No, we aren't talking about stealing or copying others' content. We'll discuss how to rapidly become experts in your field and curate good content for your readers. And in order to produce some real value, we will explore ways to discover content, process it, and format it in ways to help and inform your audience. With consistent application, you'll become your audience's go-to resource. Please come with a basic understanding of social networks and blogs, and a willingness to actively seek and write web content. Andy Welfle is a content strategiest for Reusser Design, a small but innovative web development company based in Roanoke, minutes from Fort Wayne. With a passion for writing and an obssession with wooden pencils, he maintains a blog celebrating them at Woodclinched.com. He also contributes to Medium.com and other various and sundry spots in the back corners of the web.

1. Think like a
REPORTER!
Struggling to find
content for your blog?
with Andy Welfle

2. INTRODUCTIONS
• Your name
• What you like to be known for
• How you use social media? (Business / Personal / Both)
• Struggles that you have in creating content

3. A little bit
about me.

4. I like GIFs.

5. I like GIFs.

6. I’m a journalism geek.

7. I like wooden pencils.
(In fact, I have a blog about them.)

8. What does a
content strategist do?
• Work with web developers to plan structure of
website, optimized to allow content to help clients
meet their goal
• Planning, development, execution and
management of content — written, or in other
media
• Help clients sustain their website by identifying
outdated, stagnant content and guiding clients to
replace it

9. Think like a reporter!
Reporters:
• Are expected to seek
out and identify a story
• Gather information
quickly and accurately
• Write in a compelling yet
unbiased manner

10. Think like a reporter!
Reporters:
• Are expected to seek
out and identify a story
• Gather information
quickly and accurately
• Write in a compelling yet
unbiased manner

11. ASSUMPTIONS
• You understand the
value of refreshing the
content on your blog or
social media presence
• You are willing and able
to find the time to
create content
• You have an existing—if
basic—web and social
infrastructure

12. ASSUMPTIONS
• You understand the
value of refreshing the
content on your blog or
social media presence
• You are willing and able
to find the time to
create content
• You have an existing—if
basic—web and social
infrastructure

13. 6STEPS TO DISCOVERING
CONTENT
by
THINKING LIKE A REPORTER

17. #1KNOW YOUR
AUDIENCE

18. Facebook Insights

19. Facebook Insights

20. The Internet and American Life Project
by the Pew Research Center
pewinternet.org

21. “Write for the
Kansas City
milkman”
— HL Stevenson,
United Press International,
1965
• Write simply (though not dumbly)
• Make sure writing is friendly and approachable, but
professional
• This can vary depending on the publication

24. #2KNOW YOUR
MEDIUM

25. Good at speaking,
but not at writing?

26. Good at speaking,
but not at writing?

27. Good at writing, but
not speaking
extemporaneously?

28. Good at writing, but
not speaking
extemporaneously?

29. Love speaking, but
don’t want video?

30. Love speaking, but
don’t want video?

31. (or a combination thereof)

32. (or a combination thereof)

33. #3READ.
A LOT.

36. feedly.com
reader.aol.com
reederapp.com

37. #4FIND AN ANGLE

38. #4FIND AN ANGLE

39. LINK BLOG

43. ANATOMY OF A
GREAT LINK BLOG POST
From the Reusser Design blog:
bit.ly / linkblogpost( )

45. Headline
Opening Paragraph
Block Quote
Your Commentary
(if any)
Attribution

46. #5
ROLL OUT AN
EDITORIAL
CALENDAR

50. #6STICK TO IT!

51. Tips to stay productive
• Plan out your week ahead of time
• Remove distractions while composing (Turn off
social notifications)
• Compose during your productive hours, and
publish during peak hours
• Front-load your work
(Lifehacker.com has many more, and better, tips to stay productive.)

52. THANK YOU!
Questions?

53. @awelfle
linkedin.com/in/
awelfle
awelfle@
reusserdesign.com
WHERE TO FIND ME
ON THE INTERNETS
reusserdesign.com / welfle.com