by Daniel J. Gansle

Created on: May 06, 2009

On March 22, 2002, a new website launched that promised to change the face of how people interact on the web. Seeing a growing desire on the part of the online community to begin sharing information rather than merely extracting it, Friendster started the first online social networking experiment. Since that time, dozens of social networking websites have followed suit including MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Bebo, and Orkut.

The popularity and reach of online social networking websites is undeniable. People of all stripes; teens, celebrities, retirees, musicians, artists, and college students; are plugged in to the great social networking experiment. So how can journalists latch on to this trend and use social media to build an audience?

Understanding Social Media

In order to learn how to build an audience using social media, journalists must first learn the purpose and functionality of social websites. Online social networking websites exist primarily to share a variety of information including news, videos, pictures, blogs, and interactive applications with friends, colleagues, and family. Users of social networking websites add friends with common interests while others add them as friends as well, creating a growing network where comments, status updates, and blogs can be freely shared.

The Power and Reach of Online Social Networking Websites

In past days, sites such as MySpace and Facebook have been dismissed as nothing more than casual hangouts for teens and tweens. But in recent days, everyone from authors to singers to retirees have logged on to these sites to share news and information. While many have predicted and have even anticipated the demise of certain social networking websites such as MySpace and Twitter, these sites only continue to grow and evolve with an ever expanding reach around the globe.

Using Online Social Media to Build an Audience

Once journalists have a basic understanding of how online social networking works, they can harness this powerful medium to promote their news and information. For example, Twitter has become an incredibly powerful online social networking tool for journalists seeking to drive more traffic to their videos, articles, and websites. While Twitter's claim to fame is a blog of only 140 characters or less, it's enough to place a brief summary and links to featured articles, videos, past television broadcasts, and live chats.

In early 2009, the White House created an official MySpace profile page as an effort to further connect with the American people. The White House on MySpace includes a blog, links to the official White House website, photos, videos, and resources. MySpace members who sign the White House on as a friend receive immediate updates and can leave comments on the White House MySpace page.

Bottom Line on Using Social Media to Build an Audience

Bottom line, journalists can use a variety of online social networking websites to promote their news and information. Once journalists understand how social media works, its power and reach, and how to harness the power of online social networking websites to increase visibility, they will see their audience grow by leaps and bounds.

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