Steve cites the emergence and proliferation of “Buzz word Bingo” in board rooms and meeting places all over the U.S (see Buzzword bingo). Every time a suit spews a buzz word such as “paradigm shift” or “value add” an employee marks a bingo card with a bushel of buzz words; get five in a row and shout “bingo!”
The new way: “Creative” social media writing:
More voices, more people
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More conversational language
More storytelling
Dramatically less jargon
Being driven by social media
“Corporate communicators fight the same battles: deadlines, and creating safe copy (something that will safely go through the approval process),” says Steve, founder of Crescenzo Communications. “Content is king, and content comes down to writing for social media, which is about people: conversation and story-telling,” says Steve.
Case study: Children's Hospital of Atlanta
Sitation: recruit people to work at their organization.
Program: lots of competition.
Solution: Set up a social media rectuiting site “Are you strong enough?” (http://blog.areustrongenough.com). Includes a blog from current employees about what it is like to work at the hospital.
Example: “I am a nurse in the PICU at Egleston where team work is seen every day”
Case study: Electric and gas utility in Arizona
Situation: to educate people about safety.
Problem: really boring topic.
Solution: story-telling: find actual people to tell their stories.
Example: “It happens in a split second and nothing is ever the same again” accompanied by a video of the person affected.
Tips for social media writing
1- Follow the 3-30-3-30 rule. Let pepole choose how much time they want to spend: 3 seconds, 30 seconds, 3 minutes, or 30 minutes.
3 seconds - consider the headline or Tweet
30 seconds - read a headline and a blurb / summary of a story
3 minutes - read a story,watch the video clip or listen to the auido clip
30 minutes - read, watch, listen, rate the content, follow links to friends, discussion forums, etc.
2- Don't be afraid to take chances.
3- Come down from 30,000 feet!
4- Always tie it to the business.
5- Report from the field whenever possible.