1. Presentation by Sue Burzynski Bullard University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Twitter
Presentation by
Sue Burzynski Bullard
University of Nebraska - Lincoln

2. What is it?

3. Micro-blogging site
Twitter is a rapidly expanding micro-blogging site that people everywhere are using to give readers up-to-date information – in 140 characters at a time

4. Rapid growth
Edison Research: 87% of Americans aware of Twitter in 2010, up from 5% in 2008.

5. Twitter use
More than 17 million users in U.S.
Largest age group 35-49

6. What’s happening?
That’s the question Twitter asks, but people use it in a variety of ways.

7. Why use it ? Can draw traffic to your site Can be a marketing tool
Can enhance reputation
Can share ideas
Can hear what others are saying

8. How journalists use it Engage audiences Connect with people
Develop personal brands

9. Enhance reporting
Find Minneapolis TV reporter

10. Success story
DeRusha said in 2007 he was doing a story on December sniffles caused by allergies. He used Twitter to find someone allergic to Christmas trees.

11. Other journalism uses Discover breaking news stories Post news quickly
Examples: 2007 Mexico earthquake 1st reported on Twitter
Hudson River plane crash
Fort Hood shooting

13. More ways to use Twitter
Interviews – “Man on street”
Promotion – Drive traffic to your story by posting links
Newspapers – Use Twitter to link to stories
NYTimes on Twitter

14. Find story ideas
Search by keyword
#LNK
#UNL
#Nebraska

15. Universities use Twitter
Build communities
Connect with alumni
Provide news

16. Uses for bloggers, journalists
Follow others with similar interests
Attract followers & have conversations
Find information

18. Writing Twitter headlines
Keep them short
Focus on keywords
Avoid puns
Use links
Use one idea/one story per Tweet

19. See what journalists are doing
Muck Rack is compiled of real-time Twitter activity by journalists. See what journalists are reading, following and talking about. The site is searchable by news organization, tweets, links and photos.

20. Media on Twitter
is a sortable database of journalists.

21. Future of Journalism

22. Why you might love Twitter

23. How to start Get a Twitter account (it’s free) at
http:
Use a name that will make it easy for people to find you.
Complete the bio.

24. Next steps Follow other twitters. Use find people tool.
Follow
Follow the rest of this class.

27. Other uses
Direct message other tweeters. You can only direct message Twitter users who are already following you.

28. Twitter lists Organize people you follow Find new people
Mashable’s How to use Twitter lists

29. Easy to use Lots of applications for various uses
On Iphone, try Twitteriffic
On you desktop, try TweetDeck

30. My TweetDeck

31. Search for hot topics
Search

32. Use hashtags
A hashtag – short character string preceded by # inserted anywhere in a tweet. Makes it easy to track topics by searching Twitter for the hashtag string.
#LNK
#journalism

33. Husker hashtag

34. Multimedia
Pictures
Polls

35. Put Twitter on your site
Widgets

36. Writing Tweets Have a goal in mind. Provide information.
One point at a time.
Think subjects, verbs (like headlines)
Drop articles
Punctuate for clarity
Be professional
Use URL shorteners – tinyurl or bit.ly

37. Twitter guides
Mashable’s guide

38. Twitter etiquette
10 commandments

39. Twitter resources David Carr on why Twitter will endure
More ways to use Twitter
Social media goes mainstream
How newspapers use Twitter
SMC Lincoln

40. Twitter Feeds to Follow
Good feeds for students
More good feeds for student journalists