Social Media Policy | Social Media Strategy for the Journalism Business by Kim Wilson

Archive for the ‘Social Media Policy’ Category

The No-Fear Fan Page

21 Apr

Facebook security continues to be a big talker in the news, so it’s no wonder some anchors and reporters are a bit leery about creating a Fan Page. But most stations are requiring it these days. And for good reason; Facebook has become the #1 fastest growing referral source for media websites. Viewers will flock to a Fan Page where they can connect with a station’s popular on-air talent. And while 21^st century journalists have become accustomed to protecting their privacy…creating a Fan Page doesn’t have to put that in jeopardy. Here’s how to create the No-Fear Fan Page…

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Tip 1: Don’t Attach Your Personal Profile

It’s important to understand that a Facebook Fan Page is entirely different from a Facebook Profile. If you don’t have a Personal Profile, you don’t have to create one in order to create a Fan Page. If you do have a Personal Profile, you don’t have to link it to your Fan Page. Instead, simply go to Facebook’s homepage, and click “Create a Page”. It’s located under the green “Sign Up” button.

You will then be asked what type of page you’re creating. Click “Artist, Band or Public Figure”.

Next, you’ll need to select “Public Figure” in the dropdown menu and give your Fan Page a name. Most stations prefer their on-air talent name the page beginning with the station’s call letters. (ie: WABC Jane Doe)

Facebook will make one last attempt to get you to create a Facebook account during the final step of the registration. If you want to keep your personal account detached from your Fan Page (or if you don’t have a personal account) simply click “I do not have a Facebook account.” You will still have to enter an email address, password, and birth date. But this will NOT be displayed on the Fan Page. It’s just Facebook’s way of making sure you’re a real human being over the age of 13. The email address and password will be your way of accessing and updating the page.

Tip 2: It’s All Optional

Once you’ve confirmed your account, Facebook will display a “Get Started” welcome page which is designed to help you set up your Fan Page. However, NONE of this information is required. It’s all optional. So, fill out only what you feel comfortable with. I suggest you add an image. But you may choose to ignore items 2-5.

Tip 3: Keep Basic Info Basic

Once you have an image, you’ll want to enter some basic info. To do this, click “Edit Page” at the top right. This will bring up a menu of items which you can personalize. One of them is “Basic Information”. There are more than a dozen fields for you to enter. But again, they’re all optional. So only fill out what you feel comfortable with.

Here’s an example of how I filled this out for my fake Fan Page: “WNEWZ John Anchor”.

You’ll notice, it’s only displaying what I typed in…and it’s not giving any information I don’t want it to. It doesn’t know my address, my phone number, my spouse’s name, how many kids I have or where I went to school.

Tip 4: Turn Off Email Notifications

This has nothing to do with security. But unless you want an email every time someone posts something on your page… I suggest you click “Your Settings” and turn off Email Notifications by un-clicking the box.

Tip 5: Keep it Professional

You’re in control of what you post on your Fan Page. Some talent chooses to post exclusively about their job. Others choose to post some basic personal tidbits like a photo of their dog or a favorite family recipe around the holidays. But again, it’s your choice.

It’s best to avoid posting information about when you’re leaving town or any personal family details. Let common sense and personal preference be your guide.

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Posted in Facebook, Fan Page, Social Media Policy, Social Media Strategy, Social Media and Journalism, Talent

How to Get Great Story Ideas from Facebook

18 Apr

1. Just Ask

Anyone who has ever answered the phone in a newsroom knows that even on the slowest news day , your viewers will never run out of story ideas. And while missing dogs and pot holes aren’t exactly what you had in mind…opening up the discussion on Facebook will normally yield at least a few worthwhile leads. Here, 10News in Tampa, Florida simply posted a call for ideas. And within a couple of hours they had more than 15 responses from viewers. And I can say with certainty after having participated in my fair share of editorial meetings…that many of these ideas are at least as good as the average reporter’s pitch-list.

2. Read the Comments

It’s one thing to post questions and elicit comments on Facebook…it’s an entirely different thing to actually read them. And unfortunately, many newsrooms (and Facebook admins in general) fail to do this. There are at least a million reasons why you can’t ignore comments on Facebook… but perhaps the most urgent is because you might miss great opportunities like this:

3. Pay Attention to What’s Hot

A good follow-up is worth its weight in gold but it’s not always easy to decide what stories are worth a second look. And while it may be anecdotal, a quick glance down your Facebook Wall will reveal what stories your Fans are most passionate about. Take a look at this post on WESH2’s wall. They usually receive an average of 20-25 comments and likes. Yet, this story received nearly300. Obviously a hot-button issue, and likely worth a follow-up.

