Newswriting for Online Headlines, breaking news, multimedia and blogs Anthony Moor Deputy Managing Editor/Interactive The Dallas Morning News [email_address]

Agenda Best practices Writing headlines for people with search engines in mind Breaking news: online and on deadline Structured writing for multimedia Blogging style and practice

Best practices

Writing headlines for people with search engines in mind

Breaking news: online and on deadline

Structured writing for multimedia

Blogging style and practice

Web Headlines Eric Ulken [email_address]

There is no context Web headlines rarely have friends No photos, graphics, related stories or other visual clues to tip off the reader Often no labels or decks to help explain a headline Sometimes it’s not immediately apparent what section a story is in (opinion?)

Web headlines rarely have friends

No photos, graphics, related stories or other visual clues to tip off the reader

Often no labels or decks to help explain a headline

Sometimes it’s not immediately apparent what section a story is in (opinion?)

Types of headlines Story-level: Seed aggregators and search engines (make them very literal; keywords are vital) Section-level: Present story to engaged readers (Keywords are important Home page: Sell story to casual readers (Keywords are less important) Mobile: Some sites also write short, bulletin-style heads

Story-level: Seed aggregators and search engines (make them very literal; keywords are vital)

Section-level: Present story to engaged readers (Keywords are important

Home page: Sell story to casual readers (Keywords are less important)

Mobile: Some sites also write short, bulletin-style heads

SEO Speedwagon SEO = Search Engine Optimization Why do we have to do this? Computers are dumb Thoughtful SEO also improves the user experience There’s a lot more to SEO than tweaking headlines, but it’s an important part

SEO = Search Engine Optimization

Why do we have to do this?

Computers are dumb

Thoughtful SEO also improves the user experience

There’s a lot more to SEO than tweaking headlines, but it’s an important part

SEO-friendly headlines Proper nouns, especially familiar ones Keep it short (40 characters, max) Be direct, literal Focus on the unique

Proper nouns, especially familiar ones

Keep it short (40 characters, max)

Be direct, literal

Focus on the unique

Story-level headlines Survey finds teenagers taking fewer risks On the mend, with a new mission A new life informed by the old Today’s teens using less sex and alcohol Woodruff talks about his recovery from Iraq bomb Starbucks gives jolt to child soldier’s Africa memoirs

Survey finds teenagers taking fewer risks

On the mend, with a new mission

A new life informed by the old

Today’s teens using less sex and alcohol

Woodruff talks about his recovery from Iraq bomb

Starbucks gives jolt to child soldier’s Africa memoirs

Humans have to read this stuff, too Don’t write for Google, write for people with Google in mind Web readers scan more than print readers Some keywords are useful, but also encourage clever headlines that tease and amuse It takes a lot to motivate a person to move that mouse and click it

Don’t write for Google, write for people with Google in mind

Web readers scan more than print readers

Some keywords are useful, but also encourage clever headlines that tease and amuse

It takes a lot to motivate a person to move that mouse and click it

Your turn

Writing Breaking News for Web Mike Johansson Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Anthony Moor

Swift reporting suggestions News – as it happens Facts – as they are known Briefs – not complete stories Updates – as more is known Hang on! What about accuracy and credibility?

News – as it happens

Facts – as they are known

Briefs – not complete stories

Updates – as more is known

Breaking news is a balancing act Our first duty is to report the story accurately . But we must also be fast and first to report significant news. That builds credibility . Beyond that, a deadline is an arbitrary thing. – The Associated Press

Our first duty is to report the story accurately .

But we must also be fast and first to report significant news. That builds credibility .

Beyond that, a deadline is an arbitrary thing.

News – as it happens Write what you know, then explain what you don’t know SANTEE, Calif. (AP)_A gunman opened fire at a high school Monday, wounding several students, according to reports from fire officials and sheriff’s deputies. The shootings were at Santana High School in this San Diego suburb.

Write what you know, then explain what you don’t know

News – as it happens Write what you know, then explain what you don’t know SANTEE, Calif. (AP)_A gunman opened fire at a high school Monday, wounding several students, according to reports from fire officials and sheriff’s deputies. There were no immediate reports of fatalities. The shootings were at Santana High School in this San Diego suburb.

