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It's not Rocket Science: Social Media Tips for Journos (inc. check out those URLs!)

The last few panels of a big event such as Media140 Sydney pose challenges to panellists and audience alike. Paul Farrell, guest blogger, explains how the final pow-wow managed to hold the attention of the auditorium.

This panel presented the most informative and practical advice for bloggers and journalists on how to use social media effectively. Tips came from practitioners in all fields of the Australian media world, and ranged from tweeting the facts to checking tiny URL’s before posting (you never know what you might be linking to…) to keeping up to date with your Twitter followers’ tweets.

Dave Earley, online editor from channel 7 Brisbane and Wolf Cocklin, from ABC digital, spoke about the benefits of alternative Twitter programs like Tweetgrid and Tweetdeck, and how effective they are at allowing people to stay involved.  All the speakers gave examples of how they had used Twitter in the field.  Wolf talked about his tweeting of the Victorian bushfires, and how effective it was to communicate the situation in real time.  He not only communicated with his own followers but also with the ABC newsroom via Twitter.

Twitter dominated the discussion, and the speakers all agreed on one big point; tweet about everything.  It’s about establishing your own identity online, and that’s how readers begin to trust you.  As Renai Lemay, news editor at ZDNet says: “it helps for your audience to see you as a person, and not an anonymous journalist in a newsroom.” 

Twitter is not just about links and pictures, and sometimes the everyday activities and thoughts of a Twitterer are just as important.  As Andrew Davies, producer of ABC’s Future Tense, also says, it’s becoming an important way to meet people as well, which is why it’s so important to stay involved and engaged.