And as great as it is to get this kind of feedback from your fans, WESH probably lost out on several hundred clicks to their website by committing what I call the #1 marketing mistake on Facebook with this post!

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Posted in Crowd-Sourcing, Facebook, Future of News, Morning Shows, Social Media Policy, Social Media Strategy, Social Media and Journalism

The Coolest New Facebook Tool No Newsrooms are Using…Yet.

07 Apr

I searched high and low for good examples of local stations using Facebook’s newly updated Questions tool. No Luck. Maybe it’s too new. Maybe they don’t know how to use it? Whatever the case may be, this is one tool every station should be using…here’s why:

1. Instant Results to Poll Questions

Most stations now realize that posts which include provocative questions receive 2-3 times more engagement than the average post. And while getting tons of comments is good, sifting through them for a consensus among your Fans can be extremely time consuming.
So unless you have a team of interns ready to tabulate the results of your informal Facebook poll…it’s better to use Facebook’s Questions tool:

Newsweek/CNN journalist, Fareed Zakaria got more than 100 responses to his question (above), and instantly knew which side of the debate most of his Fans fell on.

2. Better Visuals Means Better Engagement

Pictures. Pictures. Pictures. The first ND I ever worked for would spend her last breath preaching about how important the pictures are. She’s right. And her philosophy extends to social media too. If your post looks boring…no one will read it, no one will click on it, and no one will respond to it.

Here, News 12 Long Island posts a long and wordy tease for their sports report followed by a poll question. The idea to include a question is a good one. Unfortunately, it’s buried so deep in an otherwise coma-inducing post, that no one will read it. This would have been FAR more successful had they used the Questions tool to start a discussion amongst their Fans. The Question tool automatically generates a slick-looking graph showing the popularity of answers which would have drawn in more Fans.

3. News You Can Use

I often see stations post a link to their story followed by an open-ended question for their fans to answer. Check out what WPTV has done here…

In this case, WPTV has gotten dozens of responses. But they’re all over the map. It would be hard to share just one or two on the broadcast. However, if WPTV had set parameters for the responses such as a multiple choice poll, it would have been much simpler to sum up the response and share it with viewers on the air. This would have still allowed Fans to comment with specific opinions, but it would have given WPTV a cleaner way to bring social media into their newscast.

Do you have a good example of how local stations are using the Questions tool? Share them!

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Posted in Facebook, Future of News, Social Media Policy, Social Media Strategy, Social Media and Journalism

Great News for TV Talent from Facebook

31 Mar

UPDATE: You might want to wait a while before trying this. Facebook To Help Users Burned By Profile-To-Page Migration http://t.co/XElYegb

For TV stations and On-Air Talent, Facebook is no longer about how many ‘Friends’ you have… it’s about who ‘Likes’ you. Yet there are dozens of stations and personalities around the country who are still stuck with a “Profile Page” because they never migrated their “Friends” over to a “Fan Page.” (Click Here if you don’t know the difference.) Thankfully, Facebook has just announced a new tool which will allow you to easily change your existing Profile into a Like Page (aka Fan Page). In case you need convincing, here’s why this is a must:

1. You can FINALLY post those Party Pics!

If you were one of the early adopters of Facebook, chances are you built up a ton of “Friends” (aka viewers you’ve never actually met) on your Personal Facebook Profile. And even if you started a second Fan Page, you probably weren’t terribly successful migrating your Friends to it.

If you fall into this group, here’s what I recommend: First, turn your Profile into a Fan Page, even if it means you now have TWO Fan Pages. Second, create a NEW Profile for your own PERSONAL use (insert party pics here) and only add “Friends” you’ve actually met!

2. Just because they’re not your Friend, doesn’t mean they don’t Like you.

Beginning in 2009, Facebook put a 5,000 Friend limit on Profile Pages. For popular talent (and what talent isn’t)…this limit places a false cap on their fan base. And this isn’t just for on-air talent… Stations like WIBW hit the 5,000 Friend limit years ago. And they are no longer accepting new “Friends”… (ahem, awkward!)

To this day, WIBW maintains its original Profile Page in addition to its main Like Page. However, it seems they didn’t learn their lesson about splintering Fans. The station has 5,000 “Friends” on its Profile Page and around 6,000 Likes on its main Like Page. But if you add up all Likes and Friends across the station’s whopping 35 separate Facebook Pages they have more than 38,000 connections.

