to improve services.
See the PDF of the report here http://www.bdo.co.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/978949/BDO-Social-Media-Report-2014.pdf
It is being posted here for easy access to the data
The document discusses how patients are increasingly using social media to disclose medical diagnoses online. It finds that 80% of internet users seek health information online. While people traditionally shared diagnoses through conversations or letters, social media is now commonly used. An analysis found over 60,000 online self-disclosures over 90 days. Disclosures were more frequent on weekdays than weekends, and most common on blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. The type of illness influences likelihood of online disclosure, with HIV/AIDS disclosed more frequently relative to incidence than cancer.
This document provides social media guidelines and best practices for CDC employees and contractors using Facebook. It outlines the process for planning, developing, and engaging on Facebook pages including getting necessary approvals, developing branding and comment policies, and ensuring records management and archiving. It recommends keeping posts short and simple, identifying a regular posting schedule and best links, and determining an engagement strategy with fans through things like questions, contests and highlighting other social media.
This document provides a toolkit for using social media to improve health communication efforts. It includes an introduction to social media and its benefits. Sections cover developing a social media strategy, tools like buttons/badges and image sharing, and lessons learned from CDC's social media use. The goal is to help readers integrate social media into their health communication work to increase reach, participation, and transparency.
The document provides guidance on writing effective social media content for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It discusses the importance of understanding the target audience, applying health literacy principles, and using plain language. The document recommends segmenting audiences, avoiding jargon, keeping messages short, writing in an active voice and familiar terms, and providing clear calls to action. Effective social media writing can help spread health messages and encourage behavior change.
What Are Some Approaches For Researchers Using Social Media For Research, Com...Dr. William J. Ward
This document provides a guide for researchers on using social media. It begins with an introduction that defines social media as internet services where online content is generated by users. It then discusses what social tools are available, including blogs, microblogs, social networking, social bookmarking, and more. The guide interviews ten researchers about their use of social media for various aspects of research like identifying, creating, assuring quality and disseminating knowledge. It aims to provide both benefits and limitations of social media to help researchers decide how to integrate these tools into their work.
The document summarizes findings from a Pew Research Center survey about search engine use in 2012. Some key findings include:
- While most users are satisfied with search engine results quality, many are concerned about personal information collection during searches and feel targeted ads and personalized results invade their privacy.
- Google remains the dominant search engine, used by 83% of respondents compared to 6% for Yahoo.
- Overall views of search engine performance are positive, though many users are unaware of how to limit personal data collection from websites.
How social media is bridging the gap between local government and citizens in...Cyber Mum
In each of the last three years, BDO’s Local Government Social Media Survey has explored social media within local government to understand how councils are using social media as a tool to improve services.
See the PDF of the report here http://www.bdo.co.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/978949/BDO-Social-Media-Report-2014.pdf
It is being posted here for easy access to the data
The document discusses how patients are increasingly using social media to disclose medical diagnoses online. It finds that 80% of internet users seek health information online. While people traditionally shared diagnoses through conversations or letters, social media is now commonly used. An analysis found over 60,000 online self-disclosures over 90 days. Disclosures were more frequent on weekdays than weekends, and most common on blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. The type of illness influences likelihood of online disclosure, with HIV/AIDS disclosed more frequently relative to incidence than cancer.
Ines Mergel - Designing Social Media Strategies - IBM - 2012Ines Mergel
This document provides a guide for government managers to design an effective social media strategy. It discusses the importance of having a clear social media strategy that is aligned with an organization's mission and goals. The guide outlines key components to address in a social media strategy, including defining roles and responsibilities, identifying target audiences, appropriate content and platforms, daily routines, and metrics for measuring success. It also provides examples of social media tactics an organization can use, such as pushing official content out to social media and pulling user-generated content back in. The overall purpose is to help government agencies thoughtfully develop social media policies and practices that increase transparency, participation and collaboration with the public.
The document discusses a training on managing government use of social media in Moldova. It provides an agenda that covers an introduction to social media and its benefits, barriers and challenges for government adoption. It also discusses managing social media at both the initiative and organizational levels. Examples of social media tools used by governments are presented, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The benefits of social media for governments are said to include reaching new audiences, enhancing engagement, communication and feedback from citizens. Challenges include traditional service models and low public trust and interest in engaging with government online.
Presentation done by Jon Keefe of KMP Digitata on the 16th and 17th September for InBlackandWhite's "Social Media and Buzz Monitoring" Seminar. inblackandwhite.tv
Social Media Training for Academic organizationsStephen Dill
The document discusses the need for social media training for various groups. It argues that as social media becomes more influential, graduating students, faculty, and staff at academic institutions will benefit from understanding how to use social media to promote themselves and their work. It provides an overview of courses offered by SRD Interactive to provide social media training, including introductory lectures, extended introductions, and half-day or full-day boot camps. These courses aim to help participants develop social media strategies and skills to represent their college or organization online.
COM 400 Syllabus Spring 2013 - Social Media U Need 2 Know a.k.a. Social Media...Dr. William J. Ward
COM 400 Social Media U Need 2 Know a.k.a. Social Media for Public Communicators is the Social Media Class in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University taught by DR4WARD
The document provides guidance on developing a digital advocacy communications plan with strategies for communications, online presence, and social media. It recommends establishing: 1) a communications strategy with research, objectives, audiences and messages, 2) an online strategy focused on a website and blogging, and 3) a social media strategy using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to engage supporters and drive action. The goal is for partners to independently create and implement sustainable digital advocacy plans.
The impact of social media marketing communications on consumers perception o...Deola Kayode
This document is a thesis by Kayode Adeola Olakunle on the impact of social media marketing communications on consumers' perception of brands. It provides background on social media marketing and discusses how the rise of social media has changed how businesses promote products and interact with customers. The statement of problem notes Nigeria's growing internet and social media usage and how brands have been slow to adopt comprehensive social media strategies beyond basic advertising. The research objectives are to examine how social media marketing messages influence consumer brand perceptions in Nigeria and how brands can better integrate social media into their marketing plans.
Speed kills tips for managing crisis in the era of social mediaNuno Fraga Coelho
Social media has increased the speed at which crises can develop, so companies must be prepared to respond quickly. To be prepared, companies should have a crisis management plan that includes monitoring social media for potential issues, designating a crisis response team, and drafting messaging to respond on social media platforms in real-time. The case studies of the CDC's response to the H1N1 outbreak and Ford's handling of a fan site issue demonstrate how responding quickly and transparently on social media can help manage crises as they develop online.
Social media is becoming an increasingly important part of how people collect health information online. 72% of U.S. adults with chronic conditions use the internet for health information, and collecting information is seen as a journey where social media plays a role. However, pharmaceutical companies have been slow to embrace social media due to regulatory hurdles and concerns about demonstrating return on investment from social media activities. While people use social media to find health information and support from others, they tend to verify findings on other sites due to low trust in social media. Younger people more actively seek health information online and through social media.
The document discusses social media and its growth. It defines social media as a set of web-based tools that facilitate interactive communication and content sharing, allowing users to move between being an audience and author. Some key points made include that social media has seen rapid growth in recent years, it enables two-way communication between organizations and stakeholders, and that while it can build relationships, it does not replace other marketing activities if a product/service is poor.
This document is a thesis submitted by Kristina Lane to Webster University in partial fulfillment of a Master's degree in Communications Management. It examines the impact and role of social media in businesses. When used correctly, social media marketing can increase brand awareness, promote customer engagement and loyalty, drive traffic to a company's website, and generate leads and sales. While initially created for entertainment, social media has revolutionized communications and marketing. The thesis aims to confirm the importance of social media utilization for businesses and that there are competitive disadvantages for those that do not utilize these platforms. It includes a literature review and examines the top performing social media of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram for business use.
Building A Business Case For Social Media 0824-2011jonathanhcho
The document discusses building a business case for social media at the National Cancer Institute. It defines social media and new media, and explains why social media is important due to its growing user base and ability to establish brands, share information, and build relationships. It emphasizes that social media requires understanding audiences, leadership buy-in, organizational involvement, dedicated teams, and choosing appropriate tools. It also outlines risks but more benefits. The document provides guidance on developing a social media plan that considers objectives, integration, culture change, tools, measurement, and piloting approaches. It discusses governance and managing social media engagements.
Role of digital: social media in consumerismCepal & Co.
This document discusses the role of digital and social media in consumerism. It begins by introducing social media and some popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. It then discusses how social media is used for marketing, public relations, recruitment, and building partnerships. Some negative effects of social media are also mentioned, like distraction and reduced real-life interactions. Theories for understanding media impact are outlined. Strategies for using social media to promote health, like social marketing and media advocacy, are described. Reasons why healthcare organizations and professionals should use social media are provided, as are some risks and legal issues to consider. Examples of how social media is used in medical education and by healthcare professionals are given.
1. The document provides national guidelines for using social media in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP).
2. It establishes that social media can enhance EFNEP's efforts to provide nutrition education to low-income families by allowing two-way communication and reaching participants online.
3. The guidelines outline best practices for using social media, including setting goals, managing content and accounts, evaluating efforts, and protecting privacy and security. The goal is to effectively incorporate social media while maintaining EFNEP's standards.
Beth Kanter presented on using social media effectively for arts nonprofits. She discussed assessing an organization's maturity across culture, capacity, strategy and measurement using a "crawl, walk, run, fly" framework. Key areas included developing a networked mindset among leadership, creating social media policies, dedicating staff time, establishing SMART objectives, understanding audiences, and using an editorial calendar to consistently share aligned content across channels. The goal is to thoughtfully integrate social media using best practices and data to improve engagement, awareness and support.
Story Worldwide and STRIKEFORCE presented on embracing social media for healthcare through digital storytelling. They discussed challenges facing pharmaceutical companies with social media, how narrative solutions can help generate customers, and case studies of successful social media campaigns for pharmaceutical brands that utilized storytelling. The presentation provided action items on listening to audiences, finding your brand story, integrating stories across channels, and defining response teams.
This document discusses how hospitals and healthcare systems can leverage social media for real business impact. It outlines some of the challenges they face, including having dispersed social media programs across different departments, a lack of clear goals and metrics, and not linking social media activities to financial outcomes. It recommends that organizations accelerate the evolution of their social media programs by more deeply integrating social media into their operations through a centralized program with formal partnerships between departments, consistent messaging, and data-driven decision making that can link program activities to financial results.
Indonesian Journalists Technographics Report 2011/12MaverickIndonesia
This document provides an introduction and overview of a report on how Indonesian journalists consume the internet and social media. It lists the editorial team that produced the report, which includes researchers, writers and designers. It also includes a table of contents highlighting the main topics that will be covered in the report, including how journalists use social media, their preferred news sites and tools, and their preferences regarding technology and receiving information. The report aims to provide insights for businesses on how Indonesian journalists connect and find information online.
