Designed for a series of presentations in the country of Armenia in May, 2013, this presentation looks at ways journalists, bloggers and citizen activists can use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media channels in their work. For more information, see www.epoltics.com.

1. Social Media for Practical
Journalists
v

2. Colin Delany

Former political staffer (Texas)

Founder/editor Epolitics.com

Online communications
consultant

Political advocate

3. V
Social Media is....
SOCIALSOCIAL

4. Information Spreads Person-to-
Person

5. Social Media Needs...

Relationships

Content

6. Does social media replace
journalists?

7. Does social media replace
journalists?
NO![it gives them new tools]

8. Journalists can use it to:

promote stories

find sources

build a personal "brand"

bypass filters

crowdsource projects

9. Why social media?
Big Reason #1: Your audience is there
Big Reason #2: People can tell their own stories

10. Institutions can use social media

11. Institutions can use social media

12. So can individual reporters

13. And reformers

14. Social media & the Arab Spring

15. WARNING!
Social media can bypass media gatekeepers

16. WARNING!
BUT

17. WARNING!
[Almost] Nothing stays anonymous online
for very long

18. Crowdsourcing

19. The Social Media Big 3
[plus 3 more]

20. General Tips for Social Victory
• create content people want to engage with
• create content that people want to share
• make it easy for them to share it
• interact with them
• track statistics & reinforce success

21. Facebook
• Facebook rewards “engagement”
• Post content that makes people want to Like,
Share or Comment

22. Facebook: Visual Content

23. Twitter
• identify opinion leaders & follow them
• participate in the conversation
• share links to articles and other content
• use #hashtags and @replies strategically
• Track @mentions and retweets

24. Twitter

25. YouTube
• use video to amplify your stories
• try including citizen video
• short clips usually work best
• doesn't have to be “slick”
• promote via Twitter & Facebook

26. Extending Your Reach with Video

27. Rule #1
Don't be afraid to
experiment

28. Thank You
Colin Delany
Epolitics.com
cpd@epolitics.com
@epolitics
+1 202 422 4682