Paul Bradshaw Senior Lecturer, Online Journalism, Magazines and New Media, School of Media, Birmingham City University, UK (mediacourses.com) Blogger, Online Journalism Blog Writing/producing for the web: BASIC principles

BASIC principles

Brevity

People read… 25% slower Source: Jakob Nielsen: http://bit.ly/G4auC

less than 28% of words Jakob Nielsen: http://bit.ly/ZYni

One. idea. per. par. Jakob Nielsen: http://bit.ly/ZYni

Adaptability

The journalist The information

What does the story suit?

What might the user want to do with the information?

Scannability

Users are task-oriented

Headlines need to be literal

Get to the point quick

SEO

Subheadings

Bullet lists

Blockquotes

Interactivity

Link

Link

Link

Think

Think blog

Think blog Q&A

Think wiki blog Q&A

Think wiki blog Q&A live chat

Think wiki blog Q&A live chat webcast

Think wiki blog Q&A live chat webcast quiz

Think wiki blog Q&A live chat webcast quiz image map

Think wiki blog Q&A live chat webcast quiz image map poll

Think wiki blog Q&A live chat webcast quiz image map gallery poll

Think wiki blog Q&A live chat webcast quiz image map gallery poll user video

Think wiki blog Q&A live chat webcast quiz image map gallery poll forum user video

Think wiki blog Q&A live chat webcast quiz image map gallery poll forum user video database mashup

Community & Conversation

They are not the audience

Users as co-creators of news

Distributed acts of journalism

Engage: invite and respond

Create social value off your site

Journalism acts of distribution

The story is bigger than the site

Leave your site

Conversation = Distribution

5 things you can do now Type up a story – make sure you: Have a literal headline Get to the point in the first par Include as many links as possible Break it up with subheads Split pars so they are as simple as possible.

Type up a story – make sure you: Have a literal headline

Get to the point in the first par

Include as many links as possible

Break it up with subheads

Split pars so they are as simple as possible.

5 things you can do next Think about the story/issue – what media would it suit? What platforms could it use – i.e. live chats, wikis, forums, maps, quiz, etc? How can you involve users as co-creators before, during and after production? How can you make the raw information adaptable by users? Where might those users be online, and how can you gather/produce the story on those platforms?

Think about the story/issue – what media would it suit?

What platforms could it use – i.e. live chats, wikis, forums, maps, quiz, etc?

How can you involve users as co-creators before, during and after production?

How can you make the raw information adaptable by users?

Where might those users be online, and how can you gather/produce the story on those platforms?

[email_address]