Membaca adalah kegiatan berbahaya dan sia-sia. Berbahaya karena dengan membaca kamu jadi berani. Sia-sia bila apa yang kau baca tak membuatmu jadi berani. Berani menulis saja tidak cukup, harus berani juga berarti.
This document summarizes key points from chapters 1 and 2 of a book about online communication. It discusses why communicating well online is important for harnessing social capital and having many-to-many conversations. Content needs to be seen as a conversation where people come for information that is easy to find, understand, accurate, up-to-date, and credible. Audiences skim and scan online rather than read thoroughly, so writing must answer questions, allow readers to "grab and go", ask them to return, market to the target audience, and use SEO and accessibility best practices.
Ines Mergel - Designing Social Media Strategies - IBM - 2012Ines Mergel
This document provides a guide for government managers to design an effective social media strategy. It discusses the importance of having a clear social media strategy that is aligned with an organization's mission and goals. The guide outlines key components to address in a social media strategy, including defining roles and responsibilities, identifying target audiences, appropriate content and platforms, daily routines, and metrics for measuring success. It also provides examples of social media tactics an organization can use, such as pushing official content out to social media and pulling user-generated content back in. The overall purpose is to help government agencies thoughtfully develop social media policies and practices that increase transparency, participation and collaboration with the public.
The document discusses a training on managing government use of social media in Moldova. It provides an agenda that covers an introduction to social media and its benefits, barriers and challenges for government adoption. It also discusses managing social media at both the initiative and organizational levels. Examples of social media tools used by governments are presented, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The benefits of social media for governments are said to include reaching new audiences, enhancing engagement, communication and feedback from citizens. Challenges include traditional service models and low public trust and interest in engaging with government online.
Presentation done by Jon Keefe of KMP Digitata on the 16th and 17th September for InBlackandWhite's "Social Media and Buzz Monitoring" Seminar. inblackandwhite.tv
Social Media Training for Academic organizationsStephen Dill
The document discusses the need for social media training for various groups. It argues that as social media becomes more influential, graduating students, faculty, and staff at academic institutions will benefit from understanding how to use social media to promote themselves and their work. It provides an overview of courses offered by SRD Interactive to provide social media training, including introductory lectures, extended introductions, and half-day or full-day boot camps. These courses aim to help participants develop social media strategies and skills to represent their college or organization online.
COM 400 Syllabus Spring 2013 - Social Media U Need 2 Know a.k.a. Social Media...Dr. William J. Ward
COM 400 Social Media U Need 2 Know a.k.a. Social Media for Public Communicators is the Social Media Class in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University taught by DR4WARD
The document provides guidance on developing a digital advocacy communications plan with strategies for communications, online presence, and social media. It recommends establishing: 1) a communications strategy with research, objectives, audiences and messages, 2) an online strategy focused on a website and blogging, and 3) a social media strategy using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to engage supporters and drive action. The goal is for partners to independently create and implement sustainable digital advocacy plans.
The impact of social media marketing communications on consumers perception o...Deola Kayode
This document is a thesis by Kayode Adeola Olakunle on the impact of social media marketing communications on consumers' perception of brands. It provides background on social media marketing and discusses how the rise of social media has changed how businesses promote products and interact with customers. The statement of problem notes Nigeria's growing internet and social media usage and how brands have been slow to adopt comprehensive social media strategies beyond basic advertising. The research objectives are to examine how social media marketing messages influence consumer brand perceptions in Nigeria and how brands can better integrate social media into their marketing plans.
Speed kills tips for managing crisis in the era of social mediaNuno Fraga Coelho
Social media has increased the speed at which crises can develop, so companies must be prepared to respond quickly. To be prepared, companies should have a crisis management plan that includes monitoring social media for potential issues, designating a crisis response team, and drafting messaging to respond on social media platforms in real-time. The case studies of the CDC's response to the H1N1 outbreak and Ford's handling of a fan site issue demonstrate how responding quickly and transparently on social media can help manage crises as they develop online.
Social media is becoming an increasingly important part of how people collect health information online. 72% of U.S. adults with chronic conditions use the internet for health information, and collecting information is seen as a journey where social media plays a role. However, pharmaceutical companies have been slow to embrace social media due to regulatory hurdles and concerns about demonstrating return on investment from social media activities. While people use social media to find health information and support from others, they tend to verify findings on other sites due to low trust in social media. Younger people more actively seek health information online and through social media.
The document discusses social media and its growth. It defines social media as a set of web-based tools that facilitate interactive communication and content sharing, allowing users to move between being an audience and author. Some key points made include that social media has seen rapid growth in recent years, it enables two-way communication between organizations and stakeholders, and that while it can build relationships, it does not replace other marketing activities if a product/service is poor.
This document is a thesis submitted by Kristina Lane to Webster University in partial fulfillment of a Master's degree in Communications Management. It examines the impact and role of social media in businesses. When used correctly, social media marketing can increase brand awareness, promote customer engagement and loyalty, drive traffic to a company's website, and generate leads and sales. While initially created for entertainment, social media has revolutionized communications and marketing. The thesis aims to confirm the importance of social media utilization for businesses and that there are competitive disadvantages for those that do not utilize these platforms. It includes a literature review and examines the top performing social media of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram for business use.
Building A Business Case For Social Media 0824-2011jonathanhcho
The document discusses building a business case for social media at the National Cancer Institute. It defines social media and new media, and explains why social media is important due to its growing user base and ability to establish brands, share information, and build relationships. It emphasizes that social media requires understanding audiences, leadership buy-in, organizational involvement, dedicated teams, and choosing appropriate tools. It also outlines risks but more benefits. The document provides guidance on developing a social media plan that considers objectives, integration, culture change, tools, measurement, and piloting approaches. It discusses governance and managing social media engagements.
Role of digital: social media in consumerismCepal & Co.
This document discusses the role of digital and social media in consumerism. It begins by introducing social media and some popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. It then discusses how social media is used for marketing, public relations, recruitment, and building partnerships. Some negative effects of social media are also mentioned, like distraction and reduced real-life interactions. Theories for understanding media impact are outlined. Strategies for using social media to promote health, like social marketing and media advocacy, are described. Reasons why healthcare organizations and professionals should use social media are provided, as are some risks and legal issues to consider. Examples of how social media is used in medical education and by healthcare professionals are given.
1. The document provides national guidelines for using social media in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP).
2. It establishes that social media can enhance EFNEP's efforts to provide nutrition education to low-income families by allowing two-way communication and reaching participants online.
3. The guidelines outline best practices for using social media, including setting goals, managing content and accounts, evaluating efforts, and protecting privacy and security. The goal is to effectively incorporate social media while maintaining EFNEP's standards.
Beth Kanter presented on using social media effectively for arts nonprofits. She discussed assessing an organization's maturity across culture, capacity, strategy and measurement using a "crawl, walk, run, fly" framework. Key areas included developing a networked mindset among leadership, creating social media policies, dedicating staff time, establishing SMART objectives, understanding audiences, and using an editorial calendar to consistently share aligned content across channels. The goal is to thoughtfully integrate social media using best practices and data to improve engagement, awareness and support.
Story Worldwide and STRIKEFORCE presented on embracing social media for healthcare through digital storytelling. They discussed challenges facing pharmaceutical companies with social media, how narrative solutions can help generate customers, and case studies of successful social media campaigns for pharmaceutical brands that utilized storytelling. The presentation provided action items on listening to audiences, finding your brand story, integrating stories across channels, and defining response teams.
This document discusses how hospitals and healthcare systems can leverage social media for real business impact. It outlines some of the challenges they face, including having dispersed social media programs across different departments, a lack of clear goals and metrics, and not linking social media activities to financial outcomes. It recommends that organizations accelerate the evolution of their social media programs by more deeply integrating social media into their operations through a centralized program with formal partnerships between departments, consistent messaging, and data-driven decision making that can link program activities to financial results.
Indonesian Journalists Technographics Report 2011/12MaverickIndonesia
This document provides an introduction and overview of a report on how Indonesian journalists consume the internet and social media. It lists the editorial team that produced the report, which includes researchers, writers and designers. It also includes a table of contents highlighting the main topics that will be covered in the report, including how journalists use social media, their preferred news sites and tools, and their preferences regarding technology and receiving information. The report aims to provide insights for businesses on how Indonesian journalists connect and find information online.
Membaca adalah kegiatan berbahaya dan sia-sia. Berbahaya karena dengan membaca kamu jadi berani. Sia-sia bila apa yang kau baca tak membuatmu jadi berani. Berani menulis saja tidak cukup, harus berani juga berarti.
This document summarizes key points from chapters 1 and 2 of a book about online communication. It discusses why communicating well online is important for harnessing social capital and having many-to-many conversations. Content needs to be seen as a conversation where people come for information that is easy to find, understand, accurate, up-to-date, and credible. Audiences skim and scan online rather than read thoroughly, so writing must answer questions, allow readers to "grab and go", ask them to return, market to the target audience, and use SEO and accessibility best practices.
This document provides information about writing for social media. It defines social media as web and mobile applications that allow users to create and share content. Various social media channels are discussed like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, along with statistics on user demographics and engagement rates. Tips are provided for writing effectively for social media like understanding your audience, using compelling content like visuals and videos, engaging with your audience, and posting at optimal times. Resources on social media statistics and demographics are also referenced.
Writing Effective Headlines for Digital and Social MediaBill Zimmerman
Be aware of common pitfalls, learn headline tweaks that hook readers and see examples from top news outlets. This is a useful primer for social media managers, newspaper editors and public relations pros.
REVISED EDITION: Indonesian Journalists Technographics Survey Report 2013MaverickIndonesia
This document discusses findings from a study on how Indonesian journalists use the internet and social media. Some key findings include:
- Most Indonesian journalists spend over 5 hours per day online and access the internet over 4 times a day.
- Journalists use social media for both personal and professional development, as well as to find story ideas, public opinion, and sources.
- Mainstream media websites and social media accounts are commonly used as trusted references, along with individual experts' accounts.
- Journalists' levels of engagement on social media range from passive consumption to active sharing of content and conversations.
This document discusses writing for blogs and social media. It covers components of social media like style, tone, and connection. It also discusses risks like errors and copyright issues. Several types of blog posts are suggested, including offering advice as an expert, top ten lists, reviews, observations, responding to others, and curating content from research. Case studies of blogs from Accenture and rules for curation are provided. Students are assigned to launch their own blog with one post per week on a unique topic of interest to others.
This presentation shares how to use traditional writing concepts and "rules" to write effectively for social media. In addition to reviewing writing and social media fundamentals, this presentation also shares examples from DKNY and Southwest Air.
For more information, please contact jenniferizzo@costadevault.com or visit www.costadevault.com.
Digital technology has changed every aspect of news production, including gathering, reporting, and distributing news. For gathering, journalists now leverage crowd-sourcing to access more sources and information. Reporting involves multi-media content and more involvement from consumers. Distribution is no longer at fixed times or places, allowing for on-demand access across multiple platforms. Writing for social media focuses on connecting with audiences by using their preferred platforms and writing in a way that is optimized for sharing. Search engine optimization involves using keywords, specific terms, and formatting content appropriately across different social media channels.
