Many folks who spend a lot of time with social media will tell you that Twitter is best for breaking news, but Facebook is better for in-depth conversations with the audience.
Writing in Advertising Age, B.L. Ochman lists 10 reasons why Twitter is a better branding vehicle than Facebook. Several points she makes are useful for journalists to consider as well.
“The more you give, the more you get.” Ochman suggests you follow the 12:1 rule — add value and help others 12 times, promote yourself once.
That flies in the face of most news outlets’ Twitter feeds, which are often little more than headlines services.
Ochman also says, “Twitter is already strong in mobile.” According to her 55% of users access Twitter on mobile.
For journalists, it’s becoming increasingly important to deliver fresh, relevant content to mobile devices and Twitter is a good way to do that.
Finally, Ochman says, “140 character Tweets make you a better communicator and a better writer.”
She suggests that those who master the shorter writing style are adapting to an audience preference for content in more easily digestible chunks.
