Blogging – Julie's Corner

Okay, admittedly, the title of this week’s post is a bit dramatic and also implies that there is a clear answer. Ultimately, I land somewhere in the middle.

Twitter has its uses, both for journalism and PR. As Forbes suggests, PR professionals can use the platform for announcements, news releases and contest launches among other tactics. In a 2012 post, the late Steve Buttry laid out 10 reasons why journalists should be on Twitter, all of which seem valid. I particularly identified with his top reason, finding breaking news. As Campus Life Editor for Seton Hall University’s The Setonian, I routinely look for stories on social media.

However, to put it bluntly, there is a risk of getting caught up in the platform and becoming lazy. Based on experience, I can more easily relate to how this affects journalism as opposed to PR. Most journalists cite Twitter as a key place to look for sources. Many articles even have embedded tweets in them as a means of gauging public response to news. However, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) many accounts on Twitter are in fact bots and not real people.

Twitter pic — Photo via Unsplash/Marten Bjork

There is a way to check on this. For example, running account name through Botometer can help determine if the account is real or not. Since bots are usually designed to participate and share in the spread of propagandized information, a journalist who does not verify his or her source could unwittingly be aiding in this goal.

However, if a journalist or PR professional is careful about their source aggregation, Twitter can doubtlessly be a useful tool. Individuals in both professions can find a litany of ways to gain followers and spread their messages and stories. One way to gain followers on Twitter is to add your name to a directory, as per the Forbes article. If people want information on a certain topic, you can be listed as a go-to source. If the content is engaging enough, you will likely have yourself a new follower. Forbes also mentions the benefit of adding a twitter widget to your blog, like the one on mine. If you regularly keep your Twitter account updated with regard to upcoming posts and news, visitors to the blog will see that and may follow you to keep updated.

Even though, at the outset of this post, I said I landed somewhere in the middle on Twitter being a must or not for journalism and PR, I will conclude by saying that there are far too many benefits to the platform to ignore it completely. Another way to look at the fields I just mentioned is to point out that they both involve communication. Social media, whether it be Twitter; Facebook; Instagram or whatever platform to be introduced in the years to come, has become the way billions across the globe communicate and connect. To ignore this change is to be in the dark when it comes to the media industry.

On that note, for the latest on what is happening with Julie’s Corner be sure to follow me on Twitter at @SHUSocialJulie. If you’re interested to learn more about what’s happening at Seton Hall, check out the blog I run with a classmate, Campus Rundown! We can be reached at @CampusRundown.

SEO Chat probably has the most nuanced definition of a blog, as it can be both a tool to share personal messages and opinions as well as news. With blogs, the individual has the opportunity to take journalism or PR campaigns into their own hands. (Many businesses have turned to blogging as well in the interest of transparency with clients.) However, that also speaks to one of the main differences between mainstream journalists and bloggers. Bloggers do not have editors or “gatekeepers” the same way traditional journalists do in most cases, to fact check them and help them keep their stories objective. I understand how this could be liberating but, by the same token, it puts more responsibility on the blogger to self-police and make sure they aren’t contributing to the spread of misinformation.

Just because blogging and traditional journalism operate a little differently does not mean there isn’t inherent value in each and their relationship. In fact, media outlets often look to blogs for news tips and ideas for features, according to the same article by SEO Chat. One of the reasons blogs have been able to stay relevant for so long is how specifically targeted they can be.

As you’ll notice, this blog most often explores the connection between social media in journalism and PR. However, if an individual or media outlet wanted to look into blogs about poetry or running a small business there are hundreds, if not thousands, out there. One of the keys to finding and maintaining an audience comes with tagging key words and linking to social media, according to Sarah Green. That way, readers can be more quickly drawn to the subject matter. When blogging, no matter the subject matter, transparency and consistency seem to be key elements to maintaining and growing a readership. Consistency is also an element when deciding what topics to cover. If I attract readers based on my discussions of journalism, PR and social media, I’m not likely to switch gears to, say, “the benefits of carpentry” out of the blue.

Visual elements can be crucial to attracting readers to a blog as they break up the monotony of text and usually give clues to what the story or post will be about right off the bat. Images for a blog can be found by either the creator taking them herself or through a free image search. Free image searches can be done through Google Images. Next to the search bar, after you type in your terms and “enter” or “return,” select “Tools” then “Usage Rights” and finally “Labeled for reuse.” This will ensure you are using photos without violating someone’s copyright. Some other websites that contain free use images are Pixabay and Wikimedia Commons.

Following these steps will help ensure that you find or create the blog that’s right for you.

Category: Blogging

The benefits of blogging and how to be successful