Alabama 811 | Know What's Below.

The Social Media Dilemma

| December 24, 2015 @ 8:41 am

Times have changed; prior to any significant severe weather or winter storm threat, I spend long hours working social media, posting updates on what people can expect, and answering questions. Countless hundreds of questions. I am glad to do it; that is why I am here. And, I am honored people ask me.

My Facebook page “post reach” has exceeded 12 million over the past five days. Remarkable.

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So here is the problem… when the event is taking place, after I post an update, pointing people to this blog where the posts have deep detail and information you won’t find anywhere else, immediately the comments go like this…

“What about”… followed by the name of a community. Jasper, Cullman, Wedowee, Reform, Northport, Greensboro, Oneonta, Heflin, Sylacauga, Fayette, Rockford, Haleyville, Brent, Millport, Eutaw, Talladega, Pell City, Centre… and I could go on and on and on.

People basically are asking for an individual briefing just for them as opposed to reading the blog. The problem with that… if I did individual briefings, I would spend 24 hours a day updating a few hundred people, not allowing me time for TV, the Internet, or commercial radio, where I reach literally hundreds of thousands. It makes no sense, and it can’t happen.

We work extremely hard to make our blog posts easy to read, relatively short, very descriptive, and with easy to use maps where anyone can see their community and understand what to expect. I spend way, way too much time pasting in links to blog posts in response to the individual briefing requests across all social media platforms.

If you are reading this, of course, this message isn’t for you. But, please be our ambassador and remind people to “READ THE BLOG”!

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Category: Hodgepodge

About the Author ()

James Spann is one of the most recognized and trusted television meteorologists in the industry. He holds the AMS CCM designation and television seals from the AMS and NWA. He is a past winner of the Broadcast Meteorologist of the Year from both professional organizations.

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