TWITTER AND SOCIAL MEDIAFOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL USE
REPUTATION VS. REALITY
What Is Social Media?Forms of electronic communications where users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages and other content.–Merriam-Webster, 2004
Reputation: Common Place, Unprofessional, Place to “vent,” or for personal use only
Reality: Social Media has experienced rapid growth for professional usesContributes to branding, job process, project research, audience feedback, culture
Reserve your name on social platforms: http://namechk.com
Make your usernames, handles, photos easy to identify
Always be aware of your employer’s social media policy
BASIC TOOLS
Twitter Facebook
LinkedIn Instagram
“SEO”= Search Engine Optimization
Some sites are cached higher on Google web results
This includes many top social media sites
Google Search
First Impression:This is what I look like.
I study “HIS,” history
There aren’t many of me out there.
PRO’s:Professional Sources are 4/6
CON’s:Personal purchasing account still shows up.
Professional Twitter: One of the first search hits that comes up
Bio: Think of your “elevator pitch,” or introduction at functions
Functions: tweet/retweet/favorite/reply/message
Hashtags: #connectivephrase (ex: #HIS6983 #thatcampfl #digitalhumanities)
Tagging: @username will send notification, indicates conversation that is public, acts as a mention (ex: @myfriend is here with me at #thatcampfl )
Punctuation breaks the link for hashtags or tagging, defeating purpose
140 characters: appears constrictive
Adding links:http:// tinyURL to condense URLs or http://bit.ly
TWITTER CONT’D
Real Time Projects: WWII in Real TimeBritish historian and Oxford grad Alwyn Collinson, ongoing until Aug. 2017
Crowdsource Questions: “Does anyone know where I can find @thisauthor’s book on #subjectmatter?”
Credibility: Blue Check of Legitimacy
Main focus is entertainment or publicfigures, but reaching new topics
Phone Q&A:Jessica Gillespie,Social Media Producer Orlando [email protected] followers
<> Facebook users worldwide
Professional Pro’sMake contactsPost a portfolioCreate pages to manageReaches largest audienceIntegrated into current day culture easily
Streamlining existing facebook for professional use
Security features to screen content
Professional pages: advantages vs. disadvantages
Groups
FACEBOOK GROUPS FOR PROJECTS
Ex: Historic Sanford Florida Uses
Audience already collected
Uploading and sharing sources
Comments allows interpretation, input for sources on additional information
Links to articles
Mentions personal connections for possible oral histories, history harvests, etc.
FACEBOOK AS PUBLIC HISTORY
National Council on Public History
“#Facebookis10 and making videos for all of us based on its top picks from our pages. Public historians, what do we think about this? Is it a kind of public history?”
#Facebookis10 video highlights user’s history through timeline display
Feedback was split negative versus positive: How much agency given to an algorithm?
However: facebook is acting to document our social media lives, at least. Will that become a source for history for future generations?
Exclusively for Professional Use
Personalized URLLinkedin.com/in/name
Can link to sites, projects, articles
Embed in your blog, twitter, etc.
Online resume but has tools to build physical one
Groups, Discussions help connect
Endorsements from Peers
Apps: Cardmunch to build professional contacts
INITIAL VIEW VS. FULL PROFILE VIEW
Photo sharing app used exclusively on phones or tablets
Kim Garst “9 Tips for Making Instagram Your Professional Secret Weapon”
Photos help add the personality often lacking from branded social media
Engages your followers/audience and can appeal to emotions
- Sync with twitter name
-Connect work regularly with images and encourage feedback
- Promote special events
-Engaging hashtags (only use 2-3 tops though)
- Don’t post too often, 2-3x day should be a maximum
INSTAGRAM IN USE
Connecting images by location using “maps” feature
Tags such as #UGA#specialcollections etc. to connect.
Abuse: Hard to distinguish subjectNo contextToo many hashtagsConflicting/confusing hashtagsWhat is there to add to the conversation?Quality over quantity on feedback
A social news and entertainment website where users can submit content
Develops communities and define a topic
Different threads fit topics
Can be narrow or broad
Potentially useful for finding sources on the web if you are part of a community with shared interests
Be skeptical and careful of sources, but many posted with links
ETIQUETTE
“Never Say Anything You Wouldn’t Say In Front Of Your Mother”
Example:#HasJustineLandedYet Debacle of Social Media Misuse: “The Tweet Read Round the World” Dec. 2013
@JustineSacco posted a racist joke on her twitter just before boarding an 11-hour flight from London to South AfricaWhile in flight the “joke” was shared beyond her 200 followers to over 1,500 retweets
Justine worked as a communications expert for IAC, a company that operates large websites such as CollegeHumor and Match.com #HasJustineLandedYet reached 56,000 tweets had the hashtag
Apps were tracking her flight progress midair as IAC deleted employment history
IDENTITY PROTECTION
Starting Fresh
Justdelete.me Offers color-coded difficulty levelAnd instructions for each site
Registering Personal Accounts UnderPsuedonyms or Incomplete NamesFacebook: “First + Middle”
Allow time for website to clear archives
Be selective what you share with general public for location, vacation plans, safety concerns
ADDITIONAL TOOLS
Blogging and MicroBlogging
WordPress, Tumblr, BloggerOpportunity for Expanded Content“Micro”: Smaller Content
Networking Tools
-CardMunch Phone AppStores contact information from business cards-Great for event networking
Messaging Apps:Skype, Kik, WhatsApp
Pinterest:Pin links and online sources to category “boards”Heavily DIY focused
Funding Tools:KickstarterGofundme
Can get funding for history projects from public donations