This post got 3,500+ shares. Shares are often highest when information is seen as being in the public interest. (Also, try suggesting specific types of friends users might want to share with, in terms of demographics, interests, opinions, etc.) News consumers do not always give journalists credit for having a public service mission. The trust-building language turned this story from a simple day turn about a food recall into public service information that was helping keep the community healthy and safe.
Everyone’s an expert in their own experience. Look for opportunities to invite conversation around those. Also, stay involved in the conversation you host.
What does your audience want to talk about? How can you tap into their outrage, pride or excitement? There’s also a a lot of humorous back-and-forth in the comments under this post.
Look for opportunities to productively challenge trollish comments. It respects the participation of the more constructive commenters and reminds people that you support civil conversations.
Watch how users share your posts. Sometimes the best conversation happens on their shares, not on the original post. Also, questions that are personal or especially controversial work best if your users already are used to talking to you. You might need to build up to these conversations if you want them to be constructive.
Questions that are personal or especially controversial work best if your users already are used to talking to you. You might need to build up to these conversations if you want them to be constructive.
Questions that are personal or especially controversial work best if your users already are used to talking to you. You might need to build up to these conversations if you want them to be constructive.
Some issues are easy to have an opinion on and are a natural starting point if you want to train your users to talk to you. How can you tap into their outrage, pride or excitement?
Personal questions like this work best if your users already enjoy talking to you. You might need to build up to these prompts. Also, try hosting conversations without a link attached.
Some users value being a source of information for their friends. It can be effective to emphasize when you have news people will be eager to hear or practical information that will be especially useful.
Some users value being a source of information for their friends. It can be effective to emphasize when you have news people will be eager to hear or practical information that will be especially useful.
Some users value being a source of information for their friends. It can be effective to emphasize when you have news people will be eager to hear or practical information that will be especially useful.
If you want to take user questions live, make sure it’s on a topic they’re eager to discuss. Also, some issues are easy to have an opinion on and are a natural starting point if you want to train your users to talk to you.
If you want to take user questions live, make sure it’s on a topic they’re eager to discuss. Also, some issues are easy to have an opinion on and are a natural starting point if you want to train your users to talk to you.
Look for opportunities to productively challenge trollish comments or make statements about civility. It respects the participation of the more constructive commenters.
Some users value being a source of information for their friends. It can be effective to emphasize when you have news people will be eager to hear or practical information that will be especially useful.
News consumers do not always give journalists credit for having a public service mission. You can encourage sharing and reinforce your mission by emphasizing how your news is in the public interest.
What does your audience want to talk about? How can you tap into their outrage, pride, nostalgia or excitement? Also, if appropriate, try kicking a conversation off by having your staff share first.
Look for opportunities to show that your people and your organization are rooted in the community you serve. Also, writing informally, with some personality, can encourage people to interact.
627 likes on a comment! Look for opportunities to explain your process, especially when you see commenters asking questions about it. This comment shows a thoughtfulness behind word choices that not all news consumers would assume journalists have. This example also shows the value of staying involved in the conversations we host and participating in them.
Some users value being a source of information for their friends. It can be effective to emphasize when you have news people will be eager to hear or practical information that will be especially useful.
