Nowadays, more people than ever before are turning to social media to share personal interests and learn about trends and events. Storify was created on this premise. It has recently grown in popularity and has been mentioned on NBC, Time and ABC.

What is Storify?

Storify is an up-and-coming social media site that allows users to tell virtual stories using videos, pictures, tweets and more. Users pick content from websites or social media sites and arrange chosen elements in one place to creatively spin a tale.

How Are People Using It?

Out of curiosity, I visited Storify.com to see what users are creating stories about—or “storifying,” as the verbiage goes. Most are using to Storify to gain an experiential perspective of current events. Some events that are being storified include the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, Hurricane Isaac, and the Drew Peterson trial.

Others are using Storify as a form of citizen journalism in order to tell unique, visual stories about their hobbies and interests. For example, photographers are using it to create innovative portfolios of their work, and sports fans are using it to create tweet and photo decks of their top team’s best moments. One man used video and pictures in order to tell about his recent fishing trip. I know what you might be thinking—one man’s exciting fishing tales are another man’s fodder for naptime, but Storify has created a simple way for users to share data in an integrated storytelling format.

Why  Should Public Relations Professionals and Students Consider Using it?

Public relations professionals can use Storify to neatly and creatively tell a story about their organization or clients. Storify gives users freedom to decide how the story will be displayed. This allows public relations professionals to present the story in ways that best meet their needs.

PR practitioners and aspiring PR professionals can use Storify to showcase their clients’ coverage, social media buzz and videos. Students and interns can storify awards in college, as well as portfolio items from various internships.

Whether you’re a PR professional or a student aspiring to be one, consider these creative uses for Storify:

• Capturing mentions of social media users talking about your client’s products
• Assembling a press kit
• Promoting and measuring the social media response of a new product launch
• Documenting contests and events
• Showing a client visuals of their YouTube and Facebook ad presence
• Spotlighting individual employees and projects
• Documenting awards
• Showcasing the work environment in a company
• Putting together a deck of promotional photos and videos

Tools like Storify are just one of the ways that the lines between social media and public relations are continuing to blur. Are you looking for an integrated digital media plan to help support your business? Contact BLASTmedia’s Julie Zaitz to find out how we can help tell your story.

Incoming search terms:

• how to use storify for public relations