Social Media Roundup

7 Tips for Tweeting and posting social media updates on behalf of a senior leader

Many Army leaders recognize the value of maintaining a social media presence. Social media allows leadership to share relevant and timely information with various audiences. While many leaders understand the importance of social media, they may rely on their public affairs specialist or social media manager to assist with their social media efforts. Here are 7 tips that will help you maintain a leader’s social media presence.

#1. Identify tone and be consistent #2. Be timely and relevant #3. Know your leader’s intent #4. Be visual #5. Be prepared to engage #6. Avoid self promotion #7. Know your audience

Agenda

#1. Identify tone and be consistent Twitter accounts and social media pages

should always use the voice of the leadership or organization.

As a public affairs specialist or a social media manager, you have inside access to your leader. You know the messages they want to convey and the tone of voice they use.

Your leader may Tweet or post from time to time, but when they’re not available, you need to be prepared to capture their tone and post or Tweet for them.

If your leader posts and Tweets using first person, keep it consistent. Make sure photo captions are also in first person.

#2. Be timely and relevant Social media is about what’s happening now,

not what happened three days ago. Army leaders are always traveling and often

speak to large audiences. Public affairs personnel traveling with a leader have inside access during these trips and these speaking engagements. Take advantage of these opportunities. Tweet and post if the leader is not available to do so at that moment.

Keep in mind, it’s important to clear all content you plan to post through the leader, but also be aggressive about providing content for the senior leader to approve. It’s your job as a social media manager or public affairs specialist to make sure your leader is communicating his/her messages effectively.

#3. Know your leader’s intent As a social media manager or public affairs specialist, you need to know the

communication priorities of your leadership. You need to be prepared to present a message with each Tweet or post.

Reactive Tweets or posts aren’t enough to keep a profile growing. You need to develop shareable and interesting content defined by the needs of your leadership.

Keep in mind, it’s possible that members of the media will use Tweets as official statements, so make sure your leader is comfortable with his/her Tweets being quoted.

#4. Be visual As with all forms of social media, the more visually compelling your leader’s social media content is, the more likely it will be shared or retweeted.

Not every leader engagement is going to present a great photo opportunity, but it is your job as a social media manager to think outside of the box.

Try and link all of your leader’s Tweets and social media posts to a website, image, graphic or video. Visual content is more successful on social media, so while the message is the most important part, do all you can to draw your audiences in with supporting visual elements.

#5. Be prepared to engage If your leader chooses to create a social

media presence, then make sure he/she is prepared to address the concerns discussed by their audience.

It’s not practical to commit to responding to every Facebook comment or Tweet, but you need to track the questions and comments coming in through your leader’s social media presences and then report the comment threads and concerns to your leadership.

Be ready to respond to concerns on behalf of your leader, or advise him/her on the importance of addressing a concern through social media.

If you establish a social media presence, your audience expects you to engage.

It’s important for your leader to be genuine and transparent on social media. While you might want to expand your leader’s social media audience, be careful

about becoming too self promotional. Maintain the right tone and continue to generate content. The audience will grow

with the quality of your content. If you want to promote your leader’s social media presence, make sure to do it

through your own Twitter account, or encourage other leaders and organizations to mention and/or tag your leader’s social media presences.

#6. Avoid self promotion

Each social media audience is different. It will take some time to determine what your audience is looking for.

In time, you’ll know what content they’re expecting from a leader and you’ll be able to effectively advise your leader on the content he/she should post and Tweet.

Retweet and share when possible. It’s important that a leader encourage and promote external organizations through social media. Exposing your audience to other organizations and other leaders helps substantiate your leaders themes and messages.

#7. Know your audience

Contact information

Have questions? Please feel free to reach out to us at the Online and Social Media Division

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF PUBLIC AFFAIRSPENTAGON

4/17/2013

Email:Ocpa.osmd@us.army.mil

To review and download past editions of the Social Media Roundup, visit our Slideshare site at: http://www.slideshare.net/usarmysocialmedia. All Social Media Roundups are authorized to be distributed to a broader audience.