Use New Media Tools Efficiently, Effectively

Rory Moulton
Colorado Mountain News Media
rmoulton@cmnm.org
facebook.com/rorymoulton
@roryam

Part 1: Browser Configuration

I. Properly configuring your web browser now will save you loads of time down
the line. The goal is to efficiently incorporate new-media tools into your daily
workflow. Plus, it’s like organizing your closet – it just feels good.
II. Finding, using Firefox 3.5.
a. Why Firefox? Loads fast, cross-platform compatible, fully supported.
b. http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all.html
III. Tab setup, saving
a. Ctrl or Apple + t opens new tab or click New Tab button
b. To save multiple tabs that open when the browser starts: Open desired
sites in tabs, then (PC) Tools > Options > Main > Use Current Pages1
(Mac) Firefox > Preferences > Main > Use Current Pages
IV. Keeping it all organized using Bookmarks Toolbar
a. Bookmarks > Organize Bookmarks > Bookmarks Toolbar

Part 2: Social Media Tools

I. Twitter: A microblog/text message-based communication stream. Twitter is
extremely popular with news organizations and journalists who use it to
disseminate content and interact with their communities of interest. Considered
the best way to break news. Usernames are denoted by @twitteruser.
a. Check it out
i. http://twitter.com
ii.Open an account, then Settings > Account: complete bio, location,
website > Save > Picture > Browse > Select photo > Save2
b. Manually post using Bit.ly
i. http://bit.ly
ii.Open an account and connect your Twitter account
iii.Paste URL in Enter your long link here box > Shorten > Advanced
Options > Write post before shortened URL (watch character
count), use a #hash tag when applicable in Share box > Choose
account from drop-down menu > Post3
c. Automatically post using Twitter Feed
i. http://twitterfeed.com
ii.Open an account. Connect to your Twitter account. Copy and paste
the RSS feed URL > Give it a name > Test RSS feed > If OK,
Create Feed4
iii.To customize frequency, content, add Bit.ly account > Advanced
Settings
d. Managing multiple accounts with www.TweetDeck.com (also try
www.Seesmic.com, www.DestroyTwitter.com)
 Use New Media Tools Efficiently, Effectively

i. Download to desktop. Follow instructions to set up twitter and

Facebook accounts. Organize followers into groups; post to
multiple accounts simultaneously.
e. Building followers
i. Follow topics, find people you know and follow them – they’ll be
notified and may return the courtesy.
ii.Retweet others’ posts by placing RT or via before the @username
and then copy and paste their post.
iii.Register with directories like www.wefollow.com and
www.localtweeps.com
iv.Use #hash tags to make your posts searchable (done by topic,
location, people, event, etc.).
v.Use www.twitpics.com to upload real-time photos.
II. Facebook: The Internet’s premiere social media site (for now).
a. http://facebook.com
b. Open a Profile account. Search for Friends
c. People with Profile accounts can start business pages called Fan pages.
Invite your friends to become Fans of your business. Ask them to ask their
friends. Promote heavily on homepage.
d. Manually post an article with thumbnail image:
i. Copy article URL > Sign in/go to Facebook Fan or Profile page >
Profile > Wall > What’s on your mind? box > Link > Paste article
URL > Attach > Share5

Part 3: Embedded Media “Grab the Code then Go Load”

I. Cover It Live: Live blogging with reader interaction, multimedia, polls
a. http://www.coveritlive.com
b. Registration required. Can connect Twitter feed to CiL, interact with
followers, post photos, videos, live poll readers.
c. Tutorial: Homepage > Try It Now > Learn how to use CoveritLive
d. In action:
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20090421/SPECIAL_MEDIA/9041
79955/1051&ParentProfile=1001
II. Scribd: Display documents using a digital, page-turning tool
a. http://www.scribd.com
b. Registration required. Most document types supported. Can make public,
private or for sale. Offers embed code and direct URL. Easy upload.
c. In action:
http://www.gjfreepress.com/article/20090708/SPECIAL_SECTIONS/907
089997/1081/NONE&parentprofile=1064
III. Video using YouTube & FreeVideoCoding: Post video inside a story
a. http://www.freevideocoding.com
b. http://youtube.com
c. No registration required. Just because you don’t have a videographer
doesn’t mean you can’t have video! Rule of thumb: If video has an embed
code or a direct link is provided, grab it. If not, ask permission. If a reader
watches a 2-minute video, then they’ve doubled their time on our site.
 Use New Media Tools Efficiently, Effectively

d. In action:
http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20090713/SPORTS/907139996/1056
IV. Umapper: Insert an interactive map showing hot spots, crimes, etc.
a. http://www.umapper.com
b. Registration required. User-friendly mapping service.
c. In action:
http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090423/NEW
S/904239942

Take Home Message: These tools are fast becoming industry expectation for a modern
journalist. Once efficiently set up, you don’t need to spend more than 20 minutes a day to
run an effective social-media campaign that will generate interest in you and your work
and increase your paper’s visibility. Embedding media can take even less time. What you
put into it, you will get out of it.

Is this a fad? Social media is no fad. But, yes, the sites and applications – Twitter and
Facebook – very well may be flavors of the month (but for the next few years). And when
something bigger, better and buzzier comes along, we’ll do that too and the next one and
the next one and so on. This is the nature of online media. It’s fast-paced, dynamic, but
powerful.

LINKS
About Twitter:
http://tweetdeck.com/beta/help/tweetdecks-newbies-guide-to-twitter/
http://help.twitter.com/forums/10711/entries

About Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/facebook?ref=pf

General info/articles/blogs:
http://www.thebigmoney.com/features/making-payroll/2009/06/15/dont-sell-out-your-
friends
http://stevebuttry.wordpress.com/
http://www.slideshare.net/stevebuttry
http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=899
http://www.poynter.org/subject.asp?id=26
http://www.buzzmachine.com/
http://www.shirky.com/

SCREENSHOT ENDNOTES
1 Saving Tabs in Firefox:

Tools > Options > >Main > Use Current Pages

2Twitter setup:

Settings > Account > More info URL (website) > One Line Bio > Location

3Using Bit.ly to post to Twitter:

Paste URL > Shorten > Advanced Options > Write Post > Choose account (if multiple) > Post

4
Twitter Feed setup:

Paste URL > Give Name > Test RSS feed > Change Advanced Settings (if applicable)

5
Post Article to Facebook:
Profile > Wall > Link