These are slides from a presentation to the PRSA National Capital Chapter on March 16, 2010 as part of a public relations writing seminar led by Don Bates of George Washington University.
This document outlines a scaffolded digital writing assignment designed to help EAP students overcome common obstacles in writing academic papers. The assignment breaks the writing process into 6 steps, provides instructions and modeling at each step, and incorporates digital tools like Google Docs for collaboration and feedback. Students research a topic like condos in Toronto, gathering information in Step 1, building connections in Step 2, then accessing, evaluating, and annotating sources in Steps 3-4. They draft and revise their paper in Step 5 with instructor modeling and feedback via comments and suggestions. In Step 6, students reflect on what they learned through the process.
When it's online, it's all (and always) visual -- including writing. Protips for writing effectively for online digital platforms. Includes case example of editing for online readability. Session presented at ALDE Ignite 2016.
This document provides guidance on writing for social media. It recommends tweeting during class at least 3 times using hashtags to discuss the topic. When tweeting, keep messages brief under 140 characters and consider images. Opinions are acceptable for some roles but know your organization's policies. Social media can be used as a reporting tool to find sources and verify information. When breaking news, share verified facts and what is unknown. Hashtags help with search and conversation. Crowdsourcing from social media also benefits reporting. Practice condensing ideas into tweets to improve concise writing. Famous speeches and sayings are shown condensed into tweets.
Writing for social media: content focusDaryl Pereira
Writing Social Media Content discusses how brands can create content that stands out on social media. It recommends that content be valuable for both audiences and businesses. It should tell strong customer stories that delight and inform readers. The document provides a framework for developing an effective content strategy, including planning content around clear messaging and measuring its impact. It also offers potential content ideas around launching a sneaker campaign, events for engaged couples, promoting organic cookies, and how a travel company can reach out during a storm.
This document discusses digital writing and tools that can be used to teach digital writing in the classroom. It defines digital writing as writing done using digital tools and online spaces. It explores how the Common Core standards relate to digital writing skills. Teachers are encouraged to incorporate more technology into their writing process and classrooms using tools like Google Drive, Grammarly, podcasts, blogs and wikis. Specific digital tools are presented that can be used for brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing and publishing digital writing assignments.
- Digital storytelling enhances traditional storytelling by allowing for interactivity, co-creation, non-linear structures, and cross-platform storytelling. It enables audience participation and engagement.
- For museums, digital storytelling can help them become more socially relevant by starting conversations about important issues and questions in society. It allows the museum to listen as well as share stories.
- The key is not the "digital" aspect, but using various media to make storytelling more engaging for audiences. Storytelling remains the most important element.
The document is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) guide to writing effective social media content. It provides guidance on writing for platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and text messages to disseminate public health information. The guide emphasizes tailoring messages to specific audiences, using plain language, and making content relevant, useful and interesting. It offers best practices, sample posts, and resources for CDC staff and others working in health communication.
The document provides guidance on using social media to promote community discussions and activities around flu preparedness and response. It recommends a four-step process: 1) learn and plan by building a strategy and team, 2) set up tools like Ning, Facebook, and Twitter, 3) listen and comment through social media monitoring, and 4) conduct outreach and promotion through blogging, Twitter, and sharing content. The document provides detailed instructions for setting up profiles and pages on various social media platforms to engage the community in preparedness activities and information sharing.
This document outlines the Marine Corps' social media principles to empower Marines to participate in social media discussions. The principles aim to engage Marines in greater discussion as representatives of the Corps while adhering to core values. Marines are encouraged to use social media responsibly and appropriately represent the Corps in all online communications.
The primary research conducted on the University of Missouri School of Social Work found low awareness of the program across campus. Only 42% of general students surveyed had heard of the school before, and their average knowledge level was very low. For social work students, location and cost were most important in choosing the program. Most were interested in graduate school. Strengths included small class sizes, faculty, opportunities, and field placement quality.
This report examines how anchor institutions like universities and hospitals can improve outcomes for low-income communities. It conducted interviews with 75 leaders from anchor institutions, nonprofits, government and community groups. The report finds that while anchor institutions engage in some community work, they often do not systematically measure its impact. It aims to start a discussion around common areas of focus and indicators that anchors could use to better evaluate the effectiveness and equitable impact of their community engagement. Developing shared focus areas and indicators could help anchors improve their strategic and equitable community development.
The document outlines a campaign plan for the Samaritan Foundation to recruit new foster carers. It includes a situation analysis, objectives, target audiences, and proposed strategies. The campaign will use various tactics like presentations, social media, flyers, an online quiz and event over 4 months to recruit 16 new foster carers in the Newcastle and Mudgee regions of New South Wales. The plan provides details on implementation, contingencies, evaluation and a $3,000 budget.
This document outlines a social media plan for Loyalist College's new Entrepreneurial Studies Program. The plan details goals of creating awareness for the program through social media and engaging with students, investors, and mentors. It evaluates competition from Queens University and University of Toronto programs. The plan outlines use of Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Ask.fm, LinkedIn, and HootSuite to promote the program. Key learnings include the importance of consistency across platforms and use of hashtags/images to engage audiences and measure effectiveness. The target audience is entrepreneurially-minded individuals aged 19-24 currently in college or recently graduated.
A manager’s guide to assessing the impact of government social media interact...Boris Loukanov
A Manager’s Guide to Assessing the Impact of Government Social Media Interactions
by Ines Mergel, Associate Professor of Public Administration Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University
Published by IBM Center for The Business of Government
www.businessofgovernment.org
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CDC's Guide to writing for social media
1. CDC’S GUIDE TO
Writing for Social Media
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CS231852
2. Acknowledgements
CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media was developed by the Electronic Media Branch,
Division of News and Electronic Media, Office of the Associate Director of
Communication at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It was designed
to provide guidance and to share the lessons learned in more than three years of
creating social media messages in CDC health communication campaigns, activities, and
emergency response efforts. In this guide, you will find information to help you write
more effectively using multiple social media channels, particularly Facebook, Twitter, and
mobile phone text messaging. The guide is intended for a beginner audience, although
some readers with an intermediate level may find it useful too.
A number of dedicated and hardworking professionals contributed to the creation of
CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media. For their invaluable input, we would like to
thank the following CDC staff, contractors, and other individuals.
External
Leslie O'Flahavan, E-WRITE, Head Writer
Andrea Goulet, E-WRITE, Writer
CDC OADC Staff
Amy Burnett Heldman, CDC, Project Lead
Curt Shannon, CDC, Project Lead
Diane Brodalski, Contractor, Northrop Grumman,Project Lead
Jessica Schindelar, CDC
Heather Brink, CDC
Cari Wolfson, Contractor, Focus on U!
Cynthia Baur, CDC
Diana Toomer, CDC
Sue Swensen, CDC
Melanie Jankun, CDC
CDC Social Media Council
Jay Dempsey,CDC
Maureen Marshall, CDC
Amy Rowland, CDC
Conne Ward-Cameron, CDC
We also acknowledge and thank Carol Crawford and Doğan Eroğlu for their review and
excellent contributions to the guide.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 0
3. Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................... 0
Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................. 1
Chapter 1: Introduction .................................................................................................................... 2
What Is Social Media? ................................................................................................................... 2
What Is This Guide For? How Should It Be Used? ......................................................................... 3
Social Media and Communication Strategy .................................................................................. 3
Chapter 2: Before You Start.............................................................................................................. 4
Target Audiences, Health Literacy and Plain Language, and Social Marketing ............................ 4
Chapter 3: Principles of Effective Social Media Writing ................................................................. 14
Creating Content ......................................................................................................................... 14
Examples of Relevant, Useful, and Interesting Messages........................................................... 15
Chapter 4: How to Write for Facebook .......................................................................................... 24
Profiles and Pages ....................................................................................................................... 24
Best Practices for Writing CDC Facebook Posts .......................................................................... 24
Sample CDC Facebook Posts ....................................................................................................... 26
Chapter 5: How to Write for Twitter .............................................................................................. 28
Twitter Syntax ............................................................................................................................. 28
Anatomy of a Tweet .................................................................................................................... 29
Best Practices for Writing CDC Tweets ....................................................................................... 29
Sample CDC Tweets .................................................................................................................... 30
Chapter 6: How to Write Text Messages ......................................................................................... 32
Best Practices for Writing CDC Text Messages ........................................................................... 32
Sample CDC Text Messages ........................................................................................................ 34
Chapter 7: How to Use Your Web Content as Source Material for Social Media Content ............. 36
Make Social Media Writing Easier by Repurposing Web Content .............................................. 36
Plan to Rewrite Your Web Content for Use in Social Media ....................................................... 36
Chapter 8: Hands-On Practice in Revising Social Media Content.................................................... 39
Improve These Draft Facebook Posts ......................................................................................... 39
Improve These Draft Tweets ....................................................................................................... 41
Improve These Draft Text Messages ........................................................................................... 43
Improved Facebook Posts ........................................................................................................... 44
Improved Tweets ........................................................................................................................ 46
Improved Text Messages ............................................................................................................ 47
Chapter 9: Checklist for Writing for Social Media ........................................................................... 48
Chapter 10: Glossary ....................................................................................................................... 50
Facebook Terms .......................................................................................................................... 50
Twitter Terms .............................................................................................................................. 50
Texting Terms .............................................................................................................................. 51
Chapter 11: Social Media Writing Resources .................................................................................. 52
CDC’s Social Media and Writing Resources ................................................................................ 52
Federal Agencies’ Social Media and Writing Resources ............................................................. 52
State Government Social Media and Writing Resources ............................................................ 53
Other Social Media and Writing Resources ................................................................................ 54
Appendix A: Audience Segmentation .............................................................................................. 55
Audience Information, by Age .................................................................................................... 55
Audience Information, by Role ................................................................................................... 57
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 1
4. Chapter 1: Introduction
What Is Social Media?
Beginning in the early part of the 21st century, Web applications began to change the
way we communicate. A single person—who before had been limited to a “point-to-
point” communication method such as face-to-face conversation or a telephone call—
can now reach an audience of hundreds or thousands of people with a single click. “One-
to-many” communication channels, such as television or radio advertising, had previously
been expensive and their reach limited to a general audience. We have since seen a
dramatic increase in the use of online and other electronic tools (e.g., Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube, blogs, and texting) for sharing and creating content, which in this document are
collectively called social media. Companies and government agencies are discovering
how to harness the power of social media to expand the reach of their marketing and
communication messages.
For those of us in health communication, social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter,
and text messaging allow us to expand our reach, foster engagement, and increase
access to credible, science-based health messages. Social media can help organizations
achieve the after goals:
• Disseminate health and safety information in a timelier manner.
• Increase the potential impact of important messages.
• Leverage networks of people to make information sharing easier.
• Create different messages to reach diverse audiences.
• Personalize health messages and target them to a particular audience.
• Engage with the public.
