This document provides guidance for editors on using social media. It recommends that editors watch and engage with staff and local journalists on social media, build lists to share news, monitor trends, coordinate hashtags, and lead breaking news coverage and verification efforts. It also offers tips for using social media to find story ideas by watching trending topics, Google Trends, Facebook likes, and curating a local area on Twitter. Editors are advised to take staff live on social media during breaking news and lead crowdsourcing and verification efforts.

1. Social Media for Editors
Mandy Jenkins @mjenkins
mjenkins@digitalfirstmedia.com
March 2012 LANG
Extravaganza

2. Leading by Example
Watch and retweet news from your staff
and others. Give feedback
Build & maintain Twitter/FB lists to share
Monitor social media & trends
Coordinate and create hashtags
Take control for breaking news
Lead crowdsourcing and verification
efforts

3. List ideas:
Staff reporters
Local competitors & staff
Local bloggers
Regional/state/national news
Topic-based lists (elections, local sports)

4. Social Media in Story Planning
Watch trending topics for your area
Watch Google trends
Watch Facebook’s most-liked

5. Trendsmap.com

6. Local Twitter Trends
trendsmap.com/local/us/cityname

7. Google Trends

8. Search.Twitter.Com
Search by keywords, location, time
All public tweets
Bookmark regular searches

9. Curate Your Local Area
Keep open Twitter searches for local
keywords for daily use
Establish and monitor a hashtag for
readers to send you info/photos

10. Hashtag tips
Search for hashtag(s) already in use
If a hashtag is already in use, adopt it
If not, choose one that’s simple & unique
Geographic abbreviation helps (#caquake)
Geographic better than branded
(#capolitics better than #ladnpolitics)

11. Hunting for Story Ideas
Subscribe to Quora in your local area –
see what questions are being asked
Watch your onsite searches for
questions – what hasn’t been answered?
Keep track of questions sent to your
main/section accounts

12. Take Your Staff LIVE

13. During Breaking News
Watch keyword searches and Twitter lists
Start writing a story from reporters’ tweets
Publish reporters’ tweets & updates online
CoveritLive (can bring in tweets)
Twitter embed
Curation from tweet embed/Storify
Manage a live blog or story

14. Lead Crowdsourcing
Plan ahead when you can, have a
plan for when you can’t
Use multiple platforms (Twitter,
Facebook, website, newspaper, IRL)
Ask permission, credit users & say
thanks

15. Crowdsourcing tips
Say what you know
Say what you want to know
Say what you don’t know
Say what you need to know
Don’t spread rumors
Vet sources & information

16. Vetting & verifying
Track back RTs, etc. to Links, photos?
source Get to phone or IRL
Look for clusters Disclose, hedge,
Location enabled? repeat
Evaluate the network Be brave only in
Evaluate the history correction
Tips from Craig Silverman, Regret the Error

17. Evaluating Twipsters
How long have they been tweeting?
Check previous tweets, interaction
Check bio, links
Check Klout score
Google name and scam, spammer
Contact & interview
More on verification: Zombiejournalism.com

19. Google+: Do It For The SEO

20. Link Your Profile to Google News
Under your profile settings:
• Add the email address linked to your byline on
your website
• Make sure your workplace/title are public
• Link to your blog, articles
• Link to other social accounts

22. THANKS!
Mandy Jenkins
mjenkins@digitalfirstmedia.com
@mjenkins
Blog: Zombiejournalism.com
These slides & more at
slideshare.net/mandyjenkins