Sounds painful but it isn't... BLOGGING Sounds painful but it isn't...

BLOGGING WHAT IS A BLOG? In the most common sense, it is a website that contains online personal reflections Comments from the audience Hyperlinks provided by the writer What purpose for a journalist? Complements regular news coverage Gives readers, viewers and listeners a behind-the-scenes look at coverage Not limited by page size or run time

BLOGGING BLOGS allow us to go into deeper detail and to create a more immersive experience for the audience Enhances and encourages audience engagement Gives the journalist an extended platform Allows for the information that couldn’t be put into the story Encourages shared content

THE SPECIFICS Have a narrow topic Keep it simple Keep it separate from your personal blog Niche blogs Serve a specific audience Take a topic and narrow it down, then narrow it again

CREATE LOYALTY AMONG READERSHIP Blog frequently Blog regularly Interact with readers and with commenters

BLOG WRITING It’s not enough just to be a good writer, you have to have a conversation with the reader Write in the active voice Remember, your work will be online forever, so don’t use words like “yesterday” or “tomorrow” Use time references that will make sense years down the road Take full advantage of the power of the platform Have a mix of text, audio and video

GOING A STEP FURTHER... ELEMENTS THAT SET A JOURNALIST’S BLOG APART Bring your attention to the news --What is happening right now? Why do you need to know about it right now? Posts may not always be long, but they are DEEP Use the platform to deliver added value Other sources of information Linking to other websites Use the web as it’s intended: to connect “like” pieces of information

VALUE ADDED TO STORIES The stories in print or on the air will have context; the blog will be used to provide some of your own perspectives and analysis Why does this matter? What’s likely to happen next?

Sounds painful but it isn't... BLOGGING Sounds painful but it isn't...