3. Job Security

There have been tons of examples of on-air talent getting themselves into trouble with Social Media. Florida newspaper writer, Pat Dooley had to issue an apology after making an unflattering joke via his Twitter feed earlier this year. Dooley’s explanation was that he sometimes forgets that Twitter is such a public platform. And Washington Post columnist Mike Wise nearly got fired for issuing a “fake tweet”. In both cases, the journalists failed to draw a thick enough line between Personal social media and Professional social media. Migrating your Facebook Profile to a Like Page will be one step in the right direction to ensure you don’t make the same mistake.

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Posted in Facebook, Social Media Policy, Social Media Strategy, Social Media and Journalism, Twitter

Social Media Teases that Work

15 Jan

Standard tease writing doesn’t work on social media. No matter how good you think it is… that two-liner will only invite your fans to do an exhaustive google search until they find the information elsewhere. It certainly will not get them to turn on your broadcast. But there are some “tease” techniques that will work to drive viewers from social media to your newscast. Here’s a few examples of how stations around the nation are using Facebook to get more viewers…

1. Get Personal

This is great, especially for Morning Shows. Rather than tease the news…WTVR CBS6 is enticing viewers to watch by showcasing their talent. The tease is basically, “Hey, watch us because we’re having fun and you’ll have fun too if you watch us.”

2. Focus on Urgency

Weather teases are generally not successful on social media. Saying “tune in for the forecast” isn’t going to work because that information is readily available on other websites including your own. However, if you can find a way to differentiate your live forecast from those available online…you might get people to tune in. Here, Washington DC’s NBC4 gives out the current weather conditions but also teases their 4:30pm newscast by explaining that conditions are changing rapidly and they’ll be able to provide the most current update in the live broadcast. Now, their broadcast becomes more valuable.

3. Create a Social Media Version

It’s common in today’s newsroom for a reporter to put information and video into the web version of their story that isn’t in the broadcast version. This same practice can be very successful on social media. Here, Nashville’s NewsChannel 5 has posted a clip from their one-hour special. Ideally, this clip should be something that is not included in the broadcast version – so that NewsChannel 5′s fans feel like they’re really getting something unique. But nonetheless, NewsChannel 5 has at least succeeded in giving their fans something different than a standard two-line tease.

4. Showcase Unique Content

There are still some things which a viewer can’t get anywhere except your newscast. If you have such a gem, it may be a successful method of drawing a larger audience. But do follow the lead of NewsChannel 11…They made sure to include a link to the web version of the story. Had they not, this post would have only frustrated their audience and caused most of them to google the story and read about it somewhere else. Instead, they’ve given their fans the story…and invited those who are really interested to tune in for the full interview.

5. Get Creative

Here, Jacksonville’s WJXT has used a product designed by my company, SocialNewsDesk to get viewers excited about their newscast. It’s a Facebook contest application with a quiz that’s themed around WJXT’s hometown NFL team. Parts of the quiz promote WJXT’s sports talent and their coverage of the NFL team. And the contest winner is announced live on their broadcast.

6. Just Don’t Do This

If it sounds like something you’d hear going into a commercial break, it doesn’t belong on social media. One fan below even responded to the station’s request to tune in by writing, “No, Thanks.” At least they were polite.

If you’ve seen successful social media teases, share them! Comment below!

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Posted in Facebook, Morning Shows, Social Media Policy, Social Media Strategy, Social Media and Journalism, writing for the web

What Your Newsroom Can Learn From Pat Dooley’s Twitter Faux Pas

10 Jan

As a life-long Gator fan, I couldn’t help but cringe as I saw the Twitterverse heat up over Gainesville Sun Columnist, Pat Dooley’s unpopular quip regarding Hokies Coach Frank Beamer this weekend:

@pat_dooley why does kansas city’s field look like Frank Beamer’s face?

Beamer survived a gasoline explosion as a kid and has visible scars to this day. Apparently, Dooley was trying to make a joke about the dilapidated turf and how he felt it resembled Beamer’s face. But Dooley was the only one laughing. It’s a textbook case of tweeting-gone-wrong. And a good opportunity to look at the Do’s and Don’ts of managing a Twitter faux pas.

DO Respond

You aren’t fooling anyone if you simply delete your post and pretend it never happened. The better strategy is to acknowledge the Followers you’ve upset and perhaps even win them over by admitting you made a mistake. Take a look at this exchange Dooley had with @262distance:

In this case, Dooley promptly responded and actually turned this into a positive with @262distance.

DON’T Delete the Tweet

If you google “Pat Dooley Tweet” or “Pat Dooley Frank Beamer” or anything similar, you’ll see at least a half-dozen columns and blogs hammering Dooleyover the now infamous tweet. What you won’t see…is a link to the actual Tweet on Dooley’s page. That’s because he deleted it. But in this case, what’s done is done. And deleting the comment doesn’t accomplish anything other than further infuriating the Twitterverse which generally sees this as a cowardice move.

