Integrating social media into your content strategy

Melanie MoranVanderbilt University

Bulldog Reporter Webinar April 8, 2011

Strategy and Policy

Coordination

Maximizing your online newsroom

• http://news.vanderbilt.edu

Free Range Content

Timing

• Crisis / Breaking News: Response must be rapid

• New 2-year study from Dan Zarella at HubSpot:– Tweet often– Rinse and repeat– Re-tweets spike between 2-5 p.m. and on weekends –

schedule your tweets accordingly– Facebook use also spikes on the weekend – consider sharing

then– Early morning on weekends is also very active – schedule

your tweets– Early morning, weekdays, and also weekends, are best for

email newsletters

Integration• Get started with

ShareThis or similar tool

• Take the next step of adding Facebook technology

• Blur the lines between your different platforms

Use social media in good times…

• Provide bonus content

• Build buzz• Leverage crowd

participation (hashtags)

• Engage media• Provide of-the-

minute updates

…and in bad.

• To hear criticism• To manage emergencies• To right wrongs• To quell rumors• To provide accurate information• To give your organization a seat at

the table