Add a "Twittercue" to your emergency media release to improve accuracy

Anyone who has ever tried to communicate in a crisis or emergency understands how hard it is to get clear messages out.

As word spreads quickly through social media, and particualrly via Twitter, the essential meaning of what you thought was a clear statement can be quickly lost as the world reduces it to 140 characters.

A recent example was an announcement from the Northern Territory Government in Australia during Cyclone Carlos allowing non-essential public servants with child-caring responsibilities to take personal leave if they could not get alternate care arrangements for their children. Employees should check with their supervisor if they were not sure if they were regarded as “essential”.

The tweets from those spreading the word looked something like this:

Non-essential public servants urged to stay at home due to #TCcarlos

The result? Hundreds of public servants with and without children stayed at home without ever contacting their supervisor.


It’s hardly the fault of the multitudes who retweeted this message, but it is a great example of how a message can lose its full meaning very quickly.


Tracy Jones from Darwin-based Creative Territory said she has seen dozens of messages from authorities lose their meaning as tweeters try to get the word out within 10 seconds and 140 characters.

So what can PR professionals do to make it easier for others to pass their message on?

Following Cuclone Carlos in Darwin, Tracy created the “Twittercue”– the practice of adding a set of words to the bottom of media releases that enable tweeters to pass on your message without distorting the meaning.

So if I was writing a media release for the situation above now, she would add the following to the release:

Twittercue: NTG non-essent staff who need 2 care 4 kids may take prsnl leave. Chck with supervisor #TCcarlos http://tiny.cc/3pdeaz

Some tips for writing a great Twittercue:

§ Forget the flowery language – concentrate on the facts

§ Use an appropriate hashtag

§ Include a url pointing to the full copy of the media release

§ Keep it to 120 characters in total to allow for unedited retweeting

§ Don’t be afraid to use abbreviations – speak the language of your Tweeps.

Twittercue for this release: Add twittercue to crisis media releases to improve tweet accuracy http://tiny.cc/crisiscue #crisiscomms #twitter

Darwin and Port Keats now included in Cyclone Watch

Darwin and Port Keats are now included in the cyclone watch for a developing tropical low off the north coast of the Top End.

The tropical low, which will be called Tropical Cyclone Errol if and when it develops, is being tracked by the Darwin Bureau of Meteorology.

Residents in the watch area are now being advised to prepare their homes in case the cyclone develops some time on Friday.

Residents should:

• Clean up around homes, yards and balconies.
• Prepare a cyclone kit with food, water, first aid items, a portable radio and spare batteries.
• Know where you will shelter if you need to. Have a family emergency plan.
• Keep listening to the radio for updates.

Follow the Bureau of Meteorology for updates on the cyclone itself at these links:

Tropical Cyclone Advice
Cyclone Tracking Map

EmergencyNT will be using Twitter, Facebook and this website to keep you up to date.