This document summarizes best practices for using social media in media relations based on a presentation given at an NCI retreat. It discusses how journalists now use social networks and search to assist their reporting. It also outlines how NCI has modernized its media relations website to incorporate more social media tools like blogs, videos, and integration with Twitter, YouTube and Flickr. Key lessons are to engage the right target audience, be useful and responsive on social platforms while avoiding spammy or defensive behaviors that could spark backlash.

1. Social Media and Media Relations at NCIBrooke HardisonOCE RetreatDecember 2, 2010

2. Journalism 2.070% of journalists use social networks to assist in reportingNewspaper and online journalists more likely to use than magazine reporters56% said social media was important or somewhat important92% believe that social media is enhancing journalismSources: Middleberg Communications and the Society for New Communications Research (SNCR), "Survey of Media in the Wired World.“ & George Washington University and Cison’s “2009 Social Media & Online Usage Study”

3. Top Information Sources100% of journalists use searches like Google or Yahoo! to get news information (up from 91% in 2008)Search types journalists used:Google Search (100%)Corporate websites (96%)Blog Search (89%)Social Search (65%)Wikipedia (61%)Photo/Video Search (58%)Forums (42%) Social Media Tools used (sharing):Blogs (64%)Social Networks (60%)Micro-blogging (57%)Sources: TopRank Online Marketing Survey on Journalists Use of Search & George Washington University/Cison “2009 Social Media & Online Usage Study”

4. Once upon a time, there was an outdated website…Since 2001, the NCI media relations team has been publishing articles for reporters about research at NCIVolumes and issues

5. Paired articles

6. Text-only article pages

7. Internally hosted videos (small)

8. Separate pages for multimedia files

9. Keyword-based and date range search optionsAverage hits/month: 800

10. Time for ChangeThe webzine concept was antiquated and needed a fresh lookNCI, NIH and HHS as a whole were moving toward incorporating web 2.0 technologies, and we wanted to make sure that the new design could adaptSeparately, we were beginning to see an increasing need for more blog-friendly contentJournalists were increasingly becoming active on social media sites & we needed to make content available in the blogosphere

11. A new formatIn 2009, in an effort to modernize the site and serve a broader audience, the Office of Media Relations redesigned the site, inspired by news blogs and social mediahttp://benchmarks.cancer.govMultiple images per article

12. Embedded videos (now discoverable on Youtube.com)

13. Twitter, YouTube and Flickr integration

14. Easier search (text-based), utilizing categories, a tag cloud, and archiveHits in November 2010: 10,622

15. YouTube ChannelBranded YouTube ChannelB-roll discoverable through YouTube & Google video search~ 2,300 views per monthPosting on YouTube saves on server space & allows for full-length views

16. Corporate + Personal Branded Twitter AccountsFormal notices

17. Only follows HHS accounts

18. More authoritative for retweeting by other organizations

19. Professional w/ personal touch – real person

20. Mostly science writers

21. Allows for 1-on-1 interactionOn average, Tweeted press releases get 25-60 hits in the first hour

22. Corporate + Personal Branded Facebook PagesProvides a real person for connections

23. Can post non-official posts that are useful to reporters

24. Lets science writers connect without “friend requests”Facebook is driving traffic to Benchmarks and cancer.gov

25. Keys to Success (gleaned from others)FacebookIntegrate with other platforms

26. Create a resource (offer information, serve as a place to connect)

27. Create reasons for fans to participate

28. Target YOUR audienceTwitterBe useful

29. Provide links to information (short URLs)

30. Respond to questions

31. Remember that it’s publicWhat NOT to do(gleaned from other’s mistakes)Focus on fan/follower countsAre your fans engaged?Do you have the right fans?Are you serving YOUR audience?Ignore the specific platform’s etiquetteAttribute when appropriate (tag, retweet)Avoid being “spammy” – post in appropriate placesAllow page to be overrun with ads & scamsCheck in regularly, even with the spam filterOverreact and/or respond to everythingSometimes, people just need to rant

32. Overreaction 1: LockdownDKNY was letterbombed by PETA protesters on Monday. Rather than ignore it, they deleted the posts, locked down their page, and disallowed posts. Now every DKNY post has hundreds of comments related to fur and bunnies (can’t disable comments)And their current news mentions are dominated by this issue

33. Overreaction 2: DefensiveGreenpeace staged a protest on Nestlé's page, regarding deforestation and palm oil. People changed their profile image and posted comments on their page.The representative got very defensive, and things spun out of control.This story was in the news for monthsNestlé had to create a “zero deforestation” policy in response to the backlash