This is a presentation for a Public Relations (PR) class I attended in the Summer of 2009. It is about Twitter and provides basic information about the service itself and how to utalize it for PR.

1. A Social Web Tool for Public Relations

2. Agenda
• Social Web Basics
• Twitter at a Glance
• Scopes of Twitter
• Success with Twitter
• Discussion

3. Agenda
• Social Web Basics
• Twitter at a Glance
• Scopes of Twitter
• Success with Twitter
• Discussion

4. Social Web
=
People having
conversations
online

6. Advertising Word of Mouth

7. Old Media Social Web

8. Male Female
?

9. Agenda
• Social Web Basics
• Twitter at a Glance
• Scopes of Twitter
• Success with Twitter
• Discussion

10. Agenda
• Social Web Basics
• Twitter at a Glance
• Scopes of Twitter
• Success with Twitter
• Discussion

11. Basics

12. Since March 2006
Basics

13. Micro-blogging platform
Since March 2006
Basics

14. Micro-blogging platform
Since March 2006
Status updates
Basics

15. Micro-blogging platform
Since March 2006
Status updates
Basics
Giant chatroom

16. Micro-blogging platform
Since March 2006
Status updates
Basics
Giant chatroom
Instant Messaging

17. Micro-blogging platform
Since March 2006
Status updates
Basics
11.7 Mio. users
Giant chatroom
Instant Messaging

18. Lingo
• tweet
• retweet
• hashtag
• reply
• DM
• tweetchannel
• tinyURL

19. Lingo
• tweet - a message of 140 characters or less
• retweet
• hashtag
• reply
• DM
• tweetchannel
• tinyURL

20. Lingo
• tweet - a message of 140 characters or less
• retweet - repeat a tweet from somebody else
• hashtag
• reply
• DM
• tweetchannel
• tinyURL

21. Lingo
• tweet - a message of 140 characters or less
• retweet - repeat a tweet from somebody else
• hashtag - tweet that includes a #term (tracking)
• reply
• DM
• tweetchannel
• tinyURL

22. Lingo
• tweet - a message of 140 characters or less
• retweet - repeat a tweet from somebody else
• hashtag - tweet that includes a #term (tracking)
• reply - answer to a tweet of somebody else
• DM
• tweetchannel
• tinyURL

23. Lingo
• tweet - a message of 140 characters or less
• retweet - repeat a tweet from somebody else
• hashtag - tweet that includes a #term (tracking)
• reply - answer to a tweet of somebody else
• DM - a private direct message
• tweetchannel
• tinyURL

24. Lingo
• tweet - a message of 140 characters or less
• retweet - repeat a tweet from somebody else
• hashtag - tweet that includes a #term (tracking)
• reply - answer to a tweet of somebody else
• DM - a private direct message
• tweetchannel - add #channel at start of tweets
• tinyURL

25. Lingo
• tweet - a message of 140 characters or less
• retweet - repeat a tweet from somebody else
• hashtag - tweet that includes a #term (tracking)
• reply - answer to a tweet of somebody else
• DM - a private direct message
• tweetchannel - add #channel at start of tweets
• tinyURL - for long URLs to safe characters

26. UNOmaha Twitter Profile

27. Username
UNOmaha Twitter Profile

28. Basic
Username
information
UNOmaha Twitter Profile

29. Basic
Username
information
Activities
UNOmaha Twitter Profile

30. Basic
Username
information
Activities
Favorites
UNOmaha Twitter Profile

31. Basic
Username
information
Timeline Activities
of the user
Favorites
UNOmaha Twitter Profile

32. Basic
Username
information
Timeline Activities
of the user
Favorites
Retweet
UNOmaha Twitter Profile

33. Navigation
Basic
Username
information
Timeline Activities
of the user
Favorites
Retweet
UNOmaha Twitter Profile

34. Home Screen of a Twitter Account

35. Update your
status
Home Screen of a Twitter Account

36. Your
username
Update your
status
Home Screen of a Twitter Account

37. Your
username
Update your
status
Replies
and DM
Home Screen of a Twitter Account

38. Your
username
Update your
status
Replies
and DM
Trending
topics
Home Screen of a Twitter Account

39. Your
username
Update your
status
Public
timeline Replies
and DM
Trending
topics
Home Screen of a Twitter Account

40. Your
username
Update your
status
Public
timeline Replies
and DM
Retweet Trending
topics
Home Screen of a Twitter Account

41. Your
username
Update your
status
Public
timeline Replies
and DM
Retweet Trending
topics
tinyURL
Home Screen of a Twitter Account

42. Agenda
• Social Web Basics
• Twitter at a Glance
• Scopes of Twitter
• Success with Twitter
• Discussion

43. Agenda
• Social Web Basics
• Twitter at a Glance
• Scopes of Twitter
• Success with Twitter
• Discussion

44. Uses

45. Tracking
Uses

46. Monitoring
Tracking
Uses

47. Monitoring
Tracking
Live-reporting
Uses

48. Monitoring
Tracking
Live-reporting
Journalism
Uses

49. Monitoring
Tracking
Live-reporting
Journalism
Uses
Public Relations

50. Monitoring
Tracking
Live-reporting
Journalism
Uses
Public Relations
Political Comm.

51. Monitoring
Tracking
Live-reporting
Journalism
Uses
Public Relations
Crisis Comm.
Political Comm.

52. Monitoring
Tracking
Live-reporting
Activism Journalism
Uses
Public Relations
Crisis Comm.
Political Comm.

53. Uses
Public Relations

54. Tracking / Monitoring
• Monitoring of reputation, buzz, opinions, trends
➡ Usage of keyword tracking (search)
• Monitoring and responding to what is said about
your organization
➡ Twitter Search
➡ Comcast Example
➡ Southwest Airlines Example

