Managing a Mobile Content Team? Stay Still.
Those of you who are social media community managers for companies and brands know it can be tough to stay on top of all the content out there and share it in a meaningful way. When it comes to trying to manage content for multi-day, almost round-the-clock events, managing a mobile content team can be even trickier.
Miker and Chrissie work the Cyrus Premiere
During this year’s SXSW, a three-in-one festival that went on for twenty four hours a day for almost ten days straight, it was my job to manage content created by a team of about fifteen people who were on-the-go. Our goal was to get the highest quality content on our clients’ blog in the timeliest manner possible.
What we learned:
1. First and foremost, at least one person needs to staff the command center with regular access to the web and a laptop computer at all times. It’s too hard to multi-task in the field using just a phone – even if it is an iPhone.
2. Even though you can post very easily to sites like Tumblr and Posterous by sending an e-mail with the post, assign an editor in the command center and have everyone run posts by them for approval first.
3. Set up a column in Tweetdeck to monitor your team’s tweets. This is a great way to mine for blog content ideas or for tweets that can come from the community account. Another way to gather everyone’s tweets into one column would be to set up a special event hashtag.
4. Make time for content team meetings. Everyone is busy during multi-day events and the last thing everyone wants to do is take time away from activities and much needed sleep for a meeting. However, content meetings help communities stay focused on two important things:
- Identifying and assigning out key content areas that have not yet been captured.
- Allowing everyone to share broader trend ideas and take ownership over something they are personally interested and invested in.
Adam, Cindy, and Warren take a break
5. Make sure everyone understands the importance of checking in with the command center regularly (we used Gowalla to keep track) – and responding as soon as possible when they receive a text or phone call from a colleague.
6. Encourage everyone on the team to think of themselves as a content contributor. Anyone with a pocket camera, camera-enabled phone, and an opinion can share.
7. Wear sun block!
Before (Marc) and After (Herb)
These are just some tips that helped us stay on top of our content and organized during SXSW. Have you been in a similar situation managing content for your brand? What tips would you add?
Disclosure: Chevrolet is a client of Fleishman-Hillard.
Jodi.
You were a task master like no other. Thanks for whipping us all into shape!
Sarah
Couldn't have done it without you, girl!
This is a really great summary. In particular I like the focus on maintaining content quality as well as on efficiency. If I'm every in a position to have to manage a team like this I'll feel much better prepared. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Thank you so much, Natanya. I really respect your opinion so feel honored.
This is a really great summary. In particular I like the focus on maintaining content quality as well as on efficiency. If I’m every in a position to have to manage a team like this I’ll feel much better prepared. Thanks for sharing your experiences.