"Technology is disrupting every industry and the media isn't left out. Ideally, social media is for connecting with viewers, readers and listeners. For journalists it is an avenue to engage, listen, monitor and locate sources and tell stories in a unique way. Digital journalism is growing and every day, content is distributed to thousands and millions of people, presenting us with an opportunity to tap into. The era comes with its own challenges too. Knowing and understanding how some platforms work will put you in a better position to educate, inform and impact lives through our work as journalists

1. @ghanabakwamena:
SOCIAL MEDIA FOR
JOURNALISTS
#DigitalJournalism #TamaleMediaTraining

2. ▸Professionally set up your Twitter account.
▸Find and share news
▸Connect with a source & audience with/on social
media
▸Build a trusted brand on social media.
▸Verify information on and with social media
▸Listen & monitor social media
▸Measure engagements & effectiveness of you
account
2
WHAT YOU
WILL LEARN:

3. “Social media is a process, a
conversation, therefore interactive.
Not a lecture Not a Product”
– Ryan Thornburg (@rtburg), University of North Carolina.
3

4. 4
SOURCE MEDIA AUDIENCE
Information Flow

5. 5
SOURCE
MEDIA
AUDIENCE
Information Flow NOW

6. 6

7. TWITTER
What you need to know
7

8. IN
BRIEF
▸Created in March 2006 (launched July)
▸Micro-Blogging Platform
▸310 million active users (March 2012)
▸140 Characters Tweet (url shortening up)
▸Accessible via web, sms or mobile app.
▸Prefix word or phrase by “#”
▸Trendingg topic?
▸Verified Accounts
▸Polls
▸Upload short video clips
8

9. USEFUL OR NAAH?
How Journalists Can Use Twitter Before, During & After Reporting A Story…
9

10. Get Stakeholders
To See Your Story
Tweet your story,
share a quote or
excerpts with a link.
Don’t for get to alert
stakeholders who
might be interested
in your story- don’t
spam though!
USEFUL
Be a
Conversationalist
Don’t dump
headlines & links on
your audience.
Respond to
questions. Be
human. You are not
a bot.
10

11. Keep Up With
Sources, Find Ideas
Twitter is a powerful
tool for finding story
ideas & keeping up
with your beat.
e.g. SPORTS!
HEALTH!
USEFUL
Finding Local
Sources
Refine your search
using twitter’s
advance search
page…
Location, Key words,
People/Handles etc
within 1 to 1,000
miles of the location
11

12. SETTING UP Application
Professional
Account
Bio & Getting
Rid of the
Egg Head
12

13. 13

14. CONTENT…
- King, Consistency is Key!
14

15. VERSE
C
O
N
T
E
N
T
15
V ICE
VISUALS
VIDE

16. NOTE!
16
Being Journo
adds weight to
your content!
Ethics remain:
Credit your source;
Honesty, Respect,
Don’t libel; avoid
silly fights, correct
errors.

17. 17

18. 18

19. PROFESSIONAL
Add value to the things
you share! Be
Resourceful- READ?
What can you addd as
context or bonus when
sharing your work? Who
are you talking to? How
can they help you? Are
you sharing more than
just headlines?
HUMAN
People will engage
more if they have a
sense of who you are,
what you’re like.
Showing personality is
a win and
conversations are great
ways to project you.
RESPECTFUL
Of other users on the
platform. Content &
information other users
share and create.
Expertise & insight- you
can tap into the value
they have to offer.
TIMING & CONTEXT:
Personal & Professional,
when tragedy or disaster
strikes behave
accordingly.
Covering
big/controversial/closely
watched events because
on Social Media you’re
always “on air!
RELIABLE
Provide information of value,
consistently. You practice
restraint with unverified
information, and in sensitive
situations. You’re
accountable for your
mistakes; your voice and
approach match the
circumstances.
APPROACHABLE
The more approachable
you are the more people
can engage and be a
source of a story.
BUILD A
TRSUTED
BRAND ON
SOCIAL
MEDIA AS A
JOURNO!
19

20. PRINCIPLES OF
VERIFICATION
▸Develop
Human sources
(be in touch) and
talk to them
▸Consult
multiple, credible
sources. “How do
you know that?”
20

21. PRINCIPLES OF
VERIFICATION
▸Be skeptical:
Is something
too good to be
true?
▸Verify the
source and
content
21

22. PRINCIPLES OF
VERIFICATION
▸Assume images,
video has been
scraped/reposted.
▸Communicate &
Collaborate.
▸Breaking News is
Chaos, Restraint is key.
22

23. VERIFIED
DATE ACCOUNT
WAS CREATED ANALYZE THEIR
NETWORK
ANALYZE THEIR
CONTENT
WHO DO THEY
SAY THEY ARE?
EVALUATING
SOURCES
23
USE HUMAN SOURCES! USE TOOLS TOO!
DON’T RUSH TO BE WRONG & VALUE RESTRAINT!

24. 24

25. GOOGLE THEM
ARE OTHERS
(Credible sources)
REPORTING THE
EVENT?
DM FOR INFO
GOOGLE THEIR CONTENT
-IMAGE SEARCH
(check the dates,places)
CHECK:
▸ Clothes
▸ Buildings
▸ Language
▸ License
plates
▸ Vehicles etc.
EVALUATING
SOURCES
25

26. 26
Twitter
Chat
Qweet
Twitterview
Live
Tweet
Run
Polls
Stream
an Event
(LIVE)
Crowd
source

27. 27

28. 28
DOWNLOAD
PERISCOPE APP

29. PERISCOPE
What you need to know
29

30. QUICK
CONCLUDING
TIPS
30
Increase
Relevance:
Listening &
Serving your
readers, listeners
and viewers-
stories that have
meaning and are
relevant to them.
(GBN & Bank of
Ghana new
Currency –
interview
GidAduku)
Behind the
Scenes: Builds
Trust &
Transparency,
See the process
– involving them
would be great.
Answer
Questions: Be
[readily] available
to respond to any
question to help
inform the ready
this will help you
build a trusted
brand and source.

31. SPECIAL
THANKS
TO:
▸NewsBridge Africa
▸Knight Center for Journalism
▸Poynter (School for Journalism & Democracy)
▸International Journalists’
network
▸We Are Social
▸Qdtricks.org [twitter tips]
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THANKS!
Any questions?
You can find me at
▸ @ghanabakwamena
▸ ghanabakwamena@gmail.com