DO Learn from Others

It’s a bit late for Dooley…but you can (and should) take this as an opportunity to remind yourself and/or your newsroom that Twitter is a serious journalistic medium. Many newsrooms have Social Media Policies that basically say…if you wouldn’t print/broadcast it…don’t Tweet it. Dooley isn’t the first sports journalist to learn this the hard way. Washington Post columnist Mike Wise wound up in hot water last year when he put out fake Tweets which resulted in an embarrassment for the Post and this apology from Wise:

If you don’t have a Social Media Policy in place for your newsroom, now is the time to make one. The Post has rules against posting “fabricated stories” on any platform. As does the Gainesville Sun which is likely what prompted this apology from Dooley today in which he referred to his comments as “uncalled for and dumb.”

DON’T Ignore Feedback

The apology (above) posted to GainesvilleSun.com is actually the 3rd or even 4th iteration of Dooley’s response to the situation. His initial reaction wasn’t so humble:

The lesson here is that Twitter is an amazing resource for instant Feedback. If it looks like something is about to snowball…it probably is. So don’t wait to get buried, take notice and take action. It’s a lesson even Dooley seems to have learned via an email apology: “I apologize to Coach Beamer and his family. Sometimes, we think (Twitter) is our own little world of friends in the press box. Good lesson for all journalists out there.”

Indeed.

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Posted in Future of News, Social Media Policy, Social Media Strategy, Social Media and Journalism, Twitter

How to Get 150,000 Fans on Facebook

06 Jan

Media outlets have an unparalleled opportunity to cross-promote Social Media with traditional media. There are many benefits to building a large fan base on Facebook or follower count on Twitter. And one of the quickest ways to do it is to leverage your assets. Cleveland-based Fox 8 is a perfect example:

Fox 8’s “Friend of the Day” (sic) promotion revolves around the one truism which is applicable in any city, any market, any station: everyone wants to be on TV. They’ve built up what I believe is among the most popular Facebook pages in all of local news (they’re at 147,667 fans as of last check) by simply featuring one of their fans during weekday morning newscast:

It’s an easy way to reward your current fans and simultaneously attract new ones. Here’s why this works:

1. It’s Visible:Some stations have run similar promotions by naming a “Fan of the Day” on their Facebook page. But the problem is, unless you’re a fan of the page…you never see it. Fox 8’s promotion is successful because it’s not just on Facebook. It’s on TV too. So it’s visible to fans and non-fans alike.

2. It’s Sellable: Fox 8 has actually sold a sponsor for this and that sponsor is featured on the billboard with the picture of Fox 8’s “Friend of the Day”.

3. It’s Desirable: This promotion creates a situation where becoming a fan of Fox 8 instantly gives that fan a chance to “win” the honor of being on TV. It’s a clever way to run a “contest” without actually running a contest.

When looking for ways to boost your fan count, you need to be aware of Facebook’s new rules for contests. These new rules mean that many of the contests TV stations have run in the past are now illegal. And you’ll want to comply with Facebook or risk having your Fan Page permanently removed from the social giant’s site.

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Posted in Facebook, Future of News, Social Media Policy, Social Media Strategy, Social Media and Journalism, Twitter

Best Practice Tips for Morning Shows and Social Media

03 Jan

When advising a station on how to best manage their presence in Social Media, one thing I always tell them is to avoid the temptation to spread themselves too thin. TV News people are notorious for compartmentalizing things down to their smallest increment. And with “hyper-local” being all the rage, it’s no wonder some stations have considered this strategy on Social Media. But on Facebook and Twitter, there’s power in numbers. And there are very few advantages to segmenting your Fans and Followers. Perhaps the only exception is Morning News. Here’s why:

1. Morning News viewers have a strong connection with the Morning News personalities…often this connection is more important to the Morning Show viewer than the news itself.
2. Morning News viewers seek a more personal interaction on Social Media than average viewers.
3. Morning News viewers accept and even desire personal stories and info from Morning News Anchors. Average News viewers see this type of personal interjection as superfluous.

If you are going to create a separate Fan Page and Twitter account for your Morning Show, here are some examples of what works and what doesn’t when it comes to Morning Shows and Social Media:

From WATE’s Good Morning Tennessee:

What Works:

Personalize It: Morning Show viewers want to know about Morning Show anchors. What you’re wearing, what you’re eating, what you think. And if you have a page that’s just for your Morning Show, then you have a great opportunity to give your Morning Show viewers what they really want. In this case, Morning Show anchor Tearsa comments on how gas prices are so high, she might start riding her bike more often.

