Twitter spreads client message globally
Social media formed an integral part of a campaign to promote the role of the Coral Reef Targeted Research & Capacity Building for Management (CRTR) Program at the Global Environmental Facility’s International Waters Conference (IWC) during October 2009.
Using Twitter in real-time, the CRTR Program distributed comments made by its scientists at the Cairns-based conference and technical workshops. ‘Tweets’ contained comments on conference discussions and observations made by international water experts during site visits to the Daintree rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef.
The CRTR website, www.gefcoral.org, was updated throughout the conference with media releases, articles on CRTR presentations, and supporting materials. Video posts of scientists delivering summaries of their presentations added a personal voice to the multi-channel, ‘live’ broadcasts of information, which were supported by the distribution of media releases via traditional channels.
The aim of this integrated mix of real-time social and traditional communications activity was to raise the profile of CRTR experts as opinion leaders and key commentators for marine management issues, including climate change. The primary audience comprised CRTR stakeholders, scientists and technicians, and the media.

