Five lessons for Snapchat news shows
Social media have changed the journalism game. They have made it easier to reach audiences and to inform them of developing news, however, they have also made it possible for fake news to infest the public.
Like any other development and technology advancement, social media have their advantages and some disadvantages. An incredible example for this duality is how reporting through social media allows audiences to have more control over what is being reported, which can either be really beneficial or really harmful.
On one hand, audiences having more control over what is reported and over what is popular, increases the possibility of fake news spreading. Acts of journalism, a term coined by Jeff Jarvis meaning audiences can document events and share them with the world (in this case through social media), are often confused as journalistic reporting.
Acts of Journalism and journalistic reporting have pretty significant differences, the main one being that anyone can perform acts of journalism but only journalists can provide a “service whose goal is an informed public,” says Jarvis. Because anyone can create content and publish it online, the process of verifying and seeking objectivity and truth is often neglected, which leads to the increased distribution of inaccurate reports and fake news. (Read my other blog post on fake news here.)
However, social media also allows journalists to have multiple sets of boots on the ground, which is good because journalists, with the help of their audience, can be in different places at the same time. Having audiences perform acts of journalism allows journalists to gather information from their audience, verify it and then report it. This exchange or engagement between audience and journalists permits more events to be covered, but it also ensures that they are ethically reported by journalists.
Audiences being able to create and publish their own content has made them in some ways gatekeepers, however, it is essential that journalists continue to verify and bring reliable information to audiences.
The Washington Post has managed to cultivate a fairly large following on Instagram by posting at least two times a day a headline on a black background and making the caption of the image a quick summary of the story. This style has managed to bring a classical newspaper feeling to Instagram, making their page look cohesive and aesthetically pleasing while also informative.
Another great example of social media usage for reporting purposes is NBC’s Snapchat news show, “Stay Tuned,” which is also the first daily Snapchat news show. The twice-daily show delivers news content to younger audiences, which tend to be a fairly unreached demographic by news outlets, through a popular app.
Their daily shows have five recurrent tactics that have led them to great success.
Top-5 list of social media tips for journalists using Snapchat:
#1- Keep it short: Snapchat has a fast paced rhythm; since it is only photos and videos, users don’t expect to spend more than a few seconds on one piece of content. Only give users the essential information and give it to them as quickly as possible.
(Stay Tuned delivers their news in under 2 minutes, which is pretty impressive and effective.)
#2- Avoid text as much as possible: Audiences are seeking this method of delivery because it allows them to stay up-to-date in a way that is not terribly time consuming. Many are looking for a news broadcast experience in seconds and having a lot of text for them to read kind of defeats the purpose. (If having text is pertinent to the story, have the reporter read the important bits.)
(Stay Tuned avoids having a lot of text on the screen; they include some subtitles of what the reporter is saying, but audiences can still follow the story without reading them.)
#3- Grab their attention: Use colorful graphics and large text (when necessary) to draw users in. Have friendly and approachable reporters deliver the news. Connecting with them through a friendly face will help establish trust with viewers.
(Stay Tuned uses attention grabbing headlines to attract viewers. Note that the headlines are not fake or made up just to gain viewers, they are formatted in a way that peak interest.)
#4- Ask them to engage: Have audiences tweet or snap questions to the reporters or the network’s designated social media page. Since a lot of information is coming at the viewers really fast, questions are bound to come up; giving them an outlet will help increase viewership and engagement because they will feel appreciated and heard.
(At the end of Stay Tuned, the correspondents ask viewers to submit their questions by sending them a Snapchat.)
#5- Speak their language: There is no need to use complicated words or sentences. Delivering the news as if it were a conversation with a friend will help viewers feel more comfortable. Most social media users are looking for instant gratification, whether they are aware of it or not, and talking about important things, like news, in terms they understand will make them feel smart and accomplished.
(Stay Tuned makes it a point to explain to their viewers any confusing terminology; not in a condescending way that insults viewers but in a way that helps viewers understand what is happening in the world.)