Social Media Strategy

While attending the National Press Photographers Association conference in June, I sat in on a session about social media led by Misty Montano (@mistymontano), assignment editor at CBS4 Denver. While I had been using social media for the past few years, I had not ever done so on behalf of my employers. As Misty talked about how journalists should use social media, I kept thinking that I needed to take her advice back to my newspaper and refine the ways we were using social media. The most important piece of advice that Misty gave those of us at the conference was that every news organization needs to have a social media strategy.

As newspapers begin to switch to web-only editions and as some of them close, it’s important for us to be honest with ourselves. Newspaper subscriptions are dwindling and there are few statistics that point in a positive direction for the future of the print subscription model. (If you have any, I would love to see them.) We must alter the way we’ve grown accustomed to providing the news and reach out to our audience. To remain relevant in their lives, we have to go where they are, and that place – for now – is social networks.

Having a strategy for how your newspaper or news organization uses social media is integral to whether or not it will be success in this sphere. By clearly defining the social media your paper should be using and setting goals for how you will use social media, you can create brand loyalty with a (hopefully local) online audience (some of whom may never have even picked up a copy of your paper otherwise).

Step 1: Create a social media map

Creating a social media “map” (really, a list will do, but map sounds better, doesn’t it?) will help you get a clear picture of how your paper is already using social media. You can then properly evaluate why you’re on these networks and which networks you should be on. Likely, you already have accounts on different social networks. Make a list of these accounts and who administers them. Don’t forget to include blogs, live chats, forums, wikis, and photo submission galleries.

To get a better understanding of the different social networks and their varying functions, take a peek at Brian Solis and Jesse Thomas’ Conversation Prism:

Step 2: Answer some questions

There are different uses and purposes to each social network. Identify the reason(s) you are using each social network that’s currently on your social media map. As you identify which services you’ll be adding, identify the propose of each individually. As an example: A newspaper might opt to use Facebook to (1) Connect with your audience on a personal level, (2) share links to your content on your audience’s preferred social network, and (3) interact with the audience. Blogs, on the other hand, might have a different purpose: (1) To provide the audience with supplemental information than what is included in the print and web products and (2) to interact with the audience.

In a blog post, aptly titled ‘Strategy is the key for journalists using social media,’ Misty provides a help list of questions you should ask yourself:

Ask why you want to utilize social platforms.

Is it to promote your product?

Is it to create contacts within your local community?

Is it to reach a new group of people within your community?

Is it to find new sources and story ideas?

Step 3: Create your strategy

Once you have a good idea of where you want to be and why you want to be on those social networks, you can create your strategy. You can write your strategy anyway that works for you, but I think including a goal for using social media (Is it to increase overall traffic to your website? Is it to help raise awareness of your newspaper in a heavily saturated metropolitan area like New York City?) and following it up with a few of the ways you plan to achieve this goal works best.

Again, I must reference Misty’s blog where she identifies CBS4 Denver’s goals and her personal strategy:

Advocacy, transparency and interactivity are the goals CBS4 Denver strives to achieve by using social platforms.

My strategy in using social platforms is:

Content: I provide useful information on stories the station is covering and share what it’s like to work in a newsroom. I look beyond what the station is covering and post items that may not make the news, like community gatherings or crime alerts.

Consistency: Daily I am going to talk about what I am doing in my job. I do not give away exclusive stories or give away the news integrity at all. For example, I kept a secret from Twitter. I am going to do my best in a breaking news situation to keep the public updated with as much information I can and as fast as I can.

Conversation: I respond and talk with people as I would if I was having a one-on-one discussion or a group discussion.

I achieve my strategy by being personable and sharing about myself.  I do this to relate to people.  I am showing that I am just a regular person, doing my job, just like they do their jobs, only my job happens to be in a news room.  I do not, however; share personal opinions on news stories or on topics like politics and religion because I am a journalist and I am representing CBS4 News.   I do not discuss company business, internal issues or personnel matters.

Step 4: Communicate it to everyone in your organization

Once you have a strategy in place, it’s important to share it with your newsroom. Any employees who are publicly active on social networks or identified with your product with a byline should be aware of your organization’s goals for social media and tweak their own strategy. Sharing your social media plan with everyone – not just the technically savvy – will also encourage others to give social media a chance. By laying out a clear plan for social media usage, you’ve answered many of the misunderstanding people have when they say they don’t “get” social media. Instead of feeling like social media is being forces on them, they will feel included and know where to go when they decide to give it a try.

Related links

Brian Sliss and Jesse Thomas: The Conversation Prism

Misty Montano: Strategy is key for a journalist using social platforms; Twitter brings viewers and news together; Social Media opens the door

Knight Digital Media Center: LA Times embraces, chases social media

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