Tips for using social media wisely

Want some good social media advice? “Don’t post anything you would be uncomfortable going on TV to defend.” That’s what Ric Sanchez tells his colleagues at the Washington Post.

Just three years out of college, Sanchez is a social media editor at the Post. He started there as an intern and quickly earned a full-time position. He’s one of 13 people on the paper’s audience engagement team, all of whom are digital natives between the ages of 24 and 32. Sanchez spends a couple of hours a day posting to Facebook and Twitter, and the rest of his time checking analytics and working with editors on digital stories. His main task every day is figuring out the answer to this question: “How do we make good internet?”

One way, Sanchez says, is to be aware of what each social media platform brings and meet people where they are. “You can’t be one size fits all,” he says. “Look at the analytics and what drives traffic on each.” Twitter is the place for niche audiences. Facebook used to be the best way to get people to share stories, before the recent changes in its algorithm. And while Instagram drives no traffic, it does provide name and brand recognition.

Sanchez shared these tips for using social media in a Google chat with the staff of the Montana Kaimin, the student newspaper at the University of Montana.

  • Going live: Don’t go in unprepared on Facebook live. Always have a plan. Have questions in mind.
  • Choosing the right account: Live stream from the branded account, but don’t live tweet from it. Retweet or notify followers where to find the live tweets.
  • Writing: No matter the platform, newswriting is the same. When in doubt, remember the inverted pyramid.
  • Responding: You want people to engage and you should engage back with them. But not always.

“If you wrote a story and you’re getting abuse, don’t engage,” Sanchez said.”It won’t do any good. If there’s fair criticism or somebody wants to chat about your story, it’s great to engage. You want them to feel they are talking to a real person.” That said, watch your words. It’s find to respond or clarify, but don’t dump on people. “Don’t call your readers dicks,” Sanchez said. “That’s a good line to draw.”

Recent research on the impact of social media on mental health has raised questions about how much time spent on social media is too much. Sanchez said his bosses tell him to unplug when he’s on vacation, even urging him to delete Slack from his phone. “It’s good advice,” he says. “It’s very hard to do.”

Share