Social Media Style Guide 2

Social Media Style Guide
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.
About this document: This document is meant to set guidelines to ensure

Harvest Public Media is represented using a consistent tone, voice and quality of content
on various social media platforms.
What is social media?: Social media is a mode of communication that is highly

interactive for users. It is easiest to think of it like a two-way street on which news
consumers don’t just read the newspaper or listen to public radio, but are able to
communicate their ideas and stories as well.
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.
• Speak in the active voice
• Speak in the present tense
• Speak directly to users
• Rewrite headlines to be more conversational
• Avoid colloquialisms and slang
• Avoid using jargon not commonly understood
• Avoid using abbreviations and acronyms not widely understood

• Use exclamation points sparingly. Never use more than one
exclamation point
• 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.
Updates may be posted on Facebook and Twitter for Editor’s Picks.
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.
1. Click on “Link” at the top of Harvest Public Media’s page.

2. Enter the URL and click “Attach.”
3. Type an introduction to the link. Make sure spacing of the introduction is even.
4. The link does not need to be typed out in the introduction, as it will appear in a box
with a preview of the linked site. The box may be edited by clicking on the title, text and
clicking the arrows to change the picture.
5. Click “Share” to post the link.
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.
Create new album:

1. From your personal Facebook homepage, search for Harvest Public Media and go to
the main Harvest Public Media page.
2. Click on the “Photos” tab on the top of the page. This will bring you to the photos
main page where all of Harvest Public Media’s photos are kept.
2. Click on the “Create a Photo Album” button located in the top right side of the page.
3. Click “Select Photos” and choose the photos saved on your computer. Click “Open.”
4. Fill in the blank fields while the photos upload.
5. Click on “Create Album.”
6. Write captions on any of the photos that you have uploaded, tag Facebook friends in
these albums, and choose which photo will be the album cover. Once you are finished
with this page, press “Save.”
Add to an existing album:

1. On the Harvest Public Media page select the “Photos” tab on the top of the page.
2. Click on the album to which you would like to add photos.
3. Select “Add More Photos” in the upper right hand corner.
3.Follow steps 3-6 in “Create new album” above.
III. Facebook continued
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.
Make new team member a Facebook admin: Only as an admin is one

able to post content to the Harvest Public Media Facebook page. To become an admin,
the new team member must be Facebook friends with another admin.
1. Click on “Edit Page” underneath the Harvest Public Media logo.

2. Select “Manage Admins” on the left side of the page.
3. Type the name of the new team member and click “Save Changes.”
4. When an admin posts on the Harvest Public Media site, they will post as Harvest
Public Media, even if logged into their own account.
IV. Twitter
Introduction: Twitter provides a unique platform to connect with our audience.

It makes organizations more accessible and allows people and institutions to
communicate freely.
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:
1. In CoTweet, click on “New Update” in the upper right hand corner.

2. Choose Harvest Public Media in the “From:” box.
3. You may select now or later. Later will allow you to schedule a tweet to be sent out at
a later time. (Note: 8 a.m., 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. CST are the preferred times for updates,
as they are the best times for maximum exposure on Twitter.)
4. A CoTag should be attached to each update. The CoTag may be set up under Settings
> General > CoTags. A CoTag is a caret followed by the first and last initial of the person
sending the update (e.g. Lauren Hasler= ^LH).
5. If including a URL, shorten it by copying and pasting the original URL into the “Type
URL to shorten...” box. It will automatically move the shortened link into the tweet
below.
6. Click “Post Update” when finished.
IV. Twitter continued
Other CoTweet Functions:
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.
Assigning Responses: Responses to tweets from users may be assigned to team

members, guaranteeing that our users will see our efforts to engage with them. This
can be done by clicking on the head and checkmark icon above the tweet you would
like to follow up. Select a member’s name from the drop-down list and click “Assign.”
Instructions for the follow up can be included in the text box. An email will be sent to
the team member notifying them of the assignment.
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.
Adding a new user:
1. Click on “Settings” in the upper right hand corner of CoTweet.

2. Select “Twitter Accounts.”
3. Click on “People and Permissions.”
4. Make sure HarvestPM is highlighted on the left hand side underneath “Accounts.”
4. Enter the new member’s email address into the box below and click “Send Invitation.”
5. The new member will receive an email. They must click on the link at the top reading
“Click Here to access @HarvestPM on CoTweet.”
6. They will then be asked to create a free account on CoTweet using their name, email
address and a password.
7. Create a CoTag using the instructions in #4 on Twitter Updates/Tweets
8. Members can be made admins and have permission to assign tweets by having
another admin check the box by their name in “People and Permissions.”
9. Remember to add the new member’s CoTag to HarvestPM’s Twitter background by
editing the Photoshop document- HarvestTwitterBackground.psd.

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Social Media Style Guide

About this document: This document is meant to set guidelines to ensure

What is social media?: Social media is a mode of communication that is highly

• Speak in the active voice

• Speak in the present tense

• Speak directly to users

• Rewrite headlines to be more conversational

• Avoid colloquialisms and slang

• Avoid using jargon not commonly understood

• Avoid using abbreviations and acronyms not widely understood

Updates may be posted on Facebook and Twitter for Editor’s Picks.

1. Click on “Link” at the top of Harvest Public Media’s page.

Create new album:

Add to an existing album:

Make new team member a Facebook admin: Only as an admin is one

1. Click on “Edit Page” underneath the Harvest Public Media logo.

Introduction: Twitter provides a unique platform to connect with our audience.

1. In CoTweet, click on “New Update” in the upper right hand corner.

Other CoTweet Functions:

Assigning Responses: Responses to tweets from users may be assigned to team

Adding a new user:

1. Click on “Settings” in the upper right hand corner of CoTweet.

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