Has promoting your station’s stories on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and (yep, even) LinkedIn turned your pages into boring RSS feeds? You’re not alone.
According to Robert Quiqley, journalism professor at University of Texas at Austin and former social media editor at the Austin American-Statesman, one of the biggest mistakes journos make is to “just push out their content without actually interacting with anybody… So, they are missing out on a huge opportunity to engage their audience, get sources, and get feedback on their stories.”
Instead, try giving viewers a peek inside your world with exclusive content or tidbits they wouldn’t get elsewhere. In Richmond, Virginia, WWBT reporter Rachel DePompa tweets links to news stories alongside “Here’s what I’m working on now” previews and the occasional personal post, like rooting for NHL Caps or offering her condolences on the anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting rampage.
Get remedies for five other common errors in The Biggest Mistakes Journalists Make in Social Media.
This article is one of several mediabistro.com features exclusively available to AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, you can register for as little as $55 a year and get access to these articles, discounts on seminars and workshops, and more.