The beauty of social media is that it allows anyone to bypass the media filter and communicate directly to an audience. But just because social media is a great tool doesn’t mean it compensates for sloppy, incoherent messaging. You still need to know what you want to say, and how to say it, to effectively use online platforms.
That’s why we were so impressed with the use of Instagram by North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson. He went on Instagram to communicate his opposition to Department of Education program cuts and how he is working to overturn them. Jackson clearly explained his position in a conversational tone with no frills or gimmicks. Take a look at his video below.
You don’t have to agree with Jackson to see that he presented his case effectively. He spoke slowly, yet confidently, without talking over the heads of average viewers. His voice and appearance added to his credibility. In short, Jackson took full advantage of social media to successfully convey his key messages.
As it turned out, Jackson also did very well in a television interview on the same subject. His approach was similar, as you’ll see in the following clip.
The North Carolina Attorney General is obviously a gifted communicator. Not everyone has Jeff Jackson’s skill set. But if you use Jackson as a model and aspire to learn from him, we believe you can raise your communication skills to the next level on social media or in media interviews.