What Doesn’t:

Don’t Forget the Link (to YOUR website): While the GMT crew has included a link…it’s a link to someone else’s website! This is a major missed opportunity to drive traffic to WATE’s website. Anyone interested in this story is now going to USAToday.com to read about it instead of WATE’s website.

From News8′s Good Morning Connecticut:

What Works:

Choose Controversial Topics: Asking Fans to share their opinion is a great way to start a two-way conversation with your viewers. It makes them feel connected to the news gathering process and results in higher interaction. Here, GMC has chosen to post about the end of UConn’s winning streak – which is a great choice. But it would have been stronger had they actually come out and asked for opinions on the team or what could have kept the streak alive.

What Doesn’t:

Don’t Tease Your Social Media Fans/Followers: Good Morning Connecticut posts something like this every morning. In this case, it’s not even a strong broadcast tease – let alone a strong Social Media post. Your Fans and Followers don’t want you to regurgitate your tease material onto their Facebook page… they’re looking for actual news and actual engagement. And Morning Show Fans want something much more personal than this. If you don’t give it to them, they’ll leave.

Morning Shows can be extremely successful in Social Media. The broadcasts are already engineered to be playful and friendly which translates very well to Social Media. The key is to be true to the basic rules of success on Social Media while also embracing an opportunity to get even more personal with your Fans and Followers.

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Posted in Facebook, Future of News, Morning Shows, Social Media Policy, Social Media Strategy, Social Media and Journalism, Twitter, writing for the web

Negative Nancy is my Facebook Fan

16 Dec

You didn’t invite her, she just showed up. And now Negative Nancy is posting all over your Newsroom’s Facebook page. She hates your news. She hates your talent. She hates the city. She hates just about everything except sharing her opinions on your Wall. Prevailing Social Media wisdom is that unless Nancy is posting something truly offensive to your community…you should never delete her posts. So what can you do? There’s a good article published today by an SEO group with tips on how to handle naysayers like Nancy. Let’s look at a few examples of how to put this to work on your Newsroom’s Facebook page:

1. Make it Visible

In this case, WCBS has posted a cute Holiday promo on their Wall. Negative Nancy (and a Fan named “Fin Flipper”… no I did not make that up) don’t like it, and are letting everyone know. The key here is that WCBS didn’t delete the naysayers. Instead, they allowed other members of their community to defend their post. Perfect!

2. Respond Professionally

When Negative Nancy takes a jab at your station, don’t stoop to her level, don’t jab back… just respond in the most pleasant way you can. Leaving these quips unanswered sometimes only causes them to escalate. If you see that happening, jump in and respond with a strong peice of factual information. In this case, WFSB didn’t jump in…and the negativity only got worse:

3. Kill Them with Kindness

Here, Negative Nancy is putting in her two cents about a shortcoming she perceives in the reporting WJBF did about a recent story. WJBF does a nice job of responding to this Fan’s inquiry with a supportive, gentle response.

4. Ask/Answer a Question

WSVN is among the best when it comes to responding quickly and routinely to their Facebook audience. Here, they quell Negative Nancy by answering her question thoughtfully and professionally.

Got any great tips or tricks on dealing with the Negative Nancys who visit your Social Media space? Share them with us!

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Posted in Facebook, Future of News, Social Media Policy, Social Media Strategy, Social Media and Journalism

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Archive for the ‘Social Media Policy’ Category

Tip 1: Don’t Attach Your Personal Profile

Tip 2: It’s All Optional

Tip 3: Keep Basic Info Basic

Tip 4: Turn Off Email Notifications

Tip 5: Keep it Professional

1. Just Ask

2. Read the Comments

3. Pay Attention to What’s Hot

1. Instant Results to Poll Questions

2. Better Visuals Means Better Engagement

3. News You Can Use

1. Get Personal

2. Focus on Urgency

3. Create a Social Media Version

4. Showcase Unique Content

5. Get Creative

6. Just Don’t Do This

DO Respond

DON’T Delete the Tweet

DO Learn from Others

DON’T Ignore Feedback

From WATE’s Good Morning Tennessee:

What Works:

What Doesn’t:

From News8′s Good Morning Connecticut:

What Works:

What Doesn’t:

1. Make it Visible

2. Respond Professionally

3. Kill Them with Kindness

4. Ask/Answer a Question

1. Know Your Audience

2. Follow the Trends

3. Embrace Controversy

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