5.2 Managing Social Media Accounts and Editorial Calendars

Social media management is crucial for news organizations. It involves juggling multiple accounts, maintaining brand consistency, and tracking performance metrics. Effective strategies include setting clear objectives, defining target audiences, and using tools to streamline processes.

Editorial calendars help align social media content with news coverage. They ensure a consistent flow of posts that support the organization's content pillars. Planning content mix, collaborating with editorial teams, and adjusting based on current events are key to staying relevant and engaging.

Managing Multiple Social Media Accounts

Establishing a Strategic Approach

Top images from around the web for Establishing a Strategic Approach

• 

  Content_measures | KPI table | Olivier Carré-Delisle | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Social Media Strategy Process | Gaurav Mishra | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  5 categories of social media measurement | The Social Media … | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Content_measures | KPI table | Olivier Carré-Delisle | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Social Media Strategy Process | Gaurav Mishra | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Establishing a Strategic Approach

• 

  Content_measures | KPI table | Olivier Carré-Delisle | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Social Media Strategy Process | Gaurav Mishra | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  5 categories of social media measurement | The Social Media … | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Content_measures | KPI table | Olivier Carré-Delisle | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Social Media Strategy Process | Gaurav Mishra | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• News organizations often manage multiple social media accounts across different platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) to reach diverse audiences and share various types of content
• Effective social media management requires a strategic approach, including setting specific objectives, defining target audiences, and allocating resources appropriately
• Key performance indicators (KPIs) should be established to track and measure success
  • Examples of KPIs include engagement rates, reach, follower growth, and click-through rates

Maintaining Brand Consistency and Monitoring Performance

• Maintaining a cohesive brand identity across all social media accounts is crucial
  • Use consistent visual elements, tone of voice, and messaging that aligns with the organization's overall brand guidelines
  • Develop a style guide that outlines best practices for social media content creation and engagement
• Regularly monitoring and analyzing social media metrics helps inform content strategies and optimize performance
  • Tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, or native analytics dashboards can streamline this process
• Engaging with followers by responding to comments, questions, and messages in a timely manner is essential for building relationships and fostering a sense of community around the news organization's brand

Integrating Social Media in Editorial Calendars

Aligning Social Media Content with News Coverage

• An editorial calendar is a planning tool that outlines the content to be published across various channels, including social media, over a specific period
  • It helps ensure a consistent flow of content and alignment with the organization's overall news coverage
• When creating an editorial calendar, consider the news organization's content pillars, which are the main themes or topics that the organization consistently covers
  • Social media content should support and amplify these pillars
  • Examples of content pillars could include local news, politics, sports, or entertainment
• Identify key events, holidays, and observances relevant to the news organization's audience and incorporate them into the editorial calendar
  • This allows for timely and relevant content creation (elections, major sporting events, commemorative months)

Planning and Adjusting Content Mix

• Use a content matrix to plan and visualize the mix of content types and formats to be shared on each social media platform
  • Content types could include news updates, behind-the-scenes glimpses, interactive polls, or user-generated content
  • Formats may include text, images, videos, or live streams
• Collaborate with editorial teams to identify upcoming stories, investigations, or special reports that can be promoted and expanded upon through social media channels
• Regularly review and adjust the editorial calendar based on current events, audience feedback, and performance data to ensure the content remains relevant and engaging

Scheduling and Automating Social Media Posts

Utilizing Social Media Management Tools

• Social media management tools (Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Buffer) allow users to schedule posts in advance, monitor multiple accounts from a single dashboard, and collaborate with team members
• Scheduling tools enable news organizations to maintain a consistent posting frequency and ensure content is shared at optimal times for audience engagement, even outside of regular business hours
  • Determine the best times to post based on audience analytics and platform insights
• Develop a system for organizing and managing visual assets, such as photos and videos, to ensure they are easily accessible when scheduling social media content

Balancing Automation and Human Touch

• Automation techniques, such as setting up RSS feeds or integrating with content management systems (CMS), can streamline the process of sharing new articles or updates across social media channels
• When automating social media posts, it's important to strike a balance between efficiency and maintaining a human touch
  • Automated posts should be reviewed for accuracy and relevance
  • Engagement with followers should not be fully automated
• Establish guidelines for the use of hashtags, mentions, and tags to maximize reach and engagement while maintaining consistency across posts

Collaborating for Timely Social Media Content

Establishing Communication and Workflows

• Effective collaboration between social media managers and editorial teams is essential for creating cohesive and impactful content that supports the news organization's goals
• Establish clear communication channels and workflows to ensure social media managers are aware of upcoming stories, events, or initiatives that can be promoted or covered on social media
  • Use project management tools (Trello, Asana) or regular meetings to stay aligned
• Involve social media managers in editorial meetings to provide insights on audience preferences, trending topics, and opportunities for social media-specific content or engagement

Developing Social Media-Friendly Content

• Collaborate with journalists and editors to develop social media-friendly headlines, excerpts, or summaries that effectively capture the essence of a story and encourage clicks or engagement
• Work with editorial teams to identify opportunities for social media-exclusive content
  • Examples include live Q&A sessions with reporters, behind-the-scenes footage, or user-generated content campaigns
• Provide training and resources to help journalists and editors understand best practices for social media engagement, such as how to effectively promote their work and interact with followers

Analyzing Performance and Informing Strategies

• Regularly review and analyze social media performance data with editorial teams to identify successful content types, formats, or themes
  • Use insights to inform future content creation and distribution strategies
• Continuously iterate and refine social media strategies based on data-driven insights and audience feedback to maximize the impact and reach of the news organization's content