By John Strauss
Editor's Note: I've deleted the material about Twitter. The comments from Pew and others were accurate, but they haven't aged well as the site grows increasingly toxic. - js
Journalists can use social media to promote their work, find sources for news stories, and maintain an updated portfolio for prospective sources—and employers.
Doing those things well is easier with the right road map:
Post Regularly
“Consistency is key when it comes to building your personal brand on social media,” Oliver Mathenge has written.
“This means creating a regular cadence of content that aligns with your brand and resonates with your audience. This could include sharing your own articles, sharing industry news and insights, conducting Q&A sessions, or providing behind-the-scenes glimpses into your work. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it aligns with your brand and is consistent.”
He mentions the growing use of podcasts and live streaming as examples of innovative uses of social media.
Protect Your Reputation
Whatever the nation’s changing social media tastes and new platforms, journalism’s enduring values are critical to good social media practice.
At Arizona State University, the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication insists on ethical guidelines that reflect those of the Society of Professional Journalists.
At the top of the list: Wherever they post, journalists should act independently, free of any interest other than the public’s right to know.
“Social media helps journalists find sources, engage audiences and develop story ideas as well as make personal and professional connections,” the guidelines note.
“Avoid posting information to social networking sites or blogs that could call into question your ability to act independently as a journalist.
“This includes expressing political views, sports fandom or opinions about newsmakers or sharing internal communications, even if you are participating in what is supposed to be a private group.”
Show Your Skills
There’s another use for social media that’s important for newer communicators. For those without a substantial body of work or who are just starting, the platforms offer a chance to demonstrate ability. Multimedia or video skills, for example, are much in demand, judging from many news and communications job posts.
The problem for newcomers has always been that it can be difficult to get a job without experience—and hard to get experience without a job. But writers and visual storytellers can now publish themselves.
Using just a mobile phone, an inexpensive tripod and microphone, a person can grow their video skills and publish their work on YouTube, Vimeo and other sites, gaining both the chance to practice their skills and fresh pieces to show to prospective employers. Is a phone the best way to shoot and edit video? Of course not, but it’s important to start somewhere and not wait for someone to provide a $35,000 camera.
Also, for work you’re going to pitch to news websites or to show your composition and editing chops, shoot with your phone in landscape, or horizontal mode. And yes, there are other opinions about this.
For some, the challenge is finding suitable topics. But again, the low cost of entry—a phone, basically—means that a creative writer and multimedia producer can take on projects for community groups and nonprofits. Here’s an example from a march against domestic violence, shot and edited on an iPhone with an inexpensive wireless mic.
Tutorials, courses and other resources for learning are all over the web, but the important thing is to get started. Community groups and journalism startups are eager for help, and the producer can get some valuable practice, not to mention great contacts and recommendations.
In short, there is plenty of excellent advice about how journalists and other communicators can use social media. But the best advice is to get to work—without waiting to be hired—and publish on social media regularly to build the in-demand skills that lead to good jobs.
(Photo by John Mark Arnold on Unsplash)
