Social Media Style Guide 2
Social Media Style Guide 2
Social Media Style Guide 2
I. Introduction
Our Mission: Global demand for food and fuel is rising, and the push and pull for
resources has serious ramifications for our country’s economic recovery and prosperity.
Today’s emerging agenda for agriculture is headlined by energy and climate change,
food safety, biofuels, animal production and welfare, human health, water quality, and
local food systems. By examining these local, regional and national issues and their
implications, Harvest Public Media seeks to create a rich multimedia resource devoted
to food, fuel and field.
Joy Mayer, a 2010 RJI Fellow posted the following image on her blog after having
a conversation with Meg Pickard, The Guardian’s head of digital engagement. “The
horizontal line is the process of journalism. The vertical line represents publication.
Above the line are the actions of journalists. Those folks traditionally work really
hard up until publication, then return to the beginning to start something new. Below
the line are the users, whose role has always come after publication, reacting and
sharing.” Social media allows users to participate in the pre-publication by contributing
to content. It also allows journalists to stay involved post-publication, nuturing
collaboration and conversation with users.
II. Basic guidelines
Harvest Public Media will maintain a conversational and accessible tone on social media
sites.
• When introduing URLs, use either a colon or the word “at,” but not
simultaneously (e.g. “get more information at www.harvestpublicmedia.
org,” or “get more information: www.harvestpublicmedia.org,” not
“get more information at: www.harvestpublicmedia.org.”)
Updates should be posted on Facebook and Twitter for every new Harvest Public Media
story.
No more than two updates per day should be posted on each social media platform.
Reporters should engage with users using Facebook and Twitter to ask for input on
stories and events, as well as resonding to questions directed at Harvest Public Media
Note: “User” is used in place of reader, listener, viewer, etc. Harvest Public Media
provides content that takes many forms and thus, our audience can be referred to most
accurately as users.
III. Facebook
Introduction: Facebook boasts the largest user base of any social networking
website. With more than 500 million active users, Facebook provides a platform for
organizations to reach a large audience with content including photographs, pictures,
discussions, blog posts and links to stories.
Links: Harvest Public Media should post links to stories on the Facebook page with a
brief, conversational introduction.
Photos: Photos may be added to the default album, “Harvest Public Media photos,”
or a new album may be created for a group of photos. Photo captions should be written
in AP style, including the date, names and location of the photo, as well as a link to the
story, if applicable.
Videos:
1. Click on the “Video” tab at the top of Harvest Public Media’s page.
2. To add a video that is saved to your computer, click the “Upload” icon at the top of
the page and click “Choose File.” You will browse your hard drive and choose the video
to upload.
3. Fill in the blank fields while the video uploads. Always include a title and description
for the video.
Blog Posts: Blog posts may be shared on Facebook using the “Notes” tab.
1. Click on the “Notes” tab at the top of Harvest Public Media’s page.
2. Select “Write a Note” in the upper right hand corner.
3. The title should include should be written as follows: BLOG POST: You can lead
algae to water, but you can’t make them...produce fuel?
4. Enter the text and format it using the buttons about the text box. Include the author
and date at the top as follows: October 6, 2010 | By Jessica Naudziunas
5. Add photos with the “Add a Photo” button below. Be sure to add a caption and
choose a layout for the photo.
6. Select “Publish,” “Preview” or “Save Draft” when you have finished.
Twitter updates are limited to 140 characters. Updates must include tight copy and
shortened URLs.
The Harvest Public Media Twitter account should provide friendly and engaging
updates and avoid becoming a “link farm.”
Harvest Public Media will utilize CoTweet to ensure that Harvest Public Media is seen
as a group of individuals, instead of a brand.
Twitter Basics:
When mentioning another Twitter user in your tweets, put @ in front of their username.
That’s also called their Twitter handle (e.g. @HarvestPM). In addition, it can be used to
reply to a Twitter user.
To include your tweet in a category, group or discussion, use a hashtag. Put # in front of
the category or term in which you’d like your tweet to be included (e.g. #FFS10).
Repeating someone’s tweet in your tweet? It’s called a re-tweet. Just copy their tweet
(include their username, preceded by @), and include an RT in front of the entire thing
(e.g. RT @HarvestPM Food-safety overhaul rides on funding bill passes in House:
http://tinyurl.com/28to3lk)
Twitter Updates/Tweets:
Above each tweet in the Inbox are several icons. These can be used to easily reply to,
retweet, and assign tweets.
Reply: To reply to a tweet from one of the Twitter users we follow, click on the singular
arrow. CoTweet will automatically enter the Twitter handle of the person you are
replying to, as well as your CoTag. Follow steps 2-6 from Twitter Updates/Tweets to
send the reply.
Retweets: To simply retweet content from the Twitter users we follow to our followers
without adding commentary, click on the circling arrows. CoTweet can automatically
generate the Retweet, or you can edit it by clicking on the quotation mark in the upper
right hand corner of the box. Follow steps 2-6 from Twitter Updates/Tweets to send the
retweet.
Assigned tweets can be found on the right hand panel of CoTweet. Click on “Assigned
to Me” underneath “Followup” and follow the above instructions to either reply to the
Twitter user or retweet it.