Facebook and the newsroom

I'm trying to get my boss, the executive editor, to agree to let me start a Facebook page for our paper. He's an older guy, and doesn't seem to see the benefits to it. How can I convince him to let me put a page together?

 

Tell him what the benefits are.

 

I would just explain that it's another way to connect with readers. Show him how other newspapers have used it effectively and let him know that he will have no direct obligation to the page, but full oversight.

Having said that, I don't much see the purpose of Facebook pages for newspapers. I know they're common, and are relatively easy to manage. But do people actually turn to Facebook pages for breaking news? If I'm a reader of a certain newspaper, I'm probably trained to check its Web site already. Facebook has never struck me as a site that lends itself to sharing news in the way Twitter does.

If your editor comes back with that train of thoughts, I can't help you. He should, however, reward your enthusiasm and let you work an extra cops shift or an evening designing a special section.

 

Show him this.

http://www.cyberjournalist.net/facebook-overtakes-google-news-as-media-site-traffic-driver/

I also read recently that FB is the No. 1 source for links, but I can't find it. Maybe I'm "misremembering."

 

Facebook is actually much more valuable than Twitter for this sort of thing, because a hell of a lot more people use Facebook.

More and more people are using programs like TweetDeck that constantly show updates from people you follow on Twitter, Facebook, or any other networking site. I have TweetDeck running right now, and if anyone I'm following does an update it automatically pops up in the upper right corner of my screen. It's a great way to drive breaking news hits to your site, or hits for a story that can be effectively teased in a few words.

 

We have a Facebook page, but we are not allowed to access it a work. This is the same shop where IT won't upgrade our Flash players even though AP Exchange doesn't work well unless you have version 10.

 

It could actually be a good way to get your paper's stories out there.

You set up the page, people become fans of it. And then when you post a story link on the fan page's wall, it shows up in all the peoples news feeds. The person then clicks on the link, driving traffic up on the paper's site.


That might be a good way to explain it to your editor.

 

It has been very helpful with helping me track down people for stories and interviews.
A lot of people have cell phones insetad of land lines, rendering phone boosk all but obsolete.
But I have contacted several people via facebook.

 

We get a shitload of story tips and sources on our Facebook page. Love it.

 

Make sure you have a content plan in place.

The biggest problems aren't with launching pages, it's finding the time to tend to those pages. For every one post you make online, you should respond to 2-3 posts. People don't want to see you on their Facebook page if your whole goal is shameless self-promotion. That was one mistake I made when I launched the page.

The other was I had no content plan and not enough time to focus on the page.

Oh and last thing, make sure you get noticed. Your no.1 problem won't be negative feedback like we see on forums and story chat. The biggest problem is not having your customers saying anything at all.

 

Yeah but with retweets and trending topics you have a much better chance to hit a larger audience. You can't do that with facebook. It just hits your friends' pages and feeds.

 

The AJC sends breaking news to its fb followers, which as I understand it essentially does the same thing as twitter feeds.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1090657431#!/pages/AJC-Breaking-News/205645135235?v=wall&ref=nf