June 21, 2009
TOP 20 TAKE AWAY TIPS FOR TWEETING JOURNOS
Good tips for journalists using Twitter from Media Shift.
1) Think before you tweet — you can’t delete an indiscreet tweet! (Well, you can, but it will survive in Twitter search for three months and it’s likely live on as cached copy somewhere.)
2) Think carefully about what you’re re-tweeting and acknowledge if it’s unsubstantiated.
3) Be an active twit: tweet daily if you want your followers to stick.
4) Determine your Twitter identity.
5) Be human; be honest; be open; be active.
6) Don’t lock your account if you want to use Twitter for reporting purposes — this fosters distrust.
7) Twitter is a community, not just a one-way conversation or broadcast channel — actively engage.
Check if your employer has a social media policy.
9) Be cautious when tweeting about your employer/workplace/colleagues.
10) Be a judicious follower — don’t be stingy but avoid following everyone as your list grows to avoid tweet bombardment.
11) If you quote a tweet, attribute it.
12) Expect your competitors to steal your leads if you tweet about them.
13) Don’t tweet while angry or drunk.
14) Avoid racist, sexist, bigoted and otherwise offensive tweets and never abuse a follower.
15) Scrutinize crowdsourced stories closely.
16) Find people to follow. Foster followers by pilfering the lists of other twits.
17) Twitter is a ‘time vampire’ (via @anne_brand) — you don’t need to keep track of all tweets, so dip in and out through the day.
18) Prevent information overload by using an application such as Tweetdeck.
19) Add applications to your Internet-enabled mobile device to allow live-tweeting on the road.
20) Add value to your tweets with links, Twitpic and other applications for audio and video.
June 17, 2009
US Department of State and Twitter
QUESTION: Can you talk about the State Department’s use of technology and websites like Twitter and Facebook to try and get information and any conversations that you might have had with Twitter?
MR. KELLY: I think – as I was following this – these developments over the weekend, it was – I mean, I – of course, I use email and I use the internet, but I began to recognize the importance of new social media as a vital tool for citizens’ empowerment and as a way for people to get their messages out. And it was very clear to me that these kinds of social media played a very important role in democracy, spreading the word about what was going on.
QUESTION: Yeah. No, I – that’s – I’m wondering about the State Department, in particular, any discussions that you’re having with networking sites about maintaining the technology, about how the State Department as an institution is monitoring these type of sites to gain information about what’s going on.
MR. KELLY: Yeah, we’re monitoring – I mean, we’re monitoring many different media, including some of these sites. And we’ve had, of course, talks with Twitter as well.
QUESTION: What’s the nature of those talks?
MR. KELLY: I don’t want to go into the detail of the nature of those talks right now.
QUESTION: Well, I mean, but by not providing any information on the nature of the talks, it indicates that you have some role in kind of providing messages to Twitter, messages to Iranians.
MR. KELLY: No. No, we’re not –
QUESTION: Okay.
MR. KELLY: I don’t want to suggest that –
QUESTION: No, that’s great. If you could explain a little bit more –
MR. KELLY: — that we’re somehow interfering in – with Twitter. But we do, of course, consult with them.
QUESTION: Well, what are you consulting with them about, if you’re not consulting with them on how to provide messages?
MR. KELLY: Well, we’re consulting with them. I know the Secretary has a – wants a big push for eDiplomacy in using these new social media to develop horizontally communities. And of course, Twitter is another one of those social media.
QUESTION: Are you saying that – I think the presumption in Elise’s question or the assumption is that you’ve been in touch with them about the situation in Iran. Is that not the case? You’re just – it’s more broad – it’s broader?
MR. KELLY: That’s – yeah, in a broad sense.
QUESTION: So you haven’t been in touch with them on the situation in Iran?
MR. KELLY: Well, I think we’ve been in touch with them on a number of very general issues.
May 18, 2009
Communication, environment and WordPress
Next weekend I’ll take part in two event in Milan area.
The first one is one huge barcamp about WordPress and blogging in Italy. It could be a great opportunity to meet and discuss the evolution of blog & corporation. I’ll have a speech about it next friday just after Andy Peatling, BuddyPress guru and special gust for this event.
Sunday afternoon I’ll be honoured to take part in another event during Park’s day. We’ll talk about environment, communication and Internet thanks to a workshop organized by Ente Parchi Lago Maggiore and Francesca D’Amato. Good opportunity to talk about three of my greatest passions.
I am sure we will talk about it during next 