• Empower people to make safer and healthier decisions.
When integrated into health communication campaigns and activities, social media can
encourage participation, conversation, and community—all of which can help spread key
messages, influence decision making, and promote behavior change. Social media also
helps to reach people when, where, and how it’s convenient for them, which improves
the availability of content and might influence satisfaction and trust in the health
messages delivered.
Social media is also a key tool in building awareness and credibility. According to the Pew
Internet & American Life Project report in 2011, “Social Networking Sites and Our Lives,”
nearly half of adults (47%) used at least one social networking site in 2010. That number
is growing quickly, nearly doubling from 2008 (26%). Social networks are places where
people gather information from experts and peers to help them make health decisions.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 2
5. What Is This Guide For? How Should It Be Used?
As a health communicator, you craft health and safety messages that can have a
profound impact on the public. Using social media, these messages can reach more
audiences and have an even greater impact on the public. This Guide aims to assist you in
translating your messages so they resonate and are relevant to social media audiences,
and encourage action, engagement, and interaction. It is largely tactical, giving you
specific ways to write for social media channels.
Although a wide variety of social media tools exist, this Guide will focus on three specific
channels: Facebook, Twitter, and text messages (short message service, or SMS). For
information on other channels, social networking sites, and microblogs, visit CDC’s Social
Media Tools, Guidelines and Best Practices at
http://www.cdc.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/guidelines/.
Social Media and Communication Strategy
Keep in mind that social media is one tool in a larger communication strategy. Always
consider your overarching communication goals when developing social media activities.
As with all media outreach, the keys to an effective social media presence are to
• Identify your target audience.
• Determine your objective.
• Select the appropriate channel for your message.
• Decide upfront how much time and effort you can invest.
You can learn more about social media strategy in The Health Communicator’s Social
Media Toolkit at
http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/ToolsTemplates/SocialMediaToolkit_BM.pdf.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 3
6. Chapter 2: Before You Start
Target Audiences, Health Literacy and Plain Language, and
Social Marketing
Social media presents a particular challenge for communicators because the users don’t
focus on a single document. A reader often sifts through an onslaught of information,
skims topics, and browses sites to determine where to focus his or her attention. If
content is dense, long, and jargon-filled, the reader probably won’t find it appealing. To
ensure that the reader does take the time to read your messages, social media writers
should
• Understand the audience they are trying to reach.
• Apply health literacy principles.
• Follow plain language best practices.
• Use social marketing concepts to improve communications.
Know Your Target Audience(s)
One benefit of using social media is audience segmentation. You can develop messages
that are specific to the concerns, needs, and desires of a particular demographic.
Understanding what’s important to your audience will increase the effectiveness of your
social media efforts.
Likewise, understanding your audience will help you select the best channels for reaching
specific audiences with your messages. People access information in different ways, at
different times of the day, and for different reasons. Using market research, metrics, and
other data to define your audience needs will be important in selecting the most
effective channels. Each social media channel is different in the way it engages
communities and manages content. Understanding how people naturally use or
participate in different social media channels will help you determine your engagement
strategy. If limited literacy skills are an issue for the audience you are trying to reach,
then find out if and how they use social media. They might be more attracted to audio-
visual content than written messages.
Appendix A provides key points on several of the audiences the CDC reaches. For more
information, review the Audience Insights documents at the Gateway to Health
Communication & Social Marketing Practice section at
http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Audience/.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 4
7. Health Literacy
Now more than ever, health literacy matters. Laws such as the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act of 2010 and the Plain Writing Act of 2010 require government
communicators to make their messages easy to understand, so people can more easily
act upon information and make effective decisions about their health.
Research indicates that most health information is not presented in a way that is usable
by most adults. Here are some examples:
• Nearly 9 in 10 adults have difficulty using the everyday health information that is
routinely available in health care facilities, retail outlets, media, and communities.
• Without clear information and an understanding of the information's importance,
people are more likely to skip necessary medical tests, end up in the emergency
room more often, and have a harder time managing chronic diseases like diabetes
or high blood pressure.
• About 1 in 3 adults has below basic or basic health literacy skills, which means
they would find it difficult to read and follow instructions on a prescription
medicine label.
In response to these findings, CDC provides resources to help writers improve
communications materials and focus on health literacy issues. For help crafting social
media communications, please see http://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/.
The Importance of Plain Language
Often, we in health communication create health literacy problems for our audiences
when we present information that makes it difficult for them to understand what they
should know and do. Some of the most common mistakes follow:
• Using jargon or words and phrases that are not commonly understood by most
people.
• Writing dense and long content that overuses the passive voice and doesn’t give
clear and concise directions or “calls to action.”
• Including too many distracters (for example, visuals and text don’t match or the
font is too small).
Using plain language helps to correct these problems. Studies show that when writers
use plain language, readers discover information more quickly, understand it better, and
find it more compelling. When you think plain language, think everyday language, and
you will help your readers. You can learn more about plain language from the federal
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 5
8. Plain Language Action and Information Network and can find the federal government’s
plain language guidelines at http://www.plainlanguage.gov/index.cfm.
Here are some basic principles of plain language:
• Quickly engage the reader.
• Limit use of jargon, technical, or scientific language.
• Write in active voice.
• Keep messages short.
• Write in a friendly but professional tone.
• Choose words with one definition or connotation.
• Use measurements that are familiar to your audience.
• Choose familiar terms, and use them consistently.
• Use acronyms with caution.
• Use numbers when they help you make your point.
• Consider using alternatives to words expressing mathematical concepts, such as
risk, normal, and range, if those words do not have meaning to your audience.
Examples of Plain Writing to Promote Health Literacy
Quickly engage the reader, and tell them what to do (don’t be ambiguous)
• Give the most important information first.
• Tell what actions to take in clear, easy-to-understand language.
• Explain why the action is important.
• Use concrete nouns (things you can see, hear, smell, taste or touch).
Example of a clear message
GOOD EXAMPLE: Always wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds
before and after handling food. Food can carry germs that might make you and
your family sick.
WEAK EXAMPLE: Gifts from your kids like a yummy mud-pie, a timid turtle, and a
dandelion bouquet are cute, but they all have germs. That’s why it’s important to
wash your hands before preparing dinner.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 6
9. Example of an action message
GOOD EXAMPLE: Follow these rules to avoid getting sick from food:
Cook meat until it is not pink in the middle.
Wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds after touching raw
meat.
Wash fresh fruit and vegetables completely before you eat them.
Keep hot food hot and cold food cold.
WEAK EXAMPLE: Following safety precautions can reduce food-borne disease
transmission.
Limit use of jargon, technical, or scientific language
Unless you are communicating with experts in the subject, avoid using jargon and
technical language as much as possible. If technical information is essential to help
the audience understand the action steps, define the terms first and explain them in
everyday language your readers will understand.
Examples of alternatives to scientific language
GOOD EXAMPLE: high blood pressure
WEAK EXAMPLE: hypertension
GOOD EXAMPLE: birth control
WEAK EXAMPLE: contraception
Write in active voice
In active voice sentences, the subject is doing the action of the verb. Active voice
sentences are often easier to understand.
Example of a message written in active voice
GOOD EXAMPLE: The nurse took a sample of the patient’s blood.
WEAK EXAMPLE: A sample of the patient’s blood was taken by the nurse.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 7
10. Keep messages short
Use words with one or two syllables when you can.
Example of a short message
GOOD EXAMPLE: Stress is normal. It’s a mental or physical reaction to problems
people have in their lives.
WEAK EXAMPLE: Stress is a prevalent psychological and physical consequence of
the ever-increasing demands of life.
Write in a friendly but professional tone
A conversational style is easier to understand. Use personal pronouns as often as
possible.
Example of a conversational style with personal pronouns (you)
GOOD EXAMPLE: You could get sick if you are near the chemical.
WEAK EXAMPLE: Exposure to the chemical could cause adverse health effects.
Choose words with one definition or connotation
People with limited literacy skills might not be able to figure out the meaning of
ambiguous words.
Example of a message using words with only one meaning
GOOD EXAMPLE: Workers who earn less money are less likely to seek medical
help when they feel sick.
WEAK EXAMPLE: Poor workers are less likely to seek medical help when they feel
sick.
“Poor workers” could mean workers with poor performance or workers with
limited income.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 8
11. Use measurements that are familiar to your audience
Consider using a comparison if a measurement is not familiar.
Example of using a comparison in a message
GOOD EXAMPLE: Feel for lumps about the size of a pea.
WEAK EXAMPLE: Feel for lumps about 5 to 6 millimeters in diameter.
Choose familiar terms, and use them consistently
Pick the most familiar words and use them throughout your text.
Example of consistent word use
GOOD EXAMPLE: “Mad Cow Disease,” which captured public attention in the
1990s, is a disease of the nerves that affects the brain and spinal cord of cattle.
WEAK EXAMPLE: Mad Cow Disease captured public attention in the 1990s. Bovine
Spongiform Encephalitis is a neurological disease that affects the brain and spinal
cord of cattle.
Use acronyms with caution
• Provide the term before the acronym.
• Define all terms, even those you believe might be obvious to the reader.
• Avoid beginning a sentence with an acronym.
• Do not spell out familiar acronyms, such as HIV or AIDS.
• Omit the article “the” when referring to CDC or when the acronym is pronounced
as a word.
Example of messaging with acronyms
GOOD EXAMPLE: Breathing smoke from someone else’s cigarette or pipe
(secondhand smoke) can cause sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
WEAK EXAMPLE: Breathing secondhand smoke is a known cause of sudden infant
death syndrome (SIDS).
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 9
12. Use numbers when they help you make your point
It is clearer to write “3 in 4 people” rather than “75% of people.” However, because
of character limitations (and to make the message stand out), it’s okay to use %
rather than “percent” and to use numbers rather than spelling them out in letters
when creating social media messages.
Example of message using statistics
GOOD EXAMPLE: Researchers found that 90% of Americans believe the possible
harm from vaccines is very small.
WEAK EXAMPLE: Researchers found that 90 percent of Americans believe the risk
from vaccines is very small.
Consider using alternatives to words expressing mathematical concepts, such
as risk, normal, and range, if those words do not have meaning to your
audience
If possible, use words such as “chance” or “possibility” instead.
Example of an alternative to a mathematical message
GOOD EXAMPLE: Most Americans believe the chance that something bad can
happen to them after getting a vaccine is small.
WEAK EXAMPLE: Most Americans believe there are very few risks associated with
vaccines.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 10
13. Use the Tools of Social Marketing in Your Communications
Take a look at these sentences. What do the bold words have in common?
Fasten your seat belt. Eat more fruit.
Pull over to use your cell phone.
Don't litter. Get a mammogram.
Talk to your doctor.
These action words (verbs) are behaviors that promote health. Social marketing is the
use of marketing principles to influence human behavior to improve health or benefit
society. Social marketing is about identifying the specific target audience segment(s),
describing the benefits, and creating interventions that will influence or support the
desired behavior change.
