Comments on: Twittering the news the right way

By: Twitterific « Great Communicate

Twitterific « Great Communicate — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:14:31 +0000

[...] one thing to be a person on Twitter, another to represent an organization/client/cause. I saw an interesting post from the Austin American Statesman’s Internet editor about just this the other day. And the [...]

By: bryanthilton

bryanthilton — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:46:48 +0000

I’m late to the party but had to jump on that I have started following @Statesman and I agree that it’s great and done the right way — good personality and useful information. Congrats!

Mike I think you have an interesting point re corporations – easy to have active social media folks and twitter-ers (-ites? ) from the corp – but being a lone “voice” to represent everything could be a challenge.

That said (and my delayed comment here isn’t a good example) but PR people aren’t alway slow to respond!

BryantatDell

By: Mike Burek

Mike Burek — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:50:08 +0000

The only odd thing about someone Twittering from a big corp is that others have to remember this is just 1 person, and not always the “official” view of the corp. The “official” corp view point probably comes through the PR department, but the PR dept is much slower to react to new, since they have to filter it and process everything that is said and it’s meaning. Also, it would be hard for a large corp to have an official sanctioned Twitter account because it requires complete knowledge of everything going on at the time and the ability to process new information coming in through Twitter from followers and to respond quickly. There is just no way any one person could do that. The knowledge required would require a continuous board meeting just to reply to Twitter.

The better way is to have a personality at a company Twittering. This person has to be cautious to follow the company regulations on giving out public information, but still provide timely Tweets. But people will interact with that Twitter account as an individual person rather than a corp. And thus most incoming Tweet will be more of a casual conversation, and not questions about the demographics of the last issue.

Hmm, sorry this doesn’t flow so well…

By: Mike Burek

Mike Burek — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:38:49 +0000

Yes, you are doing a great job. If people just publish their RSS feed, then they should only use an RSS feed, not Twitter.

By: robquig

robquig — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:04:38 +0000

Thanks for all the kind words. I have a lot of fun. Glad you enjoy.
Cheers, Robert

By: haelmai

haelmai — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:44:47 +0000

I love your twittering! Keeps me up to date on Austin news, which is always nice, and I do like the personal touch. Keep up the great work!

By: tinkerbelle

tinkerbelle — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:42:09 +0000

I have to agree with all of crossfitatx statements. I don’t think I can add anything that hasn’t been said.
Keep up the great work!!

By: robquig

robquig — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:34:54 +0000

Crossfitatx: You’re right, @kxan_news is doing a good job with their Twitter feed. They started about a week or two after I started – it’s good to see they “get” Twitter.

By: crossfitatx

crossfitatx — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:26:55 +0000

Followed this link over from…where else…your Twitter feed.

I’ve been “less-than” a fan of the fishwrap Austin American-Statesman for quite some time, and have spent more blogging time mocking them than praising them.

But the @statesman Twitter feed is a HUGE step in the right direction, and is the antithesis of everything that was turning me off of the paper.

And your personal touch is what immediately made me a follower.

BTW, @KXAN_News is doing a pretty good job on their foray into the Twitterverse, too.

By: d.a.

d.a. — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:13:48 +0000

Keep up the good work @statesman. Yours is the only news Twitter I read at this point.