I Heart Social Media

A panel of professionals spoke to the audience about how new social media is being used in journalism today. On February 14, the Gaylord College of Journalism held a speaking event called “I Heart Social Media”. 

Twitter is the newest form of popular social media. Twitter is a good way to maintain a professional network and a great way to begin a professional relationship with someone you may potentially want to work for. Blake Jackson, manager of digital communications for Chesapeake Energy, said following the people behind the scenes, shows more interest in the organization which will allow you to build a relationship with that person quicker and smoother. Lauren Parajon, a social media specialist, said as journalism students we should think about where we want to work or who we want to work for in the next five years, and start following that person on Twitter. Twitter is also a great way of discovering who’s behind the scenes of certain campaigns or businesses and start following and building a relationship with them. 

“Follow all the social media people,” Parajon said, “they are following all the people you should be following. It’s a great way to build your social media circles.” 

Not only should you as a journalist know about the popular forms of social media but also the unpopular forms of social media. Google plus sparked a great debate on the panel, half saying that Google plus was a failure and the other half saying it’s on its way up. 

“I want Google plus to be good. I’m not hating I’m waiting,” said Dave Rhea, a freelance writer. It is important to know which social media sites will attract the largest audience and which ones will be a waste of your time. Apply social media to the way you connect to your audience. 

Online resumes has become the way many people have received work in the recent years. Because of this, Kelsey Humphries, a graphic designer and blogger, said that by the time you are a junior you should work on having a personal website for yourself that is linked to your Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts. Parajon said that she believes students should have started a LinkedIn account when they are freshman. LinkedIn is a professional social media site where people can build their resume and build a relationship with potential future employers. She said the sooner you put yourself out in the professional world, the better chances you will have a getting a job right when you leave college. 

“Use social media as a way to get your foot in the door, not as a way to get the job,” said Cassie Gilman, an associate director of the President’s Associates. 

To work in social media you must know how to write well. Since many of the social media sites have a limited amount of characters you can use, you must know how to make your stories informative but concise. You must also know how to advertise yourself to gain followers and how to advertise your company or business to gain consumers. 

“Social media encompasses every journalism major,” Parajon said, “ to have experience in Social Media is really good.”