ARTICULATED

I follow a number of social media experts on Twitter. Still relatively new to that space, I quickly discovered that as a communications practitioner, there’s much I can learn.

A couple of weeks ago, many of those experts were gathered at the “140 Character Conference” in New York to talk about the changing media landscape, its impact on business and life, etc. At the event, they tweeted nonstop from handheld devices. So sitting at my desk in Denver, I received running, real-time commentary on the interesting things speakers were saying. I also received insta-views into sidebar conversations between individuals. (“Talking right now to @WellKnownTweeter, who just said Twitter is a conversation, not a tool! Wow!”) I never read a single news article about the conference, nor talked with anyone who participated, yet I have a pretty strong sense of what transpired. That’s pretty cool.

But throughout the experience, I was vaguely uncomfortable. I imagined a room of people in which everyone was tapping on their phones with abandon at the expense of quality personal interaction with folks of very common interest. I had no idea if that was actually true, so I looked for tweets that would provide some insight. Did the constant smartphone focus make anyone feel awkward? Were people diffusing the awkwardness with humor? No answers came.

I love when people report their lives on the fly via social media, business or personal. And I like doing it myself. But doing so creates, or requires, a more intense focus on my Blackberry than work email ever did. (The New York Times explores this very topic today.) What balance have others found between participating in social media via handheld device and focusing on the important people right in front of them?  Feel free to offer your thoughts in comments section below.

Let’s say, for the sake of discussion, that you’re the one PR person at a small nonprofit –an advocacy organization on a state-level issue, for instance. Your CEO says, “Go figure out this Twitter thing.”

Here’s a cheat sheet – five little things you can implement quickly, without investing much time, and without an ounce of expertise. You’ll show Miss CEO that you know your stuff (even if, well, you really don’t).

1. Sign up for Twitter. Duh! Make your username (the moniker other Twitter users will see) a combo of your name and your organization’s name. Maybe BobwithACME. That way, when the time is right for you yourself to start tweeting, if you decide to, it’ll be clear that (a) you’re speaking on behalf of ACME, but that (b) you’re a real, warm-blooded human being. But more on that in a minute…

2. Search on your issue. First, if (by chance) your issue is red hot, take a look at the “Trending Topics” in the right sidebar – the most popular topics on Twitter at any given moment. Not there? Do a search and take a look at the results. If someone has tweeted several times on your issue, click on their profile and look at their other updates. Are they tweeting on your issue regularly? Is their commentary substantive? Do they have lots of followers? Does their mini-profile tell you anything about them? Is your issue there? Make a decision if they’re worth paying attention to, then…

3. Opt to “follow” those tweeting on your issue. When on their profile page, click the “Follow” button … simple as that. Now anything they tweet, on your issue and otherwise, will be fed onto your Twitter homepage, in a tidy package ready for you to view. You’ll officially be “listening” to the marketplace of ideas.

4. Keep Twitter open and pay attention. Run Twitter while at your desk, and keep your eyes peeled. (Use a free app like Tweetdeck or the many others that can make that easier.) Do the people you’re following tweet on your issue regularly? What are they saying? Are they clear on the facts? Are there any trends in misinformation? Gather a sense of the tenor and tone of the conversation, to decide if you should…

5. Weigh in. Chances are, some of the folks you opted to follow will choose to follow you in turn … particularly if your organization (“ACME” in our little scenario) is one they associate with your issue. They’ll be curious what you have to say. So say it! Offer up brief examples of ACME’s learning, thinking, or activities on the issue. Correct misconceptions. Offer new perspectives. Be genuine. Be courteous. Don’t say anything obnoxious. Even prefix a “hash tag” (the “#” sign, no space) to your issue name (e.g. #Complete Streets). Then not only your followers will see your post on the topic, but also anyone who searches on it.

Your organization will soon be part of the dialogue.