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Page 1: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter
Page 2: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

DAY 2: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23,

2013

Page 3: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

Breakout #1: Content 10:00am - 12:00pm

• Content Optimization Strategy• Unleashing Creativity• Pivoting Your Brand• Old-School Skills That Matter• What You Need to Know about Key New Content

Platforms:

• LinkedIn• Medium• YouTube

Page 4: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

BREAKOUT #1: CONTENT

Old-School Skills That Matter

Julie Ross GodarExecutive Editor, [email protected]

Page 5: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

You are the newsroom.

Image: D. Services via Flickr / Creative Commons license

Page 6: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

#1. Headlines

Image: Rusty Parsons via Flickr / Creative Commons license

Page 7: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

POST TITLE “HEADLINE”• Title of post (duh)• Use relevant keywords in

natural order• Think of how people would

search for the content you’re blogging about

• Programmable areas of site• Social media• Newsletters• If you can naturally add

keywords in juicy headline, do so, but it’s advanced wizardry

Page 8: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

Tips for Catchy Headlines• Be USEFUL to the reader,

• Provide her with a sense of URGENCY,

• Convey the idea that the main benefit (of reading the story) is somehow UNIQUE;

• Do all of the above in an ULTRA-SPECIFIC way; and

• Keep a little of the story UNTOLD.

• Practice: Upworthy has its editors write 25 headlines for each story.

Source: Copyblogger.org

Page 9: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

Find the Balance for Your Voice• “29 Cats Who Will Be President Someday” may not work for

your brand or intended audience.

• Monitor your metrics for wording that works

• A/B test when possible

• Look at your blog/promotions as a whole to make sure it’s not looking redundant. Write them into the editorial/promotional calendar if you can.

Page 10: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

#2. The Most Important Paragraph

Image: Rick Harris via Flickr / Creative Commons license

Page 11: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

The Inverted Pyramid

Image: The Air Force Departmental Publishing Office (AFDPO) derivative work: Makeemlighter (Inverted_pyramid.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Page 12: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

LEDE GRAF

Image:

(“Lede” = Lead“Graf” = Paragraph)

Page 13: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

TL; DR

Page 14: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

NUT GRAF

Image: Gilles Gonthier via Flickr / Creative Commons license

Page 15: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

Page 16: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

“Newsy” posts “Bloggy” posts• Reporting,

straightforward facts (tutorials, eg)

• Put in “lede” -- first graph

• Who, what, where, why, how (as relevant)

• Think of the inverted pyramid as you write

• Not necessarily first paragraph, but nut graf should be far up enough for readers and search engines to notice

• Answers “Why should we care?”

• Put in your summary/meta description field (so people know why to care)

Page 17: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

#3. Fact Checking

Image: Proofreader with red pen checks a transcribed page, Shutterstock.com

Page 18: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

Images: YouTube video

Page 19: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

IF YOUR MOMMA

SAYS SHE LOVES YOU ...

Image: thegraphicsfairy.com

Page 20: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

CHECK IT OUT!

IF YOUR MOMMA

SAYS SHE LOVES YOU ...

Image: thegraphicsfairy.com

Page 21: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

Best Practice:When you can, link to claims of fact to sources of record: NYT, Washington Post.

If something’s happening right now and only reported by a single source, note that.

This takes the burden of reporting OFF you and puts into ON the reporters.

BONUS: It is also still a generally good thing for SEO.

Page 22: BlogHer PRO '13: Old-School Skills That Still Matter

Wireless Network: BlogHerPassword (case sensitive, one word): BlogHer

Conference hashtag: #BlogHerPRO

ResourcesHeadlineshttp://www.slideshare.net/Upworthy/the-sweet-science-of-viralityhttp://www.copyblogger.com/magnetic-headlines/ http://www.theawl.com/2013/01/take-a-minute-to-watch-the-new-way-we-make-web-headlines-now

More about lede and nut grafshttp://www.poynter.org/how-tos/newsgathering-storytelling/writing-tools/225036/why-stories-need-a-focus-or-do-they/http://johnkrolldigital.com/2013/09/7-common-pitfalls-of-newspaper-narratives/

Fact checkingBreaking news on Twitter: Follow @acarvin for exampleshttp://grammarguide.copydesk.org/2012/01/02/check-the-facts-10-tips-for-copy-editors/