Paul Bradshaw Senior Lecturer, Online Journalism, Magazines and New Media, School of Media, Birmingham City University, UK (mediacourses.com) Blogger, Online Journalism Blog Journalism blogging

Neil McIntosh, Head of Editorial Development, The Guardian “ If you enter the jobs market without [a blog], no matter how good your degree, you’re increasingly likely to lose out to people who better present all they can do, and have the experience of creating and curating their own site.” … also see the 37 comments at http://bit.ly/U3wgJ

“ If you enter the jobs market without [a blog], no matter how good your degree, you’re increasingly likely to lose out to people who better present all they can do, and have the experience of creating and curating their own site.”

… also see the 37 comments at http://bit.ly/U3wgJ

Are blogs mainstream? 85% UK news orgs have blogs 70% US newspapers (95% of top 100) 44% European news orgs (stats from Jan 2008)

85% UK news orgs have blogs

70% US newspapers (95% of top 100)

44% European news orgs

(stats from Jan 2008)

How it happened

1998: Drudge Report

2001: September 11

2002: Trent Lott

2003: Salam Pax

2003: Christopher Allbritton

2004: Memogate

2004: Asian tsunami

2005: London bombings

2007: Talking Points Memo

2007: Dave Winer wins a bet

2007: Myanmar protests

2008: Chinese earthquake

Is blogging a genre?

Is this blogging?

Is this blogging?

Is this blogging?

Is this blogging?

Is this blogging?

Is this blogging?

1. Conversational, social, networked?

2. Incomplete, open, ongoing?

3. Personal, informal, reflective?

“ Pre-surfed web”

Expert analysis

Synthesis

Opinion

Anything you want it to be.

It’s just a platform really.

Why blog?

3 reasons

Editorial Leads, speed, space

Editorial Leads, speed, space

2. Commercial SEO, distribution, accountability

3. Professional Networking Pulling power Development

how to blog

Regularly?

“ The majority of the Top 100 blogs tracked by Technorati post five or more times per day, and a full 43 percent post more than 10 times per day. Meanwhile, 64 percent of the 5,000 blogs ranked lower than 600 post two to four times a day, which is still a serious commitment.” ( source )

“ Daily posts are a legacy of a Web 1.0 mindset and early Web 2.0 days” ( Eric Kintz )

6 of Kintz’s 10 reasons why frequency doesn’t matter Traffic is generated by participating in the community Traffic is irrelevant to your blog’s success anyway Frequent posting is actually starting to have a negative impact on loyalty Frequent posting drives poor content quality Frequent posting threatens the credibility of the blogosphere Frequent posting will push corporate bloggers into the hands of PR agencies

Traffic is generated by participating in the community

Traffic is irrelevant to your blog’s success anyway

Frequent posting is actually starting to have a negative impact on loyalty

Frequent posting drives poor content quality

Frequent posting threatens the credibility of the blogosphere

Frequent posting will push corporate bloggers into the hands of PR agencies

Link

Comment

Transparency

Tags

Community (blogosphere)

White = blog; green = 1 way link; blue = reciprocal Daily Kos BoingBoing LiveJournal Michelle Malkin Porn Sports fans

White = blog; green = 1 way link; blue = reciprocal

Daily Kos

BoingBoing

LiveJournal

Michelle Malkin

Porn

Sports fans

A hook.

3 broad types?

1. ‘Behind the scenes’ reflections

2. The niche news service

3. The running story

But don’t be afraid to mix it up.

13 ideas for blog posts ( http:// bit.ly/KqqcU ) Interview someone Respond to something elsewhere Blog an event Reflect on something Do something visual (photos, video, slideshow with commentary) Make a list Write a how-to Let someone else post Ask a question Suggest an idea Pick a fight (in a nice way) Write a glossary or A-Z guide Find, analyse & explain data

Interview someone

Respond to something elsewhere

Blog an event

Reflect on something

Do something visual (photos, video, slideshow with commentary)

Make a list

Write a how-to

Let someone else post

Ask a question

Suggest an idea

Pick a fight (in a nice way)

Write a glossary or A-Z guide

Find, analyse & explain data

Do something now (2 mins) Think of an idea for a blog. Is it going to be about… Your life as a journalist – leads, ideas, what didn’t make it into publication, mistakes, issues, community? Your specialist area – what’s going on, backgrounders, rumours, community? A challenge, a goal, a format – interview 100 major figures; reviews; go eco; swap lifestyles, etc?

Think of an idea for a blog. Is it going to be about…

Your life as a journalist – leads, ideas, what didn’t make it into publication, mistakes, issues, community?

Your specialist area – what’s going on, backgrounders, rumours, community?

A challenge, a goal, a format – interview 100 major figures; reviews; go eco; swap lifestyles, etc?

Do something now Write your post: ‘5 things I’m going to try on the blog this month’ Link to your sources whenever you mention something from them Link to your social bookmarking (Delicious) account! Tweak and edit – structure, grammar, spelling, links. Work the intro and the ending (chopping first par sometimes works).

Write your post: ‘5 things I’m going to try on the blog this month’

Link to your sources whenever you mention something from them

Link to your social bookmarking (Delicious) account!

Tweak and edit – structure, grammar, spelling, links. Work the intro and the ending (chopping first par sometimes works).

Explore, network, socialise Create a blogroll of related sites Post some comments on other blogs where you can contribute something (useful links, tips, questions, encouragement) Sign up with Technorati Explore and play with your Wordpress dashboard (e.g. Presentation > Widgets)

Create a blogroll of related sites

Post some comments on other blogs where you can contribute something (useful links, tips, questions, encouragement)

Sign up with Technorati

Explore and play with your Wordpress dashboard (e.g. Presentation > Widgets)

Do more Rohit Bhargava’s 25 basic styles of blogging Technorati – State of the Blogosphere 2008 Dan Gillmor – We The Media See bookmarks at delicious.com/paulb/blogging

Rohit Bhargava’s 25 basic styles of blogging

Technorati – State of the Blogosphere 2008

Dan Gillmor – We The Media

See bookmarks at delicious.com/paulb/blogging

Twitter.com/paulbradshaw