Social marketing planning requires understanding and incorporating the "The Four Ps of
Marketing" (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion) into program planning. Social
marketing looks at providing health services from the viewpoint of the consumer.
Research can help to describe what an audience is now doing or thinking, which will help
shape realistic goals for behavior change.
Below are some guidelines for incorporating social marketing into your communications.
• Highlight the positive aspects of your health message.
• Answer the audience’s question, “What’s in it for me?”
• Respect your audience.
• Encourage your readers to take a particular action or to learn more.
• Tie messages to specific products or services when possible (such as “Find out
where to get tested” or “Know your status”).
Highlight the positive
Tell your audience what they should do rather than what they should not do.
Example of a positive message
GOOD EXAMPLE: Wear your helmet every time you ride your bicycle.
WEAK EXAMPLE: Do not ride your bicycle without wearing a helmet.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 11
14. Answer the question “What’s in it for me?”
Tell your audience how your message will benefit them.
Example of a benefit-driven message
GOOD EXAMPLE: Learn ways to have a healthy pregnancy and how to prevent
possible complications.
WEAK EXAMPLE: Pregnancy can have all sorts of complications that range from
routine to fatal.
Respect your audience
Don’t talk down or preach. People are less likely to act on information if you make
them feel bad about their current behavior or health situation.
Example of a respectful message
GOOD MESSAGE: Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a condition that occurs when a
baby is exposed to alcohol during pregnancy.
WEAK MESSAGE: Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) occurs when the mother
consumes too much alcohol during pregnancy.
Encourage your readers
Emphasize small, practical steps. Offer concrete examples of successful action steps.
Example of an encouraging message
GOOD EXAMPLE: You can live a healthy, tobacco-free life. The first step is
deciding to quit. Set a quit date and mark it on your calendar.
WEAK EXAMPLE: People who use tobacco are more likely to develop disease and
die earlier than people who don’t use tobacco. Quit today.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 12
15. Tie messages to specific products or services
Give specific directions or links to services that allow people to personalize their
search or get information that will be useful for them.
Example of a message that specifies a personalized service
GOOD EXAMPLE: Get Tested for HIV. Visit XXXXXX@yyy.Gov or contact your local
health department to find the testing site nearest you.
WEAK EXAMPLE: Everyone should get tested for HIV. Your state health
department or CDC can help you get started.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 13
16. Chapter 3: Principles of Effective Social
Media Writing
Creating Content
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the technology when talking about social media, but flashy
tools alone won’t make a campaign effective—good content does. Social media content
should be
• Relevant, useful, and interesting
• Easy to understand and share
• Friendly, conversational, and engaging
• Action-oriented
Social media is most effective when the content relates to a particular interest or desire
of a specific group of people. Because your target audience can receive multiple
messages from multiple sources every day, try to make your messages relevant, useful,
and interesting so your audience will interact and be engaged.
Relevant
Relevant social media content makes people think “This matters to me.” Relevant
information can be based on
• Time
• Geography
• Audience
• Interests
Useful
When people can use social media information to see their lives in new ways, change
behavior, or learn something they didn’t know before, it’s useful. Make information
useful by suggesting practical steps or citing convincing statistics or report findings.
Interesting
To capture a reader’s attention, create content that piques curiosity. Interesting social
media content is more likely to be shared. Of course, content should always be
professional and relevant to a health topic.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 14
17. Examples of Relevant, Useful, and Interesting Messages
Messages that are relevant by time
Example of a time-relevant Facebook post
CDC
Celebrate this 4th of July by declaring freedom from nicotine addiction.
Learn how today’s cigarettes are even more addictive and how you or a
loved one can quit.
Example of a time-relevant tweet
@CDC_XYZ_Health
School’s out for summer! Read tips on how to keep kids healthy and
safe. http://example.gov/xyz
Example of a time-relevant text message
CDC: This 4th of July, celebrate your freedom from tobacco. To get tips on how
to quit, reply ICANQUIT
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 15
18. Messages that are relevant by geography
Example of geography-relevant Facebook post
CDC
XYZ continues to monitor an outbreak of XYZ infections going on in
Europe. For updates and resources, subscribe to Dr. Joe Smith’s blog.
http://XYZhealth.gov/drjoe
Example of geography-relevant tweet
@CDC_XYZProgram
25 states ban smoking in public places. See if your state—and lungs—
are protected. Visit: http://example.gov/xyz
Example of geography-relevant text message
CDC: Red River flooding expected (in ND and MN). During flood warning, gather
emergency supplies, turn off electricity/gas & stay tuned for local updates. CDC
800-232-4636
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 16
19. Messages that are relevant by audience
Example of audience-relevant Facebook post
CDC
Learn how to protect your baby. More children have disabilities due to
a congenital CMV infection than many other conditions. Pregnant
women, follow these simple tips to reduce your risk of getting a CMV
infection. http://example.gov/cmv
Example of audience-relevant tweet
@CDC_XYZProgram
#Disability is not inability. Take it from the famous physicist Prof.
Stephen Hawking. Watch the interview: http://XYZhealth.gov/blog
Example of audience-relevant text message
CDC: Thinking about having a baby? Take folic acid daily before & during
pregnancy to help prevent brain & spinal cord defects in baby. More:
http://m.cdc.gov/folic
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 17
20. Messages that are relevant by specific interests
Example of specific-interest-relevant Facebook post
CDC
Now open at the XYZ health museum! Malaria: Blood, Sweat, and
Tears. Photographer Douglas Parker uses a variety of media to
demonstrate the global effect of malaria. Schedule your visit today:
http://XYZhealth.gov/museum.
Example of specific-interest-relevant tweet
@CDC_XYZProgram
Gardeners - spring has sprung! Stay healthy and safe in the garden by
following these tips: http://example.gov/garden
Example of specific-interest-relevant text message
CDC: Ready for the big game but not the weight gain? Learn how to control what
you eat while watching TV. Reply HEALTHYSNACKS to learn more.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 18
21. Messages that are relevant by their usefulness
Example of useful Facebook post
CDC
An XYZ health study shows a decline in spina bifida. Why? An
increased folic acid intake from taking vitamins and eating foods with
folic acid is a likely contributor. Learn more about spina bifida:
http://XYZhealth.gov/sb
Example of useful tweet
@CDC_XYZProgram
10 reasons why fast weight loss is not healthy:
http://XYZhealth.gov/wl
Example of useful text message
CDC: Be safe this winter. Use a helmet while skiing on the slopes. Think you have
a concussion? Don’t hide it, see a doctor. For concussion signs, reply HEAD.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 19
22. Messages that are relevant by their general interest
Example of a generally interesting Facebook post
CDC
What do Zombies and Hurricanes have in common? Emergency
preparedness. CDC and the XYZ emergency agency are busy preparing.
Learn how you can, too! Hurricane season starts June 1.
Example of a generally interesting tweet
@CDC_XYZProgram
Squinting to read this tweet? Schedule an Eye Exam Today. Learn
about keeping your eyes healthy: http://example.gov/eyes
Example of a generally interesting text message
CDC: Cooking turkey this Thanksgiving? Test your turkey knowledge with this
quick quiz. Reply TURKEY to start.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 20
23. Easy to understand and share
In social media channels, your message competes fiercely with others for your readers’
attention. That is why it’s important to use plain language and craft your message so the
information you present is easy to understand. Also, consider how easy your message is
to share or “like” on Facebook or “retweet” on Twitter. If users must modify your
message to share it, they might get frustrated and quit or change the message so it’s not
as accurate as the original.
Here are some ways to ensure your messages are easy to understand and share:
• Put relevant, intriguing information at the beginning of your post. Can you ask a
question?
• Use fewer characters than allowed to make sharing easy.
• Keep messages short but relevant.
• Test your message on a cold reader. Could someone “get it” in less than 2
seconds?
• Provide enough context so your message can stand alone.
Example of an easy-to-share message
GOOD EXAMPLE:
10 tips for keeping your independence when suffering from memory loss, Alzheimer's, or
dementia: go.usa.gov/XYZ
(At 111 characters, this message provides room for RT—retweet—or a hashtag or @
mention.)
WEAK EXAMPLE:
We’re offering you 10 practical tips for keeping your independence when you suffer from
memory loss, Alzheimer's, or dementia go.usa.gov/XYZ
(At 140 characters, this message should be edited for conciseness to be shared on
Twitter.)
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 21
24. Friendly, conversational, engaging
It’s no surprise that social media is, well, social! Social media content generally has a
more informal tone than other communications. That’s not to say social media messages
are not also professional. Here are some ways to help you achieve a balanced,
conversational tone.
• Use contractions (can’t, don’t, haven’t).
• Write in first or second person (I, we, you).
• Avoid colloquial language (y’all, ain’t, you guys).
• Avoid trendy abbreviations (UR for “you are”).
Example of a friendly tone
GOOD EXAMPLE:
Thanks to our followers, new and old. You are one of the 100,000 followers who are
using our info to make healthier lifestyle decisions. Thanks for coming back and letting us
know what we can do better.
WEAK EXAMPLE:
CDC has reached the 100,000 follower milestone. With 100,000 fans, CDC is reaching
more people to help them make healthier lifestyle decisions.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 22
25. Action-Oriented
You can use social media tools to help build awareness and direct readers to take action
or find more information. Social media messages should have a call to action, urging
people to take the next step. Here are some ways to make your messages action-
oriented:
• Use action verbs such as “learn,” “watch,” or “join.”
• Include links to Web content that offer more detail or supply a phone number or
e-mail address, but not e-mail addresses for individuals.
• Use ALL CAPS sparingly, for emphasis only.
Example of an action-oriented message
GOOD EXAMPLE:
Help ease itching from mosquito bites: wash the bitten area, rub gently with ice, or apply
anti-itch cream.
WEAK EXAMPLE:
When bitten by a mosquito, washing the area can be helpful. Also using an ice cube or
itch cream to put on the bite might also help ease the itch
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 23
26. Chapter 4: How to Write for Facebook
Facebook is the largest and one of the most prominent social networking applications
today. At the time of this writing (Fall 2011), Facebook claims 700 million active users,
half of whom log into Facebook on any given day. For current statistics, visit Facebook’s
statistic page at http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics.
Profiles and Pages
Facebook is structured with two different audiences in mind. 1) Individuals have profiles
where they upload status updates, pictures, videos, and links for others to view.
Individuals grow their networks by adding friends or liking pages. 2) Public-facing
organizations, such as nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government agencies like
CDC, have special profiles designed for the public. These two Facebook audiences can
update their pages with new posts that display in the “news feed,” which is the main
page a user sees after logging in.
For more information, read CDC’s “Social Media Guidelines and Best Practices –
Facebook” (PDF) at
http://www.cdc.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/guidelines/pdf/FacebookGuidelines.pdf.
To see what other agencies are doing, go to Government on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/government.
