The document discusses strategies for online content creation and distribution. It advocates packaging content in multiple forms and repeating it across different sites to reinforce and extend its reach. It also recommends focusing on streams of continuous updates rather than individual stories, and using numbering, headlines, images and comments to build narrative and engagement. The document suggests competing by co-opting other sites' approaches, tailoring storytelling styles to different platforms, using explanation over basic reporting, and allowing some digression while also being predictably structured.

1. Dark secrets
of the online overlords

2. very important things
I won’t dwell on:
• social media
• partnerships & guest-blogging
• technology
• SEO
• cat photos

3. what I will dwell on:
sensibility
&
desire

4. P ackage, repackage, repeat.
Flickr photo courtesy of user scmgee.

5. lifehacker.com I. Package, repackage, repeat

6. lifehacker.com I. Package, repackage, repeat

7. lifehacker.com I. Package, repackage, repeat

8. lifehacker.com I. Package, repackage, repeat

9. lifehacker.com I. Package, repackage, repeat

10. lifehacker.com I. Package, repackage, repeat

11. packaging reinforces

12. packaging extends reach

13. stock and flow

14. andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com I. Package, repackage, repeat.

15. thelede.blogs.nytimes.com I. Package, repackage, repeat.

16. texastribune.org I. Package, repackage, repeat.

17. mashable.com I. Package, repackage, repeat.

18. mashable.com I. Package, repackage, repeat.

19. mashable.com I. Package, repackage, repeat.

20. talkingpointsmemo.com I. Package, repackage, repeat.

21. S treams, not stories.
Flickr photo courtesy of user Mr. T in DC.

22. city room and l.a.now II. Streams, not stories.

23. gothamist network II. Streams, not stories.

24. city room vs. gothamist II. Streams, not stories.

25. feed > post

26. subscriber > visitor

27. sfist.com II. Streams, not stories.

28. sfist.com II. Streams, not stories.

29. N Umbering is narrative.
Flickr photo courtesy of user svenwerk.

30. popurls.com III. Numbering is narrative.

31. popurls.com III. Numbering is narrative.

32. soulofthecommunity.org III. Numbering is narrative.

33. soulofthecommunity.org III. Numbering is narrative.

34. theatlantic.com III. Numbering is narrative.

35. lists promise

36. lists promise

37. lists promise

38. lists promise

39. themoneymeltdown.com III. Numbering is narrative.

40. examples of guides from different sites III. Numbering is narrative.

41. H Eadlines are hooks.
Flickr photo courtesy of user minifig.

42. “
Imagine you're writing a
headline for a magazine
(one with tight deadlines)
rather than a newspaper.
“
source: Gawker founder/CEO Nick Denton

43. Vs.
wired.com vs. gawker.com IV. Headlines are hooks.

44. focus on implications,
not events

45. nytimes.com vs. google news vs. gawker.com IV. Headlines are hooks

46. Vs.
nytimes.com vs. google news vs. gawker.com IV. Headlines are hooks

47. Vs.
Vs.
nytimes.com vs. google news vs. gawker.com IV. Headlines are hooks

48. 1.Discover
2.Easy
3.Guarantee
4.Health
5.Love
6.Money
7.New
8.Proven
9.Results
10.Safety
11.Save
12.You
12 most profit-producing words IV. Headlines are hooks

49. 1.Top
2.Why
3.How
4.Will
5.Guide
6.Best
7.Secret
8.Ultimate
9.Your
10.Worst
11.New
12.Future
12 most arresting headline words IV. Headlines are hooks

50. C ompete through co-optation.
Photo courtesy of the U.S. military.

51. andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com V. Compete through co-optation.

52. andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com V. Compete through co-optation.

53. npr.org V. Compete through co-optation.

54. huffingtonpost.com V. Compete through co-optation.

55. the new front page V. Compete through co-optation.

56. L et the telling fit the story.
Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army.

57. cnn.com VI. Let the telling fit the story.

58. nytimes.com | theatlantic.com VI. Let the telling fit the story.

59. talkingpointsmemo.com VI. Let the telling fit the story

60. nytimes.com | texastribune.org VI. Let the telling fit the story.

61. nytimes.com | texastribune.org VI. Let the telling fit the story.

62. E Xplain, explain, explain.
Flickr photo courtesy of user Pip R. Lagenta.

63. “
“ When remotely possible,
turn news into explanation.
source: Gawker founder/CEO Nick Denton

64. voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein VII. Explain, explain, explain.

65. voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein VII. Explain, explain, explain.

66. slate.com VII. Explain, explain, explain.

67. C
Omments are content.
Flickr photo courtesy of user nolifebeforecoffee.

68. ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com VIII. Comments are content.

69. ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com VIII. Comments are content.

70. content gets

71. content gets

72. content gets

73. content gets

74. ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com VIII. Comments are content.

75. ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com VIII. Comments are content.

76. metafilter.com VIII. Comments are content.

77. I Llustrate everything.
Flickr photo courtesy of user movimente.

78. huffingtonpost.com IX. Illustrate everything.

79. Jim wanted a
transportation
blog.

80. A transportation blog?!

81. *actual transportation blog headlines IX. Illustrate everything.

82. “The word that came to mind was ‘brazen.’”
blogs.startribune.com/roadguy IX. Illustrate everything.

83. images courtesy of roadguy IX. Illustrate everything.

84. 1.Photowalks
2.Station image licenses
3.Handout photography
4.Creative Commons (Flickr)
5.Crowd-contributed
6.iStockPhoto, WebShots, etc.
7.Wikipedia
potential image sources IX. Illustrate everything.

85. D On’t fear digression.
Flickr photo courtesy of user simonsterg.

86. andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com X. Don’t fear digression.

87. voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein X. Don’t fear digression.

88. digression adds

89. digression adds

90. B E a bit predictable.
Flickr photo courtesy of user ahockley.

91. andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com XI. Be a bit predictable.

92. dcist.com XI. Be a bit predictable.

93. dcist.com XI. Be a bit predictable.

94. ENGAGE.