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A cautionary Twitter tale: Young professional learns a tweet lesson
June 19, 2009
Copyright © 2009 PRSA. All rights reserved.
By Jeff Bentoff, APR
The following article appears in the June issue of PR Tactics.
When Sarah Soczka posted a personal blog entry about how to best write for Twitter, she generated some unexpected controversy within the Milwaukee PR and media community.
It’s not that this young PR professional’s advice wasn’t sound — the guidelines that she listed were perceptive and spot-on, emphasizing that tweets should feel personal, not institutional, and that Twitter users need to interact with each other, not just issue one-way pronouncements.
So what was there to chirp about? Soczka’s blog pointedly criticized a local media outlet’s tweeting style and praised its competitor.
This approach serves as a warning for professionals striving to be genuine in social media outlets.
Soczka, 24, an assistant account executive at Boelter & Lincoln Communications, a major Milwaukee marketing communications firm, is a social media natural — a blogger and tweeter who is fluent and comfortable with the tools, as she deftly mixes the personal and professional.
Her Twitter trouble began one night in February with a post on her personal blog, “A 20-something’s Perspective.”
Comparing the Twitter feeds of the daily Milwaukee Journal Sentinel NewsHub — a 24/7 news center representing all departments — and weekly Milwaukee Business Journal (also known as BizJournalMke), she titled her piece, “5 Reasons Why NewsHub is Better Than BizJournalMke.” She followed up with a brief tweet, quoting the headline and linking to her blog.
Soczka’s blog was not widely read at the time, but as a Twitter user, she was linked to the city’s most influential media outlets, journalists and PR pros.
Her blog posting might have gone unnoticed, but bringing attention to it via Twitter was like throwing birdseed into a birds’ nest.
Only 10 minutes after Soczka posted to her Twitter account, the Journal Sentinel’s main Twitter writer retweeted the item and headline to its many followers. Another widely read Journal Sentinel reporter sent a different retweet of the item early the next morning, saying that Soczka found NewsHub to be “way more super fly” than the competitor. As a result, Soczka’s blog headline and URL appeared in the Twitter feeds of more than 1,000 media-oriented people.
In an interview, Soczka said that she hadn’t expected her blog to be widely noticed and quickly realized that she had started a small wildfire. Sensing trouble, she posted two more tweets within the next 12 hours noting that her opinions didn’t reflect her employer’s opinion, and that she only meant to highlight why she appreciated NewsHub’s “level of engagement with the Twitter community.”
The twittering crescendo quickly reached the ears of Mark Kass, the Milwaukee Business Journal’s editor. Kass said that his first reaction was, “Who is she and why did she do this?” He added that he agreed with the points that she made on her blog, but was disappointed that she hadn’t contacted him before posting. Kass said that had she done so, he would have explained that his paper had started tweeting two weeks before and had already made plans for reporter tweets in the style that Soczka advocated for.
Kass said that he didn’t think Soczka was fair with her comments in comparing a new Twitter feed with a mature one. After hearing about the tweets, Kass also contacted Soczka’s supervisor and the three of them met so that he could explain the Business Journal’s plans to her.
The reactions from others in Milwaukee’s Twitter community varied. Prominent blogger Al Krueger, founder of a local agency, Comet Branding, commended Soczka “for having an opinion and not being afraid to share it” in a post, but concluded, “Maybe I’m a total wuss, but I believe it’s very important to be cautious about what we each put on our blogs, on Facebook, in our Twitter feeds and elsewhere.”
Kass said that he respected Soczka’s suggestions and her right to speak freely, but noted that bloggers don’t always have to be balanced or fully report stories. “We’re held to a much higher standard than blogs,” he said. “Blogs never have to apologize if they’re wrong. I (could) get sued.”
A former PR professional, Kass said that one doesn’t have a non-work life on social networks. “What she didn’t realize is that being on your own time and on your own blog — it doesn’t really matter,” he said. “She still gets tied in with [her employer] and her job, no matter what.”
Soczka said that she has always exercised some caution in her online writings — for example, staying away from discussing clients or competing agencies. But this experience with Twitter taught her to be even more diplomatic in the future and not to underestimate the potential for a tweet to become a torrent, Soczka said.
“It gave me a newfound respect for social media in general.”
Jeff Bentoff, APR, is owner of Milwaukee-based Bentoff LLC, a communications and public affairs firm. Bentoff is a former president of PRSA’s Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter.
Twitter tips: Separating the tweets from the chaff
Followers. Successful Twitter users shouldn’t just send tweets but should also follow other people’s tweets.
Tweeting hours. Don’t just tweet during normal business hours, but continue the conversation throughout the rest of the day too. “Twitter is all about immediacy, and last time I checked, news happens 24/7,” Soczka wrote in her blog.
Community engagement. Send direct messages and group replies and follow others in the community.
Current events. Engage in larger conversations such as tweeting in real time about a presidential address.
Character. Tweets should be “catchy and playful” so that “you can tell an actual human is behind them,” Soczka wrote.
Comments
Anon says:
Gee, that editor sounds like the client of every PR rep in the world who has been wronged by a less-than-thorough reporter. Hopefully he'll remember this when the shoe is on the other foot.
WhatsTheBigDeal says:
I don't understand what's the big deal. Instead of whining, the business journal could take this adverse situation and easily turn it into a positive. As for a cautionary twitter tale, I think Soczka is a winner. She just added a follower and she comes across as a savy social media expert.
Vivian says:
While I'm still not a big fan of Twittering and blogs, I agree that this young woman was free to do these things on her own time. So why did the "offended" editor think it was necessary to engage her supervisor in the discussion? That seems heavy handed and over the top.
Little Birdie says:
Way to go for this young lady being brave enough to speak her mind. As PR professionals, we walk on eggshells and tiptoe around senstive subjects -- always afraid to offend someone. A friend recently told me not to pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel. Well, let this be a lesson learned for all traditional media who thoughtlessly attack companies/individuals. Thanks to social media -- we don't have to even have a pen.
Tyler Hurst says:
Who gives a crap? She was right. Why can't companies accept criticism now? If you're doing something wrong, expect to be called on it. Kudos to the chick for offering facts. Should the offended party simply take it as advice and act on it.
Amanda Vega says:
What the Milwaukee Business Journal fails to realize is that instead of going to this person's boss and defending their onset missteps into social media, they should have instead PUBLICLY and on Twitter started and maintained the conversation. Why? Because THAT is social media. Period. While people should be mindful of their banter with regard to slander, etc. I do not believe that you should also "walk on eggshells" in social media. Use the same consideration and behavior as you would in person. And for someone like myself, that would indeed include calling someone out if they were making a grave misstep in a social situation. The Milwaukee Business Journal could have actually capitalized on this and created more sentiment and following if they handled it the correct way. Amanda Vega Contributor to "The Social Media Bible" http://www.amandavega.com
Deb O'Connor says:
Social networks have become a replacement of personal social conversations. Once posted they do have a habit of biting the writer in the behind...the same as comments made at a social gathering at a local hotspot will eventually make their way to the subject of the comment. Once attributed to the speaker...this led to ostracization...now such commentary on blog, twitter, facebook, myspace leads to outing to friends, coworkers, and bosses. Be aware and beware of your online audience.
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