Microblogging and Journalism.

It’s undeniable that social media has evolved to such an extent over the past few years alone that journalism has had to adapt its approach to present news in a relevant and easily accessible way. So how can journalists grab the interest of their readers in a succinct and impressionable manner? Enter microblogging. Or, in more familiar terms, Twitter.

Created in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Biz Stone and Noah Glass, the platform which now boasts over 500 million accounts allows it users to ‘tweet’ a 140 character status to their followers. These tweets can range from literally anything; be it your opinion on that days news, a new dress you bought or the restaurant you visited for the first time and loved last night. 

Not only can Twitter be used for personal means of communication between users, it opens doors for consumer to business interaction. So, for example, that restaurant you loved? Mention them in a tweet to let them know how well you think they’re doing. The disappointment of a poorly constructed garment at a well known store? Tweet it. By doing so, the general public are influencing the business world like never before with reviews, opinions and recommendations that are honest and, most importantly, short and straight to the point. 

So, how can microblogging through the likes of Twitter be incorporated into journalism? A short description grabs the attention of followers on the rapidly updated timeline feed to link to blog posts, articles and news pages that make news easily accessible. By using a question, it invites followers to interact with content, topics and issues raised by the writer or organisation, in turn spreading the word and raising further interest for potential readers. The inclusion of a simple hashtag allows users to follow shared content and participate with online ‘conversations’, making it a simple yet powerful communicative tool. Having an online profile on the likes of Twitter is, according to journalism.co.uk writer Rachel Bartlett, "vital" and, "given the rise, and continuing growth, of social media as a traffic referral for many news sites today, being able to share content effectively is also a valuable skill to be able to demonstrate."

In my opinion, journalism has benefitted hugely from the likes of microblogging and I’ve found it incredibly useful in promoting my own blog content. Not only that, but gaining followers whose interests are similar to mine regarding journalism means shared posts and retweets keep us all up to date with whats going occurring on a regular basis. From a journalistic perspective this means professionals are enabled to cultivate news and interact with the public, all within one singular platform.