Mark Jacot

I did a blog a while back about social media and which tools I use. After a really productive workshop on social media and comms at the Open University this week, here are some new hints and tips I picked up. If you are just starting out, or experienced with using Social Media in a work context, I hope this is of use.

1. Just give it a go, all those who have created an online presence started that way.
2. Think about your audience and how to engage with them, and think about what makes a good story – get your point across early.
3. Keep blogs and posts short and to the point (a particular weakness of mine!)
4. Blog sites are really easy to create, most people start using WordPress – this blog uses it
5. Be authentic – find your voice and be true to it.
6. Use the comms experts in whatever company you work for – the principles they know about apply just as much to the social media as more traditional channels

If you want to get started on Twitter, and are not sure who to follow…

1. Set up an account www.twitter.com
2. Follow a few people – if you are in Education, try these @mweller (Prof in Education Technology) @StarkeyStardust (researcher in space particles, really good communicator) @WadingTreacle (irreverent blog on life in Higher Education) @megbarkerpsych (blogs on really interesting subjects – knows how to blog to the external world on complex topics) and @GuardianEdu . Oh, and you can also follow me! @MarkJacot
3. Then be brave and send your first tweet……

And a few tools and tips (I am an IT chap after all)

1. Use twitter lists to sort the people you are following into categories – I have a list for finance, list for education, and one personal list
2. Use Flipboard, if you have an IPad or other tablet – it makes twitter into a newspaper article which is far more readable than a twitter stream
3. Have a look at Storify – great way of summarising a conference or them by pulling together all the tweets on a topic– here is the summary of the OU conference as an example http://sfy.co/qEaB 

Give it a go and see how you get on.