becoming a better blogger
DESCRIPTION
These are blogging tips for a workshop for Everyday Health.TRANSCRIPT
Becoming a better blogger
Steve ButtryEveryday Health
June 8, 2012
Read more about it• stevebuttry.wordpress.com• slideshare.net/stevebuttry• @stevebuttry• [email protected]
Plan for the dayMorning:•Blogging•Reporting with social mediaAfternoon:•Digital storytelling•Work w/ the tools (bring a story idea or two)
Introductions
What’s your blog about? (6 words or so)
Who’s your community? (6 words or so)
Factors in blogging success• Idea• Format• Headline/SEO• Writing• Links• Visuals
• Voice• Authority• Conversation• Frequency• Trust
Where do you get ideas?
Possible formats• Brief• Video (w/ intro)• Photo gallery• List• News story• Data viz
• Chart/graph/map• Q&A• Narrative• Poll• Curation• Quiz
Relevance rulesKeep SEO in mind as you write, but …•Relevance matters; popular but irrelevant keywords can hurt you•Quality matters•Social matters, too, and people share good reads•Relevance matters in links
Keywords in headline• What words would you use to search for
this post?• Use those words in headline• If possible, start headline w/ key phrase• Check Google trends• Use full names• (VIDEO) in headline
Keywords in lead• Most important: good lead• Sharing drives traffic, too, so don’t write
for search engine• Edit for search engine; would search
terms help or hurt original lead?• If keywords don’t work in lead, be sure
head is strong & use them high
Writing for a blog• Writing must be clear, engaging• Take responsibility for the quality of your
work• Read your work aloud• Take a polishing read through before
publishing (or right after)• Short is OK, but so is long
Links help people find you• Relevant outbound links boost
Googlejuice• Pingbacks bring you inbound links &
boost Googlejuice• Add links as you do research• Consider expanded linksConsider whether context implies
endorsement of linked views/content
Links help users & you• Links provide context (& don’t provide
unnecessary background)• Links boost authority, credibility• Sending users away works for Google; it
will work for you, too.
• Videos• Photos• Slides• Graphics• Curation
• Audio• Tweets• Source documents• Maps
Think beyond writing
Blogger’s voice• Discuss w/ editor whether any type of
opinion is appropriate (advocacy, commentary, analysis)
• Personality engages audience, w/ or w/o opinion (humor, perspective)
• 1st-person & 2nd-person are engaging• Be genuine
Blog with authority• Authority is rooted in accuracy• Transparency builds authority• Attribution & link appropriately, for
credit but not for cover• Say what you don’t know
The blogging conversation• Crowdsource (specific questions: “Do
you know anyone who …?” “Did you see …?” “Has this ever happened to you?”)
• Consider ending post w/ question• Stimulate/continue conversation in social
media• Engage with comments
Extend the conversation• Effective use of social media (Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube, Foursquare, Pinterest, etc.)
• Relevant comments (w/ links) on related blogs (no spamming!)
• Emails/tweets/#hashtags call to attention of influencers
When should you blog?• When you have something to say• Frequent, regular posts build loyalty• Weak posts hurt credibility• Frequent updates on unfolding stories
keep people coming back• Short posts are good
Standards• Verify information• Completeness & fairness come over time• Say what you don’t know• Attribute & link• Acknowledge changes & updates• Correct quickly & transparently• Trust builds slowly, vanishes quickly
Read more about it• stevebuttry.wordpress.com• slideshare.net/stevebuttry• @stevebuttry• https://www.newsu.org/introduction-to-
reporting • [email protected]