Best Practices for Writing CDC Facebook Posts
Length
Facebook offers more space to create content than Twitter or text messages. Each
Facebook post can be a maximum of 420 characters plus a link. However, a shorter
length is recommended; CDC recommends that Facebook posts be 250 characters (or
shorter) to allow the post to be viewed completely in the newsfeed.
Content
All posts written for Facebook should use consumer-friendly, action-oriented messaging.
The posts should be interesting and compelling and include a specific call to action.
Posts should include one link to a Web page, photo, or captioned video.
Tone
Because Facebook is a platform for people to share what’s going on in their lives, the
tone is naturally casual but professional. Use a consumer-friendly voice when crafting
your messages. If your post is directed toward lay people, avoid or define jargon.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 24
27. Tagging
The next time you’re typing a public health partner’s name in your post, add the @
symbol in front of it. This will trigger the tagging feature in Facebook, automatically
creating a link and displaying the post on the partner’s page. Encourage partners to tag
CDC, too.
Example of CDC NPIN’s Facebook post that includes a tagged partner: @SAMHSA
CDC NPIN’s Facebook post appeared on the SAMHSA’s wall
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 25
28. Sample CDC Facebook Posts
Facebook Post–Sample 1
CDC
Walking is good for your health and the environment too. Stay safe
while you walk: In the next 2 hours, 27 pedestrians will be injured in a
traffic crash, and 1 pedestrian will die of those injuries. Read tips for
how to stay safe while walking about town.
Walk This Way! Taking Steps for Pedestrian Safety
www.cdc.gov
This Facebook post demonstrates how writing short, consumer-focused messages can
better reach a social media audience:
• The message is brief and practical (“…Read tips for how to stay safe…”).
• The message integrates data in a natural and meaningful way (“… in the next 2
hours, 27 pedestrians will be injured…”).
Facebook Post–Sample 2
CDC
Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) is one of the most common
causes of food poisoning in the U.S. Anyone can get food poisoning
from C. perfringens. Learn how to prevent getting sick from this germ.
Tips to Prevent Illness from Clostridium Perfringens
www.cdc.gov
This Facebook post is effective because it
• Explains the scientific term Clostridium perfringens by referring to it as a germ
and identifying what it causes (food poisoning).
• Provides a call to action (“…Learn how to prevent getting sick…”).
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 26
29. Facebook Post – Sample 3
CDC
If you are HIV positive and unaware of your infection–what you don’t
know CAN hurt you–and others. People who don’t know they are HIV
infected can give the virus to others and cannot access life-extending
treatment. Take the test. Take control. Find a testing site at
http://www.hivtest.org/ or text your ZIP code to KnowIt (566948).
Get Tested on National HIV Testing Day, June 27
www.cdc.gov
This Facebook post is effective because it
• Uses emphatic, engaging language (“…Take the test. Take control …”).
• Offers readers two ways to take action (find a testing site or text your ZIP code).
• Includes a link to the CDC website.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 27
30. Chapter 5: How to Write for Twitter
What can be expressed in 140 characters or less? More than you would expect. Twitter
has grown to become the largest “micro-blogging” platform, with a reported 200 million
registered users as of June 2011. Twitter helps CDC share health and safety information
and promote events in real time.
Twitter Syntax
The Twitter community has created its own short-form syntax. When communicating on
Twitter, you’ll need to know several essential terms:
• Message (or tweet): Messages are composed of up to 140 characters of text or
links.
• Username (or handle): Twitter users identify themselves by their username or
“handle.” CDC has several usernames, including @CDCgov, @CDC_eHealth, and
@CDCespanol.
• Retweet: If a tweet (or message) from another Twitter user is relevant, the
retweet function allows you to forward their message to your network.
• Mention: Twitter enables users to automatically link to each other by putting
the @ symbol in front of the username in a message.
• Hashtag: Similar to a mention, a hashtag is created automatically when you put
the # symbol before a word. Using a hashtag enables other people to join in a
larger conversation on a topic or find information quickly.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 28
31. Anatomy of a Tweet
The yellow boxes on this screenshot of a tweet by @CDCgov show
• A hashtag (#30Years).
• A mention of another CDC profile (@CDCMMWR).
• A shortened URL (http://go.usa.gov/DIg).
• A list of Twitter users who retweeted this CDC tweet.
For more information, read CDC’s “Social Media Guidelines and Best Practices–CDC
Microblogs (Twitter)” (PDF) at
http://www.cdc.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/guidelines/pdf/microblogging.pdf.
For information on Twitter terms, visit The Twitter Glossary at
http://support.twitter.com/entries/166337-the-twitter-glossary.
Best Practices for Writing CDC Tweets
Length
Although Tweets can be up to 140 characters (including spaces and punctuation), CDC
recommends that tweets be less than that to allow for other text to be added when the
tweet is retweeted. Keep tweets to 120 characters or less including a shortened URL
(around 20 characters). This leaves about 100 characters for your message. Writing
tweets of 120 characters or less makes it easier for followers to retweet your message
without having to edit it to make it briefer. To calculate the number of characters in a
draft tweet, use the character counting tool in Microsoft Word.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 29
32. Abbreviations
Try to write concise tweets that don’t require abbreviations. Sometimes, because of the
character limit, abbreviations are necessary. Only use standard abbreviations that are
easily understood, and do not change the clarity of the message. Some appropriate
abbreviations follow:
• US for United States
• Info for information
• & for and
• 1PM for 1 p.m.
• IMPT for important
Limit abbreviations to commonly recognized abbreviations such as those listed above
and avoid “text speak.” Research and message testing indicate that CDC audiences had a
strong negative reaction to abbreviations in messages that were not seen as professional.
It’s best to avoid abbreviations such as:
• 2 for to
• 4 for for
• U for you
• UR for your
Hyperlinks
Tweets should include a hyperlink back to CDC.gov or a trusted partner website. In a
tweet, the link is typically shortened before posting; if full links are being used, be sure to
include the “http://” in front of the URL to make it clickable within the tweet.
Tone
As with all social media, messages crafted for Twitter should be reader-friendly and
action-oriented. Ask a question, highlight a key statistic, or provide a specific call to
action.
Sample CDC Tweets:
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 30
33. Tweet–Sample 1
@CDCemergency
After a #tornado or other disaster, flood water may contain sewage.
Protect yourself & your family by these steps: http://go.usa.gov/b9A
This tweet is effective because it
• Includes a hyperlink (steps to protect yourself from contaminated flood water).
• Includes a hashtag so followers can see what others are tweeting on the topic
(tornado).
• Uses a familiar symbol (&) to shorten the message.
Tweet–Sample 2
@CDCgov
On June 27, National HIV Testing Day, take control of your health and
get tested for HIV. http://go.usa.gov/WJG
This tweet is effective because it
• Uses an action-oriented and reader-friendly tone (“…take control of your health
…”).
• Is specific and timely.
Tweet–Sample 3
@CDCFlu
RT@CDCgov The #CDCFluAppChallenge is now open! Support, share
with a friend, or enter to win $35,000 in prizes.
http://fluapp.challenge.gov
This tweet is effective because it
• Promotes an opportunity for followers (develop an app and win a prize).
• Retweets a message from another CDC program (RT@CDCgov).
• Uses action words to build motivation-oriented and reader-friendly tone (“…
Support, share with a friend, or enter to win...”).
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 31
34. Chapter 6: How to Write Text Messages
Just as Facebook and Twitter can help an agency expand its reach, mobile technologies
can provide new ways to communicate with audiences and give users new ways to
interact with content. Currently, 98% of cell phones can send and receive text messages.
With more than 292 million Americans (or 93% of the U.S. population) owning mobile
devices, mobile communication is helping to close the digital divide.
Best Practices for Writing CDC Text Messages
Length
Text messages should be less than 160 characters, including spaces and punctuation. As a
general guide, CDC recommends writing messages that are around 140 characters
because the branding links, and information about how to get help or opt-out will
typically consume the rest of the character count.
Abbreviations
Because text messages are limited to 160 characters, abbreviations are often used.
However, use abbreviations only if they are easily understood and do not change the
meaning of the message. Some appropriate abbreviations include
• US for United States
• Info for information
• & for and
• 1PM for 1 p.m.
• IMPT for important
• Msg for message
• Rply for reply
• Emg for emergency
Limit abbreviations to commonly recognized abbreviations such as those listed above
and avoid “text speak.” Research and message testing indicate that CDC audiences had a
strong negative reaction to abbreviations in text messages that were not seen as
professional. It’s best to avoid abbreviations such as
• 2 for to
• 4 for for
• U for you
• UR for your
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 32
35. Message Components
• Action-oriented: Invite readers to do something or suggest actions they can take.
Subscribers to CDC’s text messaging program reported that the most effective
messages were both actionable and relevant.
• Customized content: Tailor text messages based on the characteristics of
subscribers. To better segment users, CDC asks users to provide some information
about themselves when they sign up. The questions, which are optional, help CDC
tailor content by a subscriber’s role, age, gender, health condition, or ZIP code.
• Timely: Develop messages that are tied to a season, observance day, or current
event.
• Strong start: Write text messages that have an interesting lead or a catchy
beginning to entice the reader to open and read.
• Branded: Because users will receive a message from your short code (i.e., 87000),
the first word or two of your message should identify the sender. Each message
from CDC begins with “CDC:” so users can easily determine who sent the text.
• Access to more information: Text messages should include a way for users to
follow-up or respond to the message, such as a phone number or URL to a mobile
website. All phone numbers should be numerical and formatted, so users can
click-to-call the number automatically from their cell phones. For example, do
NOT use the number 1-800-CDC-INFO. Use 800-232-4636.
• Opt-out and help instructions: Ensure that users can easily opt out of your
campaign by replying STOP or QUIT. Also, provide a help message to users who
reply HELP. Talk with your service provider to ensure that messages comply with
regulations for opting out of a program.
For more information on CDC’s text messaging guidelines, read “Social Media Guidelines
and Best Practices – Text Messaging” (PDF) at
http://www.cdc.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/guidelines/pdf/textmessages.pdf.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 33
36. Sample CDC Text Messages
Text Message–Sample 1
CDC: Get your kids moving this summer! Try swimming, hiking, baseball, soccer, walking,
running, etc. Find fun ways to be active 60 min a day. 800-232-4636
This text message is effective because it
• Is branded (CDC).
• Allows access to more information (includes a phone number).
• Is specific and action-oriented (suggests sports activities and a specific amount of
time to spend per day).
Text Message–Sample 2
CDC: Ready for the big game but not the weight gain? Control portions when eating in
front of TV. Put snacks in small bowl & resist eating from bag. 800-232-4636
This text message is effective because it
• Starts strong. (The opening question is personal and casual.)
• Offers access to more information (by phone).
• Is timely (football season).
Text Messages–Samples 3 and 4
CDC: Be prepared on & off the ice/slopes. Wear a helmet & protective gear. Think you
have a concussion? Don’t hide it, report it. For concussion signs reply HEAD.
