In Case Of Emergency, Read Blog

Via the Glen Gilmore and Social Media blog comes a good piece, “10 Reasons Social Media Is Important In A Real Crisis.” The reason are listed below:

1. “Official” social media accounts created by governmental agencies can become a leading hub for sharing critical information,

2. Social media beats traditional media in reporting news first; people flock to social networks in time of crisis; social media provides information before traditional media or relief workers can get to the scene of a disaster

3. Social media networks are dynamic: the content can be updated in real-time, from diverse users, to share the latest information about real needs and progress

4. Social networks can be used to direct victims on where to go to file claims and seek assistance

5. Social networks can be used to enlist, direct, inspire and thank volunteers

6. Social Media covers the story when major media chooses not to or is unable to do so

7. Social Networks are reliable mediums for conveying important information far, wide, and quickly

8. Social networks help in reaching those who are often difficult to reach

9. Curation: Twitter Lists and Hashtags are well-suited for identifying reliable sources of up-to-date information

10. Geotagging by social network users provides important context to the information being shared

The full blog post can be found here.