PROMOTING YOUR CONTENT

LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT

Publishing

•Linking to content

Conversing

•Listening

•Passive moderation

Participating

•Asking questions

•Engaging without being prompted

•Moderating by participating

ASSESS THE NEED

1. Sign up, find a few people in your community and look at their connections

2. Search posts on the site for your town’s name

3. Try a “geo-search” on Twitter using your zip code

YOUR PROMOTION OPTIONS

AUTOMATE YOUR UPDATES UPDATE MANUALLY

Requires an RSS feed Suitable for getting started OK if a network has no

users but you want presence

Not as personal Doesn’t conform to

conventions All content promoted Links show up in bursts

Highly personal (and users know it)

Promote select content Have full control over

timing Use language, voice not

suitable for your newspaper’s site

Re-post, repurpose content (archives, slideshows, etc.)

HOW-TO

HootSuite – free at Hootsuite.com – handles URL shortening, image sharing, RSS feeding, multiple accounts, keyword monitoring, etc.

EASY AUTOMATION

In Hootsuite, go to “Launch” > “Settings” > “RSS/Atom” > “Add New Feed”

TwitterFeed.com provides similar functionality, but is more difficult to configure

EFFECTIVE MANUAL UPDATING

You don’t have to post every story Reporters can promote their content, too Archived stories have value

“Police Chief Jones stepped down today. Remember this profile we published on him when he came to Texas? http://link.link.link

If the story’s big, rephrase and repost Update multiple networks at once (again …

Hootsuite) Plain, to-the-point language works best Use a link shortener (more on this later)

WIDGETIZE / BUTTON-UP

For Facebook:facebook.com/facebook-widgets/ & developers.facebook.com/plugins

For Twitter:twitter.com/goodies/widgets

For buttons:socialfollow.com &addthis.com

SUGGEST YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE

On your page, click “Suggest to Friends” under your picture

Begin with your staff

Ask your fans to do the same

TWITTER: FOLLOW OTHER USERS

Find people to Follow

Get staffers on individually

Make sure you have a Bio, Photo and Web link

Respond, reach out to other users

INVITE THEM IN

Also: http://www.redesigntcuskiff.blogspot.com/

DON’T FORGET YOUR BIGGEST ASSET