A 20-something's Perspective

A lot of traditional media outlets in Milwaukee have recently started Twitter accounts. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (@NewsHub) and the Business Journal Serving the Greater Milwaukee Area (@BizJournalMke) are two that I follow. And I have to say that NewsHub kicks BizJournalMke's ass. Here are five reasons why.

1. Followers - BizJournalMke does not follow anyone! In contrast NewsHub follows two thirds of the amount of people who follow them. Can you guess who is engaging their followers?
2. Tweeting Hours - BizJournalMke tends to tweet only during normal business hours. Twitter is all about immediacy and last time I checked news happens 24/7. In contrast NewsHub tweets at all hours. Guess who's getting scooped on stories?
3. Community Engagement - If you don't follow anyone it's pretty hard to engage in any type of discussion. NewsHub frequently retweets, direct messages and @Replies. They also link to other Wisconsin media outlets for more coverage and stories. If I have a news question or breaking news tip you bet I'm letting NewsHub know. They provide value to me, so I will return the favor. Plus, it's clear they will receive it!
4. Current Events - In addition to talking to followers, NewsHub also engages in larger conversations. For example, last night NewsHub used the #Obama hashtag to talk to the Twitterverse about Obama's speech in real time. Where was BizJournalMke? With all the articles about the economic stimulus package they should have been contributing.
5. Character - Finally BizJournalMke just lacks character. Ninety nine percent of their tweets are simply their headline and link to their news story. NewsHub's tweets are catchy and playful. You can tell an actual human is behind them. For example, one tweet said, "Puff daddy, ahem, that is Michael Phelps, commits to making comeback meet May 14." The actual headline was "Olympic hero Michael Phelps to return from 3-month suspension at swim meet in Charlotte." Which one would get you to click the link?