CDC: About 1 in 110 kids have an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Monitor your child's
development & act early if there is a delay. More: http://m.cdc.gov/milestones
These text messages are effective because they
• Offer access to more information (by reply and by hyperlink to a specific page).
• Start strong.
Here are examples of other messages you can use to add some variety to the document:
• CDC: Put vaccines on your back-to-school checklist. Make sure kids have the
protection they need. Learn more: http://m.cdc.gov/school
• CDC: Test your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detector when you turn your
clocks back on Nov 1; replace batteries if needed. 800-232-4636.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 34
37. • CDC: Ready for winter? Prevent frost bite by dressing warmly. Pack an emg. kit in
your car and stock up on supplies for your home in case of power outages.
• CDC: Buckle up! Keep babies rear-facing til 1yr & 20lbs. Front-facing seats til 4yrs
& 40lbs. Kids 4-8 or 4'9" in boosters. All kids <13 in backseat. m.cdc.gov/belt
• CDC: Happy Earth Day! It's easy to be green. Walk, bike, carpool to work. Use
recycled paper. Plant a tree or garden at home. More tips:
http://m.cdc.gov/green
• CDC: Do you smoke? Smoking causes about 1 of every 5 deaths each year in the
U.S. That's about 443,000 people. Quit now: call 800-784-8669.
• CDC: Protect your skin when having fun outdoors! Use sunscreen, wear
hats/sunglasses, find shade during peak hrs (10-4) when UV rays are strongest.
800-232-4636
• CDC: Hiking outdoors? Avoid wild animals to prevent rabies. Report animals
acting strangely (drooling, biting, trouble moving) to animal control. 800-232-
4636
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 35
38. Chapter 7: How to Use Your Web Content as
Source Material for Social Media Content
Writing for social media can be a demanding task. One way to cope is to tweet, post, and
text about Web content you’ve already created.
Make Social Media Writing Easier by Repurposing Web
Content
Any kind of Web content can provide the source material for a tweet, Facebook post, or
text message, including
• News articles
• Fact sheets
• FAQs
• Outbreak notices
• Research reports
• Event or conference content
• Guidelines
Repurposing Web content for social media communication is efficient, because this
content has been developed, edited, and cleared through the appropriate channels. Use
social media to promote Web content or start a conversation with community members
who have joined your social media channels.
Plan to Rewrite Your Web Content for Use in Social Media
It’s a good idea to use Web content as source material for social media communication,
but it’s not a good idea to use the Web content verbatim as tweets, posts, or texts.
Rework the Web content to make it engaging and brief enough to be successful social
media writing.
Allow time to rewrite these elements of Web content, so they’ll work in social
media
• Main heading for the Web page. What works on a Web page probably won’t
work in a tweet, post, or text. On a Web page, the heading helps orient readers
and tells them what the page is about. If your social media message is intended to
send readers to the Web page, it should be more message-oriented than most
Web page headings. It might have to be shorter or longer than the heading.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 36
39. For example, the Web page heading Fall Risks for Older Adults does not make a
good tweet, post, or text without some rewriting.
• Title of a news article. Most news article titles do a good job of explaining what
happened and when. Many titles forecast why you should care. A title of an e-
newsletter article such as “Teens Develop Job Safety and Health Awareness
Posters” will require some rewriting before it’s suitably engaging for social media.
• Title of a research report. Authors of research reports often give their documents
neutral, factual titles. But, readers of CDC’s social media content will want to
know why they should click through the link in the tweet, post, or text to read a
report online. If, for example, you want to use social media to promote the
research report Recent Decline in Births in the United States, 2007–2009, you’ll
probably want to highlight some reasons for the decline in births in your social
media message.
Type of Web Ideas for Creating Tweets, Posts, or Texts Based on Web
Content Content
Features Features that appear on CDC’s homepage are a great place to find
topics and content that can be repurposed for Facebook, Twitter,
and text messages. Visit CDC Features to find a catalog of current
and past features.
News articles Repurpose news article content for social media by using elements
of the article as material for tweets, posts, and texts:
• The lead
• Quotable quotes
• Photos and other graphics
Fact sheets Fact sheets are good sources for content that can be repurposed
for social media messaging:
• Announce a new fact sheet.
• Communicate about an already-published fact sheet that’s
relevant because of the season or an event. For example,
tweet about the Teen Drivers: Fact Sheet (October 2010) in
the pre-prom season of late April/early May.
FAQs Use a question as a tweet, post, or text.
Outbreak, notices, The information in notices and advisories is urgent, timely, and
travel notices, or rapidly changing, thus ideal for social media.
health advisories • Announce an outbreak, travel notice, or health advisory.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 37
40. For example, use social media to share information about
the health advisory High Number of Reported Measles
Cases in the U.S. in 2011—Linked to Outbreaks Abroad.
• Announce the end of an outbreak or restriction.
Research reports Review published research reports for social media-worthy
content:
• An interesting "Did you know?" fact.
• A research finding that comes with strong
recommendations. For example, revisit a report such as
Human Rabies Prevention—United States, 2008 to feature
the recommendation that people exposed to but not bitten
by bats should receive rabies treatment.
Event or conference Collect event-related information for social media uses:
content • Feature individual speakers or topics before the
conference.
• Collect and tweet interesting quotes from presenters
during the event.
• Share photos or presentations after the event.
Guidelines Use social media to increase awareness:
• Let people know about guidelines, such as Physical Activity
Guidelines for older adults.
• Feature an individual guideline, one that has recently
changed or one that is an old standard.
• Compare guidelines for different groups of people. For
example, tweet, post, or text about how the physical
activity guidelines recommend 60 minutes of aerobic
activity per day for children and 150 minutes per week for
older adults.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 38
41. Chapter 8: Hands-On Practice in Revising
Social Media Content
In this Guide, you’ve read lots of advice about writing for social media. Now it’s your turn
to give it a try. Each of the draft posts, tweets, and texts in this chapter needs to be
rewritten to be more engaging, concise, or action-oriented. (These aren’t real CDC social
media messages; they have been invented or altered for this practice chapter.)
When you’re done revising the text, compare your writing to the revised versions in this
chapter.
Improve These Draft Facebook Posts
Too Much Scientific Jargon
CDC_XYZ_Health
Prevent squamous cell carcinomas by seeking midday shade, avoiding
tanning booths, wearing sunscreen every day, and wearing protective
clothing. While many squamous cell carcinomas can be treated with
simple excision or Mohs surgery, sun-cautious behavior can prevent
them before they begin.
Your revision:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 39
42. Flat, Lifeless Writing
CDC_XYZ_Health
Has anyone ever told you that your heart stops when you sneeze? Is
this true or false? Let us know what you think here. Then learn more.
Read our Fun Medical Facts for Kids.
Your revision:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 40
43. Improve These Draft Tweets
Too Long
(At 140 characters, this tweet is too long. It needs to be cut to 120 characters, which
includes an allowance of up to 20 characters for a shortened URL.)
@CDC_XYZ_Health
Waterproof sunscreen lasts twice as long as water-repellent, but both
kinds need to be reapplied if you use a towel to dry off after a swim.
Your revision:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 41
44. Impersonal Tone
@CDC_XYZ_Health
Good Food 4Baby, an online program, teaches mothers how to feed
toddlers a healthy diet so they maintain a healthy weight.
go.usa.gov/XYZ
Your revision:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 42
45. Improve These Draft Text Messages
No Call to Action
High Blood Pressure—Almost 75M Americans (about 1 in 3 adults) have high blood
pressure (HBP) & greater risk of heart disease or stroke. Many people don’t realize they
have it!
Your revision:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Flat, Lifeless Writing
Plan for pet safety in an emergency. Pack supply kit with items they’ll need. Ask relatives
in advance if they can care for your pets. 800-123-4567
Your revision:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 43
46. Improved Facebook Posts
Before: Too Much Scientific Jargon
CDC_XYZ_Health
Prevent squamous cell carcinomas by seeking midday shade, avoiding
tanning booths, wearing sunscreen every day, and wearing protective
clothing. While many squamous cell carcinomas can be treated with
simple excision or Mohs surgery, sun-cautious behavior can prevent
them before they begin.
After: Plain language
CDC_XYZ_Health
Prevent skin cancer before it starts by seeking shade in the middle of
the day, when the sun is at its peak. Wear sunscreen every day and
avoid tanning booths. While many skin cancers can be treated with
minor surgery, sun-cautious behavior can prevent them before they
begin.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 44
47. Before: Flat, Lifeless Writing
CDC_XYZ_Health
Has anyone ever told you that your heart stops when you sneeze? Is
this true or false? Let us know what you think here. Then learn more.
Read our Fun Medical Facts for Kids.
After: Lively Writing
CDC_XYZ_Health
True or False? “Your heart stops when you sneeze.” Share your guess
with us (A for myth; B for fact) then check out our Fun Medical Facts
for Kids.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 45
48. Improved Tweets
Before: Too Long
@CDC_XYZ_Health
Waterproof sunscreen lasts twice as long as water-repellent, but both
kinds need to be reapplied if you use a towel to dry off after a swim.
After: 122 Characters plus URL
@CDC_XYZ_Health
Don’t get burned! Reapply all sunscreens (waterproof or water
repellant) if you towel off after a swim. go.usa.gov/XYZ
Before: Impersonal Tone
@CDC_XYZ_Health
Food 4Baby, an online class, teaches mothers how to feed toddlers a
healthy diet so they maintain a healthy weight. go.usa.gov/XYZ
After: Personal Tone
@CDC_XYZ_Health
Moms: Enroll in an online class to learn to feed your toddler a healthy
diet & keep baby at a healthy weight. Food 4Baby: go.usa.gov/XYZ
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 46
49. Improved Text Messages
Before: No Call to Action
High Blood Pressure - Almost 75M Americans (about 1 in 3 adults) have high blood
pressure (HBP) & greater risk of heart disease or stroke. Many people don’t realize they
have it!
After: A Call to Action
CDC: Be heart healthy-Get your blood pressure checked. Nearly 75M adults have high
blood pressure & higher risk of heart disease or stroke. http://m.cdc.gov/hbp
OR
CDC: Be heart healthy-Get your blood pressure checked. 1 in 3 adults have higher risk of
heart disease/stroke because of high blood pressure. http://m.cdc.gov/hbp
Before: Flat, Lifeless Writing
Plan to keep your pets safe in an emergency. Pack a supply kit with items they’ll need.
Contact relatives in advance to ask if they can care for your pets. XYZ Health 800-123-
4567
After: Lively Writing
CDC: Do you have an emergency plan for your pet? Pack food, leash & vet records. Find
kennel/relative who will care for your pet while you are away. 800-123-4567
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 47
50. Chapter 9: Checklist for Writing for Social
Media
All Social Media
• Clearance: If you work at CDC or other federal agency or office, you must
clear all social media messages through the channels determined by the
Health Communication Science Office at your Center, Institute, or Office.
Be sure to budget enough time for this clearance review.
Facebook
1. Length: Posts can be up to 250 characters (including spaces).
2. Access to more information:
• Hyperlink to a CDC.gov Web page, photo, or video.
