[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″]I was honored to be asked to join a panel this Friday of locals who are using social media every day as part of their job.

 

The panel is part of a daylong Social Media Conference, organized by the Siouxland Chamber, and us being held at Morningside College.

 

The funny thing, I don’t just use social media, by I and my company, the Sioux City Journal, rely on it to disseminate the news from the second it breaks. It is where we turn first to share the story. Without social media, we would have to wait to post breaking news, photos or information on our web site, which can take minutes.

 

The reality is that media organizations have taken quite a liking to social mediums such as Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr because they allow users to share information as it happens.

 

So if you see me on Twitter, sometimes I’m tweeting about music or food, what I’m reading or viewing, and sometimes it’s all news.

 

Regardless of how you use social media, it’s all about ease of use,  interaction and sharing your life. So whether that’s a review of Coldplay’s latest album, a picture of your lunch or a video of a multi-car pileup, it’s your experience. And sharing that experience  makes all of us storytellers, whether we realize it or not.

 

In an interview this week with author and social media guru Gary Vaynerchuk, he defined his job as salesman, businessman, storyteller. It surprised me because the New Jersey internet icon could easily be all celebrity (read: resting on his laurels). But he sees himself as a storyteller. And he’s a damn good one. That’s a hugely important role for a social media entrepreneur. In fact, it might be the most important one.

 

Plenty of social media insiders can tell you how to master Twitter, how to brand your company via a blog or Facebook or how to track your SEO, but few can craft a compelling story that resonates every day with citizens and potential customers.

 

If you can master that, you’re on your way to a successful social media campaign.

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