November’s Winter Storm Snowvember shut down many parts of Western New York, but didn’t stop TMG Social Media Manager John Jiloty from illustrating the storm’s effects online. Trapped in the Southtowns, John posted a host of Vine videos and photos on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram through his own accounts and TMG’s. Meanwhile, a reporter from the BBC World News, searching through hashtags, saw John’s content and reached out via Twitter to request an interview via Skype for broadcast that evening. In short order, John was sitting in his kitchen, in his sweatpants, broadcasting to the world. While being chosen was an accomplishment in itself, looking back, the experience gave John some insightful takeaways for effective media relations via social media: 1) widespread social media success requires regular oversight; 2) track and analyze hashtags to join the conversation the best way; 3) don’t overlook small details like lighting and background; and 4) set an agenda before a live interview to make sure you hit your points. #CleanYourKitchen #NextTimeMentionTMG