• Include information available through other social media channels: a
shortcode for texts; a hashtag for Twitter.
3. Call to action: Invite followers to do something such as watch a video,
attend an event, or use CDC resources.
4. Tone: Write in a friendly, casual style. Avoid jargon.
5. Tagging: Use the @ symbol in front of a public health partner’s name in
your post to automatically create a link and display the post on the
partner’s page.
6. Abbreviations: Avoid abbreviations, but if they’re necessary, use
sparingly and only if easily understood.
Twitter
1. Length: Tweets should be 120 characters or less, including a shortened
URL.
2. Access to more information: Include a hyperlink to CDC.gov or a partner
website, an @ mention, or a hashtag.
3. Call to action: Start the tweet with a verb if possible: Use watch, read,
learn, etc.
4. Tone: Write in friendly, action-oriented style.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 48
51. 5. Mentions: Use the @ symbol in front of a public health partner’s name in
your post to automatically create a link and display the post on the
partner’s profile.
6. Abbreviations: Avoid abbreviations, but if they’re necessary, use them
only if they are easily understood, do not change the meaning of the
tweet, and are not immature or unprofessional.
Text Messages
1. Length: Keep messages short (fewer than 160 characters), including
spaces, punctuation, branding, links, and opt-out instructions.
2. Access to more information: Include a hyperlink to a mobile-friendly
webpage, keyword (that will trigger an additional message), or phone
number.
• Hyperlink to a specific mobile webpage; do not use the generic link to
the mobile website. Include http:// to ensure the link will be clickable
in the text message.
• Format phone numbers so recipients can click-to-call their cell
phones. For example, use 800-232-4636 not 1-800-CDC-INFO.
3. Call to action: Invite users to do something, such as reply to the text
using a keyword or quiz, visit a Web page, call a phone number, etc.
4. Branding: Begin each message with the name of the program.
5. Abbreviations: Use them only if they are easily understood, do not
change the meaning of the message, and are not immature or
unprofessional.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 49
52. Chapter 10: Glossary
Facebook Terms
Comment: A person’s written response to a post.
Friend: A person you have invited to be a “Friend” or a person whose Friend invitation
you have accepted. A Friend will be able to see your Page or Profile.
Like: Clicking “Like” under a Facebook post indicates that you enjoyed it. Your “Like” is
noted beneath the item and posted to your Wall.
Page: An organization’s professional presence on Facebook.
Post: To write or publish content on an organization’s or individual’s Facebook page. A
Post can include images, text, and hypertext links.
Profile: An individual’s personal Facebook page, which may contain status updates,
photos, videos, a list of friends, and recent activities.
Twitter Terms
Direct message or DM: A private message sent via Twitter between people who follow
each other.
Follow: To receive an individual’s Twitter updates.
Hashtag or #: A way to categorize tweets on a particular topic.
Mention: A Twitter update that contains @username anywhere in the body of the
Tweet.
Retweet or RT: Sharing another user’s tweets with followers.
Tweet: An individual Twitter post.
Twitter Chat: A discussion around a set topic taking place on Twitter.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 50
53. Texting Terms
Mobile device: A pocket-sized computing device, such as a cell phone, smart phone, or
personal digital assistant (PDA) with a display screen or a miniature keyboard.
Short code: A short telephone number, usually five or six digits, which is used to address
text messages from a cell phone. Short codes are used for additional wireless services
like voting, polling, ordering, and making donations.
Short message service (SMS): A service for sending short messages of up to 160
characters to mobile devices, including cell phones, smart phones, and PDAs.
Smart phone: A cell phone with an integrated computer and other features not originally
associated with telephones, such as an operating system, Web browser, and ability to
run software applications.
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 51
54. Chapter 11: Social Media Writing Resources
CDC’s Social Media and Writing Resources
• CDC Social Media Tools, Guidelines & Best Practices
http://www.cdc.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/guidelines/
• Health Communicators’ Social Media Toolkit (PDF)
http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/ToolsTemplates/SocialMediaToolkit_
BM.pdf
• Simply Put: A guide for creating easy-to-understand materials (PDF)
http://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/pdf/Simply_Put.pdf
• CDC Facebook Comment Policy
http://www.cdc.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/CommentPolicy.html
Federal Agencies’ Social Media and Writing Resources
• AIDS.gov: Using New Media–Guidance on audience, social media strategy, text
messaging, and Twitter.
http://aids.gov/using-new-media/
• DoD Social Media Hub–Education and training section includes slides, videos, and
computer-based training.
http://www.defense.gov/socialmedia/
• HHS Center for New Media–New media tools, standards, policies, and resources.
Specific guidance on Facebook and Twitter.
http://newmedia.hhs.gov/
• HowTo.gov’s Social Media Content–Types of social media, using social media in
government, challenges and contests, open government.
http://www.howto.gov/social-media
• Plain Language Action and Information Network’s Federal Plain Language
Guidelines
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 52
55. http://www.plainlanguage.gov/howto/guidelines/FederalPLGuidelines/index.cfm
• National Park Service’s “Twitter 101” (PDF)–Picture and video tools, desktop and
mobile applications.
http://www.nps.gov/fire/download/pub_web2_twitterinfo.pdf
• The Social Media Navigator: GSA’s Guide to Official Use of Social Media (PDF)–
Sections on writing in plain language and a Requirements Checklist When Using
Social Media.
http://www.gsa.gov/graphics/staffoffices/socialmedianavigator.pdf
• The “Ultimate” Small Business Guide to Social Media Marketing (SBA)–Guidance
and links to business-related articles on using social media.
http://community.sba.gov/community/blogs/expert-insight-and-news/small-
business-matters/quotultimatequot-small-business-guide-social-media-marketing
• USA.gov & GobiernoUSA.gov Social Media Guidelines–Making Content Sociable
(PDF) –Advice on writing social media content in Spanish and English that is “Easy
to understand, Unbiased, Portable, and ‘Lightweight’."
http://www.usa.gov/webcontent/documents/socmed_editorial_guidelines_0104
11.pdf
State Government Social Media and Writing Resources
• Oregon.gov Social Networking Guide–Advice about writing for Twitter and
Facebook plus a social media glossary.
http://www.oregon.gov/DAS/EISPD/EGOV/BOARD/social_networking_guide/inde
x.shtml
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 53
56. Other Social Media and Writing Resources
• Idealware’s NonProfit Social Media Decision Guide (PDF)–a 70-page guide that
includes a workbook chapter with worksheets: “A Sample Audience Survey,”
“Brainstorming Tool Possibilities,” “Deciding Which Channels Are Right for You.”
http://www.idealware.org/sites/idealware.org/files/Idealware_SocialMedia_Deci
sionGuide_3.pdf
• How to Improve Your Writing for Social Media (In 140 Characters or Less)–
Presented in a series of tweets is Rob Wormley’s advice about how to write
tweets.
http://www.onesocialmedia.com/2011/05/how-to-improve-your-writing-for-
social-media-in-140-characters-or-less/
• Social Networking Sites and Our Lives–Report by Pew Research Center’s Internet
and American Live Project.
http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Technology-and-social-
networks.aspx
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 54
57. Appendix A: Audience Segmentation
Audience Information, by Age
Tweens (9–12 years old)
• Nearly half (46%) of U.S. tweens 9–12 years old have a cell phone. Most get their
own cell phone between ages 10 and 11.
• Brands are critically important because tweens seek to fit in with their peers.
Most tweens rely on their tremendous brand sense as their indicator of fashion
acceptance.
• The Internet is a major part of the tween culture and is a routine part of their
lives.
• Tweens multitask, dividing their attention between cell phones, TV, the Internet,
and music.
For detailed information on tweens, see CDC’s Audience Insights—Communicating to
Tweens (Aged 9–12) at
http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Audience/AudienceInsight_tweens.pdf
Teens (12–17 years old)
• Peer pressure influences a teen’s behavior in positive and negative ways. It can
motivate teens to strive for success and seek conformity, or it can impair
judgment and increase risky behavior.
• Girls and boys use media differently. Boys watch more television and share videos
online, while girls more often blog, e-mail, or use an instant messaging service.
• In 2005, more than 75% of teens sent or received text messages and were more
likely to use text messaging than e-mail. In 2011, this percentage is even higher.
For detailed information on teens, see CDC’s Audience Insights—Communicating to Teens
(Aged 12–17) at
http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Audience/AudienceInsight_teens.pdf
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 55
58. Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1962)
• Baby boomers are rule breakers. Individuality over conformity is a consistent
boomer pattern.
• Baby boomers’ first impressions are always emotionally based, more durable, and
more difficult to reverse than those of younger generations.
• Baby boomers like to tell their stories, and the Internet has facilitated their "get it
all out there and share it with the world" tendencies.
For detailed information on boomers, see CDC’s Audience Insights—Communicating to
Boomers (1946–1962) at
http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Audience/AudienceInsight_boomers.pdf
Responsible Generation (born between 1926 and 1946)
• At least 55% say they rely on TV to keep them informed and consider TV their
main source of entertainment.
• They value discipline, self-denial, and hard work. They demonstrate obedience to
authority, commitment, responsibility, and financial/social conformity.
• They generally prefer face-to-face or written communication.
For detailed information on the responsible generation, see CDC’s Audience Insights—
Communicating to the Responsible Generation (Aged 64–84) at
http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Audience/AudienceInsight_adult.pdf
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 56
59. Audience Information, by Role
Family Physicians
• Medical websites and professional journals are highly regarded sources of health-
related information for family physicians.
• The need for family physicians in the United States will nearly double by 2020.
• Recent innovations in family medicine practice include group visits, health care
teams, and the medical home.
For detailed information on family physicians, see CDC’s Audience Insights—
Communicating to Family Physicians at
http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Audience/AudienceInsight_FamilyPhysicians.
pdf
Internists
• Internists conduct 41% of their research on new drugs and medical devices
online, and this percentage is expected to increase to more than 50% soon.
• Most (98%) own or use a high-speed Internet connection in their medical office.
• More than 62% report using an electronic mobile device such as an iPhone or
Smartphone, and about a third of medical schools now require new students to
have this technology at their disposal.
For detailed information on internists, see CDC’s Audience Insights—Communicating to
Internists at
http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Audience/AudienceInsight_Internists.pdf
Moms
• One of the most effective ways to reach moms is through their peers. Moms are
much more likely to follow unsolicited advice from their friends and family than
information they see, hear, or read via mass media channels.
• Most moms go online daily, and more than half go online more than 20 times per
week. The explosion of social networking sites and blogs for moms allows women
to connect with and learn from each other.
• Moms put much time and effort into choosing what is best for themselves and
their families, and they want to feel like they have accomplished something
meaningful when they have made a decision.
For detailed information on moms, see CDC’s Audience Insights—Communicating to
Moms (with Kids at Home) at
http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Audience/AudienceInsight_moms.pdf
April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 57
60. April, 2012 CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media – Page 58