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Combining Social Media with Help Authoring
Tom Johnson
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The Allure of Social Media
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Wikis
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Advantages of Wikis
• Wisdom of users• Group collaboration• Easy updates• Visible writing process • SME contributions• Transform the tech writer role• Integrate user's perspective • Simple tools
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Drawbacks of Wikis
• Primitive formatting • Simple website• No single sourcing• Printed manuals difficult• Infrastructure limitations • Marginal user contributions • Requires a leader• Inaccuracies problematic • Resistant corporate culture
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Blogs
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Advantages of Blogs
• Communication venue• Convert users to power users• Feature requests/bugs• Connection with users• SEO Power• Personalized company face
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Drawbacks of Blogs
• Not integrated with online help• Requires a blogger• RSS ignorance• Comment spam• Getting the right tone is tough
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Social Networks
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Advantages of Social Networks
• Visual pictures of users• Niche conversations • Another contact point
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Drawbacks of Social Networks
• No one goes there• Another login• Only web-based
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Podcasts/Videocasts
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Advantages of Podcasts/Videocasts
• Engaging format• Users have rich media devices• Great blog content
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Drawbacks of Podcasts/Videocasts
• Time consuming• Lengthy to watch or listen to• Equipment costs
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Forums
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Advantages of Forums
• Comfortable atmosphere• Empowers enthusiastic users• Increases your support resources• One-to-many communication
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Drawbacks of Forums
• Unanswered questions sour users• Not integrated with online help• Updating is a nightmare• Gives voice to frustration • Another hat to wear
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Interactive Help
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Interactive Help
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Advantages of Interactive Help
• Another point of interactivity• Topic ratings potentially useful
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Drawbacks of Interactive Help
• No one uses it
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Transformations for Tech Writers
• Less technical writing
• Multiple hats
• Expert knowledge about users
• Product leader and influencer
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Tom Johnsonwww.idratherbewriting.com801-822-2241tomjohnson1492@gmail.com