Blogging, Journalism, PR

The benefits of blogging and how to be successful

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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.

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Photo via Pixabay/StockSnap

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.

 

 

Journalism, PR

Getting the full story with collaboration

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The ability to collaborate with one’s audience is arguably one of the more exciting aspects of journalism and public relations in the digital era. As Briggs suggests, collaboration between the professional and her readers/viewers creates the idea of news and reporting as a conversation. In a world where social media has allowed and created the demand for up-to-the-minute updates on stories and PR initiatives, the ability to add to the dialogue is nearly a necessity. 

Not only can readers and viewers add to the pool of information, they are also likely to return to a given website and help drive traffic there if they feel they are a meaningful part of the conversation. This is why a journalist or PR professional should make it a point to always engage with users in the “comments” section of their pages, asking for leads and tips or providing feedback on ideas. Even in cases where comments are negative, a simple reply of “We appreciate your feedback” would suffice. Negative comments, unless they reach the level of hate speech, should always be allowed on the forum as one cannot deny the right of another to contribute (Briggs 111.)

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Photo via Pixabay/RachelScottYoga

Last week, we discussed the popularity and usefulness of CNN’s iReport. However, similar crowd-sourcing efforts exist in the world of PR. Take Ketchum Mindfire for example, where users can look at postings from global organizations and help create campaigns to win prizes. Ultimately, professionals can find value in collaboration due to the fact it may expand a person’s worldview, introducing them to new ideas and angles.

Once that dedicated community of collaborators and audience members is built, both journalists and PR professionals can effectively engage in real-time marketing, which allows them to use trends and current events to enhance a product or concept. This is usually accomplished through shareable content like pictures and video. The more in touch a professional is with her audience and its desires, the more effective this strategy will be. A prime example of this marketing method winning big in the PR world is the Oreo Super Bowl blackout tweet, which went viral on social media.

There are some inherent dangers in collaboration, mostly in the legal realm. A professional must ensure they have permission from the creator to use the user-generated content. If she does not have permission, she may well be accused of plagiarism or theft of intellectual property. Another danger is using unverified content in a project and jeopardizing the credibility of the professional. With so much content being  generated online daily, it is becoming increasingly easier to miss something when fact checking. However, it seems the benefits of working with others far outweigh the risks.

 

Journalism, PR, Social Media

Exciting change unfolding before us

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The Economist seems to have the best definition of social media by classifying it as an ecosystem for the exchange of information. Much like any environment, social media platforms have evolved not only in the growing ease with which users can share information, but also in the way they are perceived by professional journalists.

Throughout the last few decades, the context in which news consumers share information has shifted from print to digital. What may then have been spread by text or broadcast evolved into email forwards and yet again into the “share” button on Facebook. With how important the individual has become in the spread of news, he or she has changed the face of the newsroom. Media outlets are more reliant upon, or more willing to integrate, user generated content in their stories. The Economist uses the example of iReport being an important tool for CNN to receive information from people in Japan during the 2011 earthquake. Reliance on civilian reports allows journalists to quickly gather and generate stories from around the world. A similar change occurred in the field of public relations (PR.) In times of crisis, social media can be an effective tool to get a statement out to millions at once. In fact, the PR field overall is shifting many resources to social media campaigns.

I believe, much like the central message of the readings for this week, both journalism and PR will always exist as industries. Whether it be a desire to ensure the clarity and effectiveness of a message or the correctness of a news story, people will always look to these professionals to help spread and verify information. Even at times when most do not actively seek this, it is still needed. This idea is perhaps best illustrated by the Pizzagate scandal surrounding the 2016 Election in which a man was led to raid a pizzeria based on propaganda and misinformation.

The greatest change we are likely to see, and have seen, across these industries is an effort to increase the immediacy with which information is released to the public. The public is in a space where it expects news to flow as events are unfolding. Tools such as Facebook Live are likely to be used more often as a result of greater demand. Also, just by nature of the usual brevity of social media posts, long-form journalism will likely decrease in popularity as people continually look to their feeds to keep informed. Neither of these changes or related others are particularly frightening, as long as the prospect of learning does not frighten PR and journalism practitioners. In fact, the rapid change of media and how it is consumed should be taken as an encouraging sign. That which remains stagnant usually dies out.