If you are a business you are probably used to hearing that you should be using social media regularly, many businesses do just this, without any thought to what they are trying to achieve and how that is going to happen. The recent HMV twitter debacle, underlines how important it is for businesses to understand how their social media is being run by their staff and what they are trying to achieve.
Here is an example of a local business that I think is using its twitter profile innovatively and effectively.
The Sheffield Telegraph is a weekly local newspaper which features stories from the local area. Similar to many other local papers in the UK. Local Newspapers are finding it increasingly difficult to connect with younger readers, and many papers have found themselves in a difficult position where they have needed to cut costs and staff numbers. So, in this difficult climate I think its particularly impressive to find a paper that is doing things differently and is being innovative with new technology, using it as a way to engage with its audience rather than viewing it as a threat.
The Sheffield Telegraph, runs a regular feature where it asks its readers in the paper and its followers on-line to respond to a story either in the local or national press. It has journalists that don't just talk at you, but engage in a discourse with their followers and those that tweet them. They are holding a place on line that makes the most of their knowledge and areas of expertise.
What follows below is an example of a story that is not only taking place on line but will also feature in the paper.
shftelegraph4:46pm via Twitter for Android
shftelegraph4:13pm via Twitter for Android
shftelegraph3:23pm via twitterfeed
shftelegraph1:48pm via Twitter for Android
shftelegraph1:44pm via Twitter for Android
Here is an example of a local business that I think is using its twitter profile innovatively and effectively.
The Sheffield Telegraph is a weekly local newspaper which features stories from the local area. Similar to many other local papers in the UK. Local Newspapers are finding it increasingly difficult to connect with younger readers, and many papers have found themselves in a difficult position where they have needed to cut costs and staff numbers. So, in this difficult climate I think its particularly impressive to find a paper that is doing things differently and is being innovative with new technology, using it as a way to engage with its audience rather than viewing it as a threat.
The Sheffield Telegraph, runs a regular feature where it asks its readers in the paper and its followers on-line to respond to a story either in the local or national press. It has journalists that don't just talk at you, but engage in a discourse with their followers and those that tweet them. They are holding a place on line that makes the most of their knowledge and areas of expertise.
What follows below is an example of a story that is not only taking place on line but will also feature in the paper.
shftelegraph4:46pm via Twitter for Android
RT @HR_Media: Happy birthday Harry Brearley! A blog on Sheffield's celebrations on the discovery of stainless steel #sellsheffield http: ...
shftelegraph4:13pm via Twitter for Android
RT @DanaABDUL: @shftelegraph #sellsheffield city of steel with a golden heart filled with good grub, sport, music and art! Good for heal ...
shftelegraph3:23pm via twitterfeed
VIDEO: Philippa fans pledge £14k for Sheffield album: That’s how much fans have pledged in just two months - in ... bit.ly/132St28
shftelegraph1:48pm via Twitter for Android
RT @IanSheffield50: "@shftelegraph: How would you sell Sheffield to an outsider in a Tweet? #sellsheffieldBrilliant pubs and local ales!
shftelegraph1:44pm via Twitter for Android
Don't forget to pick up a copy of @shftelegraph on Thursday to see if your #sellsheffield tweet is in print. Thanks to all who joined in.
And the effects?
They engage with their audience, they provide a link between what is happening on-line and in print connecting up worlds that often don't engage with each other. They provide a voice of authority for those of us who like to validate information that we find on-line. Personally they have also created a way that engages with me personally and has meant that I have regularly bought their paper, which has to be the ultimate goal for the paper - increasing circulation.
Top tips that the Sheffield Telegraph do well?
1) Content - they have the news and the stories they use these to provide information
2) social - they ask questions on titter and want answers , they are quick to respond, important as people need a quick response on a format such as twitter.
3) People - they tweet from their main page but also link this in with some of their journalists such as Lesley Draper they talk about their areas of interest and form an important part of the local on line community.
What do you think? who would you recommend as having an effective social media strategy?