Write what you know, then explain what you don’t know

Facts – as they are known Bulletin board approach: We publish facts as we learn them One witness told KGTV that the youth smiled as he fired the long-barreled handgun. “ We are in the process of evacuating the school,” said sheriff’s spokesman Ron Reina.

Bulletin board approach: We publish facts as we learn them

Briefs – not complete stories What would you tell a friend you meet on the street? A few grafs will do Direct quotes may not be essential Reaction may not be necessary The shirttail may be superfluous

What would you tell a friend you meet on the street?

A few grafs will do

Direct quotes may not be essential

Reaction may not be necessary

The shirttail may be superfluous

Updates – as more is learned Put the newest information at the top As necessary, facts can be updated and detail added throughout the day

Put the newest information at the top

As necessary, facts can be updated and detail added throughout the day

Style tips Write tight and light Active verbs: Make things do things Forceful nouns: Start a fire story with ‘fire’ Include one idea per paragraph Organize sources in blocks Consider using bulleted lists

Write tight and light

Active verbs: Make things do things

Forceful nouns: Start a fire story with ‘fire’

Include one idea per paragraph

Organize sources in blocks

Consider using bulleted lists

Style tips Let Web staff link to more Background: A recent story Documents: Indictment, photos, statements Web resources: Stock quotes, Web sites Interactivity: User message boards, polls

Let Web staff link to more

Background: A recent story

Documents: Indictment, photos, statements

Web resources: Stock quotes, Web sites

Interactivity: User message boards, polls

Your turn

Structured writing for multimedia

Multimedia means multiple elements Slideshows Narrated slide shows Video Games, puzzles, quizzes, surveys Documents, databases, calculators Graphics, immersive 3D content Message boards, feedback mechanisms Resources

Slideshows

Narrated slide shows

Video

Games, puzzles, quizzes, surveys

Documents, databases, calculators

Graphics, immersive 3D content

Message boards, feedback mechanisms

Resources

So the whole must hang together Reporter/Editor should be involved in creating the package The opening screen must introduce the story The experience must tell the story (don’t rely on what’s written for print) Examples Ottowa Citizen Wisconsin State Journal

Reporter/Editor should be involved in creating the package

The opening screen must introduce the story

The experience must tell the story (don’t rely on what’s written for print)

Examples

Ottowa Citizen

Wisconsin State Journal

Your turn

Writing for Blogs

Start connecting Blogs exist together as a connected community – so connect Determine your blog’s niche and find out who’s blogging your beat Join the conversation Link outside your blog Promote other blogs in your blogroll

Blogs exist together as a connected community – so connect

Determine your blog’s niche and find out who’s blogging your beat

Join the conversation

Link outside your blog

Promote other blogs in your blogroll

‘Voice’ versus ‘opinion’ Blogs are part of a conversation. So your voice should be different, but unless you’re a critic by profession, they should not include opinion Ground your writing in your reporting, not your opinion You can be analytical. We’re paid to know more than our readers

Blogs are part of a conversation. So your voice should be different, but unless you’re a critic by profession, they should not include opinion

Ground your writing in your reporting, not your opinion

You can be analytical. We’re paid to know more than our readers

The kinds of blog posts The news post This is where you have learned a fact and are reporting it for the audience. You should link to background material wherever you find it

The news post

This is where you have learned a fact and are reporting it for the audience. You should link to background material wherever you find it

The kinds of blog posts The original thought There aren’t any. So link to the place that spurred you to write The comment on the original thought Ditto. Or maybe, just comment on the other blog The editor’s blog post This is where you’re summarizing news from elsewhere. Link out

The original thought

There aren’t any. So link to the place that spurred you to write

The comment on the original thought

Ditto. Or maybe, just comment on the other blog

The editor’s blog post

This is where you’re summarizing news from elsewhere. Link out

The kinds of blog posts The live blog post Beware that many in your audience will be reading what you write well after you’ve posted it – even days later. So don’t assume they know what you’re writing about. “ Sure looked like UT WR Limas Sweed took a few steps after catching the ball before getting hit.” “ On UT’s first possession against OU, it sure looked like WR Limas Sweed took a few steps after catching a pass before getting hit.”

The live blog post

Beware that many in your audience will be reading what you write well after you’ve posted it – even days later. So don’t assume they know what you’re writing about.

Your turn http://www.slideshare.net/ajmoor