Social media hasn’t just given PRs a new channel to exploit, it’s opened up a whole new range of creative ways we can tell our news. This short presentation shows five ways social media can help PRs.

1. Improving and socialising media
relations
Words
Words Data
Data Images
Images
Video
Video (A little) money
(A little) money

2. Words
Create a ‘Twitter Cue’
Create a ‘Twitter Cue’
Max 140 character sub-headline for use on Twitter. See here for more.
Max 140 character sub-headline for use on Twitter. See here for more.
Make your releases SEO friendly
Make your releases SEO friendly
Include hyperlinks to assets on your site and home page on key words. Check out posts by
Include hyperlinks to assets on your site and home page on key words. Check out posts by
Claremont’s Kristian Carter for more on writing for social media.
Claremont’s Kristian Carter for more on writing for social media.
Develop a ‘social media cheat sheet’
Develop a ‘social media cheat sheet’
When all your content is ready tell your own staff and partners where to find it, provide
When all your content is ready tell your own staff and partners where to find it, provide
suggested tweets, Facebook posts and LinkedIn updates. Update people when coverage
suggested tweets, Facebook posts and LinkedIn updates. Update people when coverage
appears and new suggestions for content.
appears and new suggestions for content.

3. Data
Believe in Open Data
Believe in Open Data
Send any datasets in excel to the data blog team at
Send any datasets in excel to the data blog team at
the Guardian – let the public uncover new angles in your
the Guardian – let the public uncover new angles in your
data.
data.
Create an infographic
Create an infographic
Use aadesigner (like the AoC did in Colleges Week) or do itit
Use designer (like the AoC did in Colleges Week) or do
yourself using Infogr.am, like we did on the right).
yourself using Infogr.am, like we did on the right).
Work all the angles
Work all the angles
Provide bespoke releases / /graphics to trade media,
Provide bespoke releases graphics to trade media,
regional media and play on journalists specific interests.
regional media and play on journalists specific interests.

4. Images
Have images ready to go
Have images ready to go
Use Flickr and get the right tags, descriptions, captions and ‘meta data’ right. If Indexed
Use Flickr and get the right tags, descriptions, captions and ‘meta data’ right. If Indexed
right, send to general picture desks. The right tagging will generate coverage in its own right
right, send to general picture desks. The right tagging will generate coverage in its own right
as media and bloggers search for interesting images. Use creative commons copyright.
as media and bloggers search for interesting images. Use creative commons copyright.
Crowd source aacollection
Crowd source collection
Work with partners to collate images around a theme, like
Work with partners to collate images around a theme, like
Number 10 is doing with ‘Made by apprentices’ (right).
Number 10 is doing with ‘Made by apprentices’ (right).
Tell a story
Tell a story
Use an app like ‘Diptic’ to create a montage and share direct
Use an app like ‘Diptic’ to create a montage and share direct
to Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
to Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

5. Video and audio
Vine
Vine
Short bursts of video. Owned by Twitter and well
Short bursts of video. Owned by Twitter and well
integrated into other channels, capture your event
integrated into other channels, capture your event
or media interviews.
or media interviews.
Film your news story
Film your news story
Re-use existing footage to highlight key points
Re-use existing footage to highlight key points
from the story – train a member of staff to use
from the story – train a member of staff to use
basic video editing software.
basic video editing software.
Or record an AudioBoo like the National
Or record an AudioBoo like the National
Apprenticeship Service did.
Apprenticeship Service did.
Keep an eye on Keek
Keep an eye on Keek
Emerging youth channel --backed by Tom Daley
Emerging youth channel backed by Tom Daley
(right) & Finn Harries.
(right) & Finn Harries.

6. Spend a little money
A phone (and apps)
A phone (and apps)
Buy a press office iPhone or Android phone, get the right apps and set ititup to link with your
Buy a press office iPhone or Android phone, get the right apps and set up to link with your
accounts ––remove the risk of posting aapersonal tweet on aacorporate account.
accounts remove the risk of posting personal tweet on corporate account.
Promoted posts
Promoted posts
For around £500 you can do an effective campaign on Facebook. Promoting links to news
For around £500 you can do an effective campaign on Facebook. Promoting links to news
stories works especially well as you can invite comment – see the impact promoted posts
stories works especially well as you can invite comment – see the impact promoted posts
made below, the top three are promoted…
made below, the top three are promoted…

7. For more information
www.claremont.org.uk