Lawsuits, crime, death, sports, business, performances, culture, music, COVID-19, the 2020 election. You name it, I've covered it while creating social media content as The Daily Tar Heel's audience engagement editor and as regional alt-weekly INDY Week's digital content intern.

In my work with social media strategy, I've found that effectively promoting journalism on digital platforms requires the following:

• Identifying the audiences we're targeting on each platform, then tailoring content to pique their interest and serve their needs
• Developing social media copy with a user-first perspective: "What will make our audience want to stop scrolling through their feeds and engage with this article?"
  • Maybe it'll take a compelling detail that isn’t present in the headline...
  • Or a short, powerful quote...
  • Or narrative framing that will draw readers in
• Incorporating the "curiosity gap" in appropriate contexts
  • Revealing just enough of the article's details to drive traffic and encourage readership, while not giving away the meat of the story
• Making decisions using sound news judgment
  • On-the-ground, in-the-weeds decisions: Which news qualifies as "BREAKING," and which doesn't? Which stories should we promote on each platform, and how often? Do we "tag" this organization/public figure or not?
  • Bigger editorial decisions: How can we best use the power of language and framing to communicate truth; hold powerful individuals, institutions and systems to account; and treat marginalized communities with due respect and care? How do we shed light on bigotry and discrimination without platforming hateful ideologies?
• Operating with the highest standard of professionalism, knowing social media accounts' actions reflect on the organization and directly affect our audiences

Below is social media content that I've written or edited with these principles in mind. (Note: Some of this content uses or adapts language written by the reporter in the corresponding article.)