Social media has changed how people access and discuss news. Readers now find news stories through their social media feeds rather than traditional media like newspapers or TV. Journalists must use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to engage with audiences and share news in real time, as these platforms have come to dominate the news conversation. While social media is a useful tool for real-time reporting, fact-checking, and promoting content, journalists must still verify information and maintain standards of fairness and accuracy in their social media presence. The most effective social media strategies for journalists involve engaging audiences on the platforms they use most, like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram.

1. SOCIAL MEDIA
The NEW news society...

2. SOCIAL MEDIA HAS CHANGED JOURNALISM
Readers once found stories and journalists by picking up a newspaper or
magazine, clicking on their TV or turning on a radio
NOW AUDIENCES FIND NEWS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA SITES
Now journalists and media companies who want to engage with an
audience need to be where those readers are looking for news:
SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

3. HOW HAS IT CHANGED?
 News and information is being shared in real time across the internet
 70% of Millenials followed daily news but receive it passively as part of their
social media feed
 Social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter have come to dominate the
news conversation BECAUSE news can be shared and discussed in real time
 Reporters can connect with sources and audiences
 Helps journalists develop a personal brand or identity in tandem with AND
apart from the rest of their newsroom

4. HOW DO JOURNALISTS USE SOCIAL MEDIA?
 To find stories
 To monitor developments in breaking news stories as they happen
 As a reporting tool to find eyewitnesses, sources and images
 To engage readers or viewers through continuous news updates
 To promote content both pre- and post-publication
 To develop an on-going relationship with the audience

5. SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT A
REPLACEMENT FOR TRADITIONAL
REPORTING
It can be used to provide you with notice of real time events and
access to potential sources, but, just like with traditional reporting
YOU MUST VERIFY WHAT YOU ARE BEING TOLD!

6. SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
Determine your social media platform by what your audience is using
 FACEBOOK
largest user base, very complicated algorithm determines what readers see
 TWITTER
the news source for the social media world, YOU should develop a strong
Twitter presence (a JOURNALISTIC Twitter presence)
 SNAPCHAT
just temporary posts, but VERY popular among young audiences
 INSTAGRAM
image driven posts, considered a “service” for your audience

7. FACEBOOK
THE GOOD
 Obvious choice for sharing stories
 Huge audience base
 Allows for both breaking and longer
form story presentation
 Users can like, share or comment on
your post
 Photo and video embedding allow
seamless integration and fast
downloads
THE BAD
 Lack of guaranteed distribution of your
posts
 Because of the algorithm used in its news
feed, not every Facebook follower you
have will be notified of your posts
 Facebook only reaches people who
already follow you; this limits your reach
to existing followers and their followers if
they choose to share you

8. TWITTER
THE GOOD
 The go-to for breaking news
 Eyewitness accounts of news events in
real time
 Reporters can use hashtags, keywords and
locations to find and follow breaking news
 Comparing tweets and locations, reporters
can find sources and verify accounts
 Good for promoting coverage
THE BAD
 Speed and ease can be a disadvantage
 140 character post limit does not allow
for complex ideas
 Hard to stand out because of huge amount
of usage
 Misinformation during breaking news

9. USING TWITTER JOURNALISTICALLY
YES… IT’S DIFFERENT FROM YOUR PERSONAL TWEETS
 Write like you are talking to a friend BUT not sloppy
 Talk like you are having a conversation - talk WITH but not AT
 Use @ mentions to cite your sources
 Include hashtags to make them easily searchable
NO MORE THAN TWO HASHTAGS PER TWEET
 Add photos - Tweets with pix and vid get twice as many retweets
 Use Bit.ly to shorten links or the URL could eat up your character space

10. WHEN TO USE TWITTER JOURNALISTICALLY
 Tweet before, during and after the event
 Use Twitter in newsgathering to crowdsource ideas and people
 Use Twitter to promote an upcoming event
 Tweet during the event - follow it from start to finish
USE THE FUNDAMENTALS OF JOURNALISM –
BE FAIR and ACCURATE

11. MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL MEDIA
SO… you’ve got a personal account, a journalist account and an
account you manage for the publication or website you are
producing - HOW DO YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL OF IT?
Social media management tools
Hootsuite
Tweetdeck
Storify

12. HANDLING YOUR PRO JOURNALIST ACCOUNT
 Don’t hide the fact that you’re a journalist - transparency
 Don’t say anything you wouldn’t want to see on the front page of a newspaper
 Don’t say embarrassing things or hurtful things
 Don’t argue with an audience member
 Don’t tweet when you are angry
 Don’t steal information or post without sourcing
 Don’t just STOP in the middle of coverage - keep talking
 BE PATIENT and ENGAGING - give your audience chances to respond

13. ACTIVITY
Creating and
managing our
social media
#Goals
● Create a journalist Facebook
page for yourself
● Create a journalist Twitter
account for yourself
● Create a journalist Instagram
for yourself
● Experiment with Hootsuite
and TweetDeck to decide
which one works for you
● Get to know Storify and
decide if this is something we
want for our class media

14. SOCIAL MEDIA
The NEW news society...