56. Comcast Example

57. Comcast Example

58. Southwest Airlines Example

59. Southwest Airlines Example

60. Live-reporting
• Usage of hashtags (e.g. #wwdc, #IranElection)
• Backchannel tool
➡ Apple WWDC Example
• News coverage / Activism
➡ Iran Election Example

61. Apple WWDC Example

62. Iran Election Example

63. Journalism
• Media is using Twitter: CNN, Reuters, BBC, etc.
➡ Rick Sanchez (http://twitter.com/ricksanchezcnn)
➡ Started during Hurricane Gustav
➡ Almost 100,000 followers
➡ Allows on-air interaction with audience
➡ Get story ideas, leads

64. Rick Sanchez Example

65. Rick Sanchez Example

66. Political communication
• Obama on Twitter (http://twitter.com/BarackObama)
➡ Obama Example
• Twitter in political communication
➡ Interacting with constituents
➡ Increased transparency in political process?
➡ The White House Example

67. Obama Example

68. The White House Example

69. Crisis communication
• Start off with an apology
• Outline what you are doing to address the crisis
• Share information as you get it
• Respond quickly to questions
• Examples:
➡ FDA uses Twitter for salmonella recall info
➡ The Red Cross posted info about evacuation, shelter,
and food distribution during Hurricane Ike using #ike

70. Agenda
• Social Web Basics
• Twitter at a Glance
• Scopes of Twitter
• Success with Twitter
• Discussion

71. Agenda
• Social Web Basics
• Twitter at a Glance
• Scopes of Twitter
• Success with Twitter
• Discussion

72. Success with Twitter
Build a
network
Engage with the
community
Track &
Analyze

73. Build a network
• Get a Twitter account ;-)
• Personal or company brand?
• Personalize your profile (logo, colours,
description, link to website, etc.)
• Follow people and top-users!
• See who thought-leaders are following

74. Engage with the
community
• It‘s a discussion, not a broadcast!
• Follow your brand in discussions (tracking)
• Communicate with your audience
• Publish helpful content
• Using Twitter for events

75. Track & Analyze
• Usage of the follower count
• Usage of @replies to your tweets
• Number of retweets (the more the better!)
• Use online tools for analysis
➡ We Follow
➡ Twitter Grader
➡ TweetStats

76. We Follow Example

77. Twitter Grader Example

78. TweetStats Example

79. Keep in Mind
• June 2009 State of the Twittersphere Report:
➡ 80% failed to provide a homepage URL
➡ 55% are not following anyone
➡ 55% have never tweeted
➡ 53% have no followers
Source: HubSpot's Inbound Internet Marketing Blog

80. Keep in Mind
• Give up control
➡ Empower brand
embassadors
➡ Embrace co-
creation
➡ Let your brand
evolve

81. Thank you very much for your attention!
Bernhard Hofer
bhofer@me.com
http://twitter.com/bhofer
http://blog.bhofer.eu

82. Do you have any questions?
Bernhard Hofer
bhofer@me.com
http://twitter.com/bhofer
http://blog.bhofer.eu

83. Bibliography
• Papers / Books
• Eyrich, N., Padman M.L., & Sweetser K. D. (2008). PR practitioners’ use of social media tools and communication
technology. Public Relations Review,Volume 34 (Issue 4), November 2008, Pages 412-414.
• O'Brien, K. (2008, March 24). Twitter is changing the pace, structure of communications. PR Week, Page 9.
• Solis, B., & Breakenridge D. (2009). Putting the Public Back in Public Relations. New Jersey: FT Press.
• Wright D.K., & Hinson, M.D. (Eds.). (2009). An Analysis of the Increasing Impact of Social and Other New Media on Public
Relations Practice: 12th Annual International Public Relations Research Conference. Mahwah, Miami, Florida.
• Multimedia / Internet
• Fahrnberger, H. (2009, February 20). Twitter im Kundenservice: Ab jetzt wird zurückgetwittert. Message posted to http://
www.helge.at
• Fahrnberger, H. (2009, June 21). Das Social Web verstehen und nutzen. Presentation retrieved from http://
www.slideshare.net/muesli
• Volpe, M. (Producer), Mirman E., & Burnes R. (2009, June 21). Twitter for Marketing and PR. Webinar retrieved from http://
www.hubspot.com/twitter-for-marketing
• Weisgerber, C. (2008, October 27). Twitter for PR (Public Relations). Presentation retrieved from http://
www.slideshare.net/corinnew
• Zarrella, D. (2009, June 10). Announcing the June 2009 State of the Twittersphere Report. Message posted to http://
blog.hubspot.com