10 Twitter Tips For Traditional Media

Attention, those in charge of online marketing for Media! You need to read this blog post from Steve Pratt:

10 Twitter Tips For Traditional Media

Steve’s first tip hit home – this is exactly what most of the media folks I follow on Twitter are doing! They are using it as an RSS Feed and not as an interaction tool. While there is some value in that, I can easily get that from the traditional RSS feed on their webpage. What I want from the media on Twitter is:

1. Some true breaking news (traffic accident on the Interstate, terroist attack, criminal loose in my area, etc.) – but not every news item that comes across their desk
2. Personal interaction! Ask about our thoughts & ideas, what’s newsworthy to us, what leads we might have for a story you’re doing (like HARO but more locally focused). Slow news day? We’ll have ideas for you! Need a witness to that accident? Bet they’re online.

Rick Sanchez at CNN gets it – he lets us know what stories he’s working on, asks for feedback and opinions, even reads some of the responses on air. There are others that get it too, but they’re few and far between. So, if you’re in media and are in the department responsible for your online presence on Twitter, Facebook, etc. – please move away from just listing what’s on your website already and start interacting with your readers & listeners. I promise you won’t regret it!