Briggs Summaries February 3, 2011
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Although print journalism is hardly the dominant force it once was, journalism is arguably thriving more strongly than ever. The Internet and cable networks have provided a goldmine of opportunity for budding journalists, but with it are new and ever-changing demands from audiences. A news site cannot simply get by on posting traditional news; it must utilize a multitude of formats to keep readers from clicking to the competition.
Chapter One
Setting up a blog might seem intimidating, as there are literally millions out there and it’s not easy to stand out. This chapter is an overview of the basic techniques to start a blog and the best ways to get the most out of blogs you read. You can subscribe to feeds and utilize all sorts of methods to transfer your own files online. The better informed you are about other online content, the more likely your blog will be a worthwhile visit for people.
This chapter dives heavily into the technical construction of web pages. Before you begin to even browse the Internet, you need to select a browser–I personally like Mozilla Firefox. From there, you have several ways to create the optimal Web experience:
- Set up a RSS feed to keep track of the news you care about. This is a great method of following world events in all different areas without cluttering your inbox or doing the same searches over and over.
- To upload your content to the Web, download a FTP client such as SmartFTP. This video tutorial, created by membershipsfusion.com, shows you how to transfer content:
- Learn HTML–there are countless websites that can help you out with just about any coding you need.
Chapter Two
This chapter takes a look at why blogs surged into an important part of journalism and informs readers how to get their own blogs quickly on the right track. It’s important to create a unique, eye-pleasing design for your blog and to maintain the audience’s interest with frequent posts, interaction and an organized, authoritative setup.
It’s not enough anymore to be the first to report on a story–it’s all about the page views. Fortunately–or perhaps unfortunately–the success of a blog depends entirely on its author(s). If the content is strong, frequent and interesting to readers, a blogger should have no difficulty in keeping “return customers.” But the online audience is a fickle bunch, and if they find another source that delivers stories faster and in a more appealing manner, you’ll lose those readers.
Put the reader first at all times. Don’t waste words, use eye-catching ways to help readers scan and always provide plenty of links.
