For a news organization to be relevant in the online canadian pharmacy social networking scene, it’s got to cast a wide net.
Networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook give information consumers the opportunity to discuss niche topics with others of similar interests. They also cut out the middleman and allow star athletes like Shaquille O’Neal to communicate directly with his fan base.
The audience is fragmented, but it also is easier to connect with than ever before, as long as those who make overtures are authentic participants, said Ryan Sholin, the director of news innovation at Publish2.
"That’s a lot of communities, that’s how I look at it," Sholin said. "If you can get out and get your tendrils and tentacles into as many of those communities as you can, you’re going to connect with readers."
Sholin led the Thursday workshop on social networking journalism at the Associated Press Sports Editors convention in Pittsburgh.
Having a presence in the social networking world can help build audience awareness and help bring people to the newspaper’s Web site. Success requires authenticity, though, Sholin said. He offered five keys to achieving authenticity:
■ Be human. Writers and editors should use their own names as user names, not hide behind a generic "Sports Department" veil.
"You can’t be faceless, you’ve got to be human and engage with people," Sholin said. Sholin cited one creative character that the Chicago Tribune has created online. Although "Col. Tribune" actually has several people tweeting and Facebooking as him, he has a face, a newspaper hat, and something to say. The approach has struck a chord.
■ Be honest. Ignore the "trolls," who spew negativity and anger at the news organization daily online. But when an earnest person has a question about coverage or points out an error, engage that person honestly, not defensively, Sholin said.
■ Be aware. "You need to listen when you participate in social media," Sholin said. Odds are, there is a Facebook page for people who really care about a local prep football team or maybe want a local coach or athletic director fired.
News reporters should seek out the groups on Facebook that are relevant to their beat coverage. Twitter allows users to build searches for tweets that contain keywords, are within a certain distance of your coverage area, and more.
■ Be everywhere. "Every time someone has a question about your beat, be there to answer it," Sholin said. If you’re already searching out people’s comments or groups about given topics, you can be there to answer their questions.
■ Show your work. "If you run a story online, link to your sources," Sholin said. Yes, that takes them away from your site. But it also will make them come back next time, Sholin said.
He cited an example from the Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel, which ran a long list of links to news about the rumored (and later confirmed) arrival of Lane Kiffin as the Vols’ next football coach on its knoxnews.com site.
Phil Kaplan, deputy sports editor at the News Sentinel, said the story – which was nothing but a list of links and a short intro – was the most popular story on the site for about a week. "You send them away so they’ll come back for more," Sholin said.
The benefits of social networking won’t make a lot of money, but they will build brand awareness among a segment of the population less likely to read a daily newspaper.
Reporters and editors who gain a lot of followers or join the right Facebook groups also have built a network of people they can turn to for news tips, sourcing, or just to get a sense of how people other than their Web site’s regular commenters view the latest news.
"What you get out of it has potential that just keeps going up and up and up, and when news breaks, it’s very easy to ask one of your followers."
