Back to Basics: Social News Rooms
August 27th, 2009Author: Laura Halsch
It seems like a while ago now that there was a big to-do around creating social media newsrooms. But in recent months the tides have turned to maybe more flashy things (Twitter mania, anyone?). But as traditional media shrinks, and alternative news sites in the form of blogs, breaking news and citizen journalism are on the rise, this topic remains relevant. So while the buzz about social press rooms has maybe died out, the need for them has only increased – especially as so many companies have clunking, outdated press centers.
And really, the core elements of social news centers have remained. The speed and frequency of information, and the range of sources available requires that our content be:
- Written so real people understand it – without marketing speak or jargon
- Easily copied, downloaded and embedded
- Multimedia-rich – people crave visually interesting experiences too
- Super searchable – tags, categories, site search and related content help make busy influencers’ lives easier
- Third-party verified and supported – it is not enough that you say it; we want to know what other people say too.
Cisco and Toyota get props for their sites. Who else do you think is doing this well?
