Journalism is serious business. The stories we tell can make a real difference in the lives of individuals and for the communities in which we work. But that doesn’t mean we have to be serious all the time. A little playfulness is a good thing.
Social media, in particular, gives us a chance to have some fun. That’s why I decided yesterday to challenge Paul Balcerak of PNWLocalNews.com to a friendly competition for Facebook fans. Both of us are trying to make connections with our sites’ audiences through social media. Why not throw down a challenge to get people engaged? Paul weighs in on the battle at his blog and gets the point just right with a link to Steve Yelvington:
Social media isn’t about being all serious, all the time.
You’ll find other examples of just-for-fun content at HeraldNet.com on two blogs: The Buzz and Midday Snacks. The Buzz has a home in print, at the bottom of the front page every day. Midday Snacks is something I started last week with several reporters, copy editors and others to give people tidbits of interesting stuff from around the Web each weekday about lunchtime.
All that is to say: Embrace the fun. And don’t forget to help me beat Paul by becoming a fan of HeraldNet.com on Facebook before 5 p.m. Friday.
Filed under: Commentary , HeraldNet.com, PNWLocalNews.com, social media
August 19, 2009 • 3:40 pm 1
It’s OK to have fun with social media
Journalism is serious business. The stories we tell can make a real difference in the lives of individuals and for the communities in which we work. But that doesn’t mean we have to be serious all the time. A little playfulness is a good thing.
Social media, in particular, gives us a chance to have some fun. That’s why I decided yesterday to challenge Paul Balcerak of PNWLocalNews.com to a friendly competition for Facebook fans. Both of us are trying to make connections with our sites’ audiences through social media. Why not throw down a challenge to get people engaged? Paul weighs in on the battle at his blog and gets the point just right with a link to Steve Yelvington:
You’ll find other examples of just-for-fun content at HeraldNet.com on two blogs: The Buzz and Midday Snacks. The Buzz has a home in print, at the bottom of the front page every day. Midday Snacks is something I started last week with several reporters, copy editors and others to give people tidbits of interesting stuff from around the Web each weekday about lunchtime.
All that is to say: Embrace the fun. And don’t forget to help me beat Paul by becoming a fan of HeraldNet.com on Facebook before 5 p.m. Friday.
Filed under: Commentary , HeraldNet.com, PNWLocalNews.com, social media