The document discusses the technical writer's role in social media strategy and initiatives. It argues that technical writers can help improve support channels by creating social media presences to directly engage with users. This allows for questions to be answered quickly and content to be updated based on trends. Technical writers are well-suited to develop, link, and administer social media accounts due to their communication skills and understanding of user needs. While support initiatives may not directly produce returns on investment, they can provide additional marketing and public relations value by increasing exposure for help documents and knowledgebases.
3. Organizational Social
Media Strategy
Research
Results/
Whitepapers
Technical
Communication
/Support
Initiative
Social Media Strategy
(Policy)
Sales/Marketing/PR
Initiative
See resources 1) Multiple Twitter accounts
5. “Traditional” support
channels
Documentation
Call center
User
Phone/email
Guides/manuals
Rich Media
Knowledgebase
Video tutorials
6. Why is the Technical Writing
department working on a social
media initiative?
Additional support channel
Will help improve the Opportunity to
content for other deflect support
support channels cases
Create more
Opportunity to
exposure for the
update users with
Knowledgebase as
the latest support
the primary support
trends/news
channel
Opportunity for users
Ability to interact to ask product
with users questions and receive
answers quickly.
The Technical Writer's Influence on Social
Media Strategy
7. Breaking the Fourth Wall
Technical Communications
Content
Audience / users
The Technical Writer's Influence on Social
Media Strategy
8. Who are the social media
specialists?
The Technical Writer's Influence on Social
Media Strategy
9. Social Media trends
“Decline in Social Media Platform Adoption
Forecasted for 2013”
?
335
275
Shawn Santos: TSIA Social Media Survey Results 2011 - 2012 - Presentation Transcript
The Technical Writer's Influence on Social
Media Strategy
11. Transcend
CORRECT
SOCIAL MEDIA
USER PLACE
CHANNEL
TO BE
The Technical Writer's Influence on Social
Media Strategy
12. What is the Technical
Writer’s role?
Develop
Link tracking/metrics
Administrate/Liaison
The Technical Writer's Influence on Social
Media Strategy
13. Additional support
channel & feedback
Marketing/
Production
PR
Development Sales
Support
The Technical Writer's Influence on Social
Media Strategy
14. Can a Support initiative
produce ROI?
The Technical Writer's Influence on Social
Media Strategy
15. Beyond the Bleeding Edge, STC Summit 2011
Credits/Resources page 1 of 2
Icons – http://www.aha-soft.com/
http://www.ihearttechnicalwriting.com/gina-blednyh-interview-how-social-media-will-make-you-
a-better-technical-writer/
http://www.writingassist.com/newsroom/technical-writing-and-social-media-what%E2%80%99s-
the-connection/
http://www.writingassist.com/newsroom/enhancing-the-user-experience-with-social-media/
http://thecontentwrangler.com/2009/01/12/convergence_technical_communication_strategies_f
or_incorporating_web_20/
http://www.enewsbuilder.net/techcommanager/e_article001510038.cfm?x=bfSHKsW,b5S5LhqF,
w
http://www.writingassist.com/newsroom/how-technical-documentation-professionals-can-use-
twitter/
http://ffeathers.wordpress.com/2010/06/19/social-media-in-technical-documentation-a-
presentation/
http://idratherbewriting.com/2011/04/28/introducing-technical-writing-world-a-new-social-
network-for-technical-writers/
The Technical Writer's Influence on Social
Media Strategy
16. Beyond the Bleeding Edge, STC Summit 2011
Credits/Resources page 2 of 2
http://www.upassoc.org/upa_publications/ux_poster.html
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/participation_inequality.html
http://www.stc.org/intercom/PDFs/2009/200903_18-20.pdf
http://www.forrester.com/empowered/ladder2010
http://www.forrester.com/empowered/tool_consumer.html
http://www.scriptorium.com/whitepapers/web2/index.html
1) “Multiple Twitter Accounts”:
http://scoopdog.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/1092/
http://blog.sysomos.com/2010/09/21/to-have-or-have-not-multiple-twitter-accounts/
http://www.wearemedia.org/Social+Media+Strategy+Map
http://www.briansolis.com/2008/08/introducing-conversation-prism/
Thomas Tullis;William Albert. Measuring the User Experience: Collecting, Analyzing, and
Presenting Usability Metrics (Interactive Technologies) (ch. 4).
Donald A. Norman. Living with Complexity (p. 126).
The Technical Writer's Influence on Social
Media Strategy
17. STC Live Web Seminar – November 2, 2011
Fer O’Neil
ferswriteshoe@gmail.com
http://ferswriteshoe.wordpress.com
@ferswriteshoe
slideshare.net/feroneil
Fer O’Neil, “The Technical Writer’s Influence on Social Media Strategy”.
Techniques, Spring 2011, page 8.
http://english2.mnsu.edu/stc/newsletter.html
The Technical Writer's Influence on Social
Media Strategy
Editor's Notes
By Brian Solis & JESS3. V3.
October 24 – 26: Technology Services World 2011 Las Vegas concluded Wednesday…The event, hosted by the Technology Services Industry Association (TSIA)“The State of Social Support: New TSIA Research Uncovers Leading Trends & Best Practices.”