No. 3? You don’t have a plan.

Whether you’re looking to increase followers, drive clicks back to your website, or just get people buzzing about your stories, you need to have a plan for any social media platform you join. A good strategy will help you avoid wasting resources or, worse, breaking your company’s social media policy.

Chris O’Brien, business and technology columnist at the San Jose Mercury News, said his paper’s policy “is like a one-page, basic ‘use your head’ philosophy.” Don’t appear to be biased if you are a beat reporter. “Keep in mind that you are representing the organization out there,” he explained.

Are you using social media wisely? Find out in The Biggest Mistakes Journalists Make in Social Media.

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