Gameiac Maniac

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• “Quality content published in some significant quantity, and engineered to be easily found in search engines, is a recipe for a successful digital publishing business.”
• Capture new online readership with useful and engaging tags
• Good writing still prevails
• Analyze what your readers like and don’t like, then do more of what they like

• Fundamentals of building online audience:

             1. Tracking your content  

             2. Web analytics  

             3. Search engine optimization  

             4. Effective headline writing for the Web  

             5. Distribution through social media  

Measuring journalism:  

• Newsrooms now track and measure everything they do
• Essential to competing
• Producing work product on regular schedule vital to business
• No business, no paychecks

Track all that you publish:  

• Productivity is one of the key measurements for managers
• Tracking content published is a smart business strategy
• Easiest way to track is with a Web-based spreadsheet; updating the information can be distributed; spreadsheet will do math for you

How to set benchmarks:  

• Create benchmarks that become goals to aim for
• After tracking content, goals should evolve to include other measurements like audience numbers, revenue and audience satisfaction metrics
• At Google, they call this process OKR, “objectives and key results”
• Most important metrics are revenue and unique users
• Establishing benchmarks and goals done on a case-by-case basis
• Goals should include more than numbers of pageviews — Are there new advertisers? Is the audience happy?

Track your audience — to know what your audience is consuming:  

• Use Web analytics software to track Web site traffic

             1. Commercial systems charge monthly fees but allow real-time traffic  

                 reporting  

             2. Free programs provide detailed traffic reporting but update only once

                 every 24 hours  

             3. Built-in tools offered by the content management software or hosting  

                 service you’re using  

             4. Google Analytics: free Web-based tracking service almost as powerful as

                 any commercial traffic service  

             5. Clicky offers a low-cost service that will give you real-time tracking  

             6. Check out Site Meter and StatCounter  

• Identify key data points — measurements that give you the best gauge of how

             site is performing

             1. Pageviews: the total of Web pages viewed in a given time period; how  

                content is ranked in terms of popularity; if site is supported with

                advertising,  this is also directly related to the inventory the site has

                to offer prospective advertisers  

             2. Visits and unique visitors compared: visits is the number of times  

                 everyone accesses a Web site; pageviews divided by visits equals  

                 average number of pages viewed per visit  

             3. Engagement and referrers: engagement is the amount of time spent on  

                 the site by each user; tracking referrers tells you where your traffic is  

                 coming from  

             4. Context and perspective are important when you use Web metrics to  

                  make journalistic decisions  

Search engine optimization (SEO):  

• Understand search engines

              1. Spiders and robots: small computer programs sent out by search  

                  engines to crawl the Internet and track and record information found  

                  on Web pages; programmed to look for new pages or new information  

                  and send back reports for indexing  

              2. Indexing: larger programs that take information sent from spiders and  

                  robots and build large database files with references to all the content  

                  connected to the right links; catalogue of the Web  

              3. Queries: when you type a keyword search into the home page of a search  

                  engine you are making a query of that search engine’s database; the  

                  index is searched for the most relevant results for your keywords      

• SEO for journalists:

             1. Search engines rank results, usually displaying 10 results per page 

             2. Google gives more importance to a Web site that other sites are linking to  

                  — phenomenon called “Google juice”  

             3. Majority of Web searchers don’t go past first page of results, so having  

                 your Web site among first 10 helps grow your audience  

             4. If journalists understand the basics of writing search engine-friendly  

                 headlines, they can drive more audience to news and information  

Use SEO to grow your audience by putting words on your Web pages you think a prospective reader would type into a search engine while looking for an article on that subject  

• Grow audience with content and links:

              1. Content is king  

              2. Linking is queen — make anything important a link off the home page  

                  because search engines give greater values to those links  

              3. Make sure your links make sense — use descriptive links  

              4. Title tags — search engines give a lot of credence to them               

              5. HTML meta tags provide information about Web page that doesn’t

                  actually display for the user; good idea to put a few relevant

                  keywords here  

Grow audience with video SEO:  

              1. Video is the largest audience growth segment  

              2. Newspapers’ effectiveness at making video content available in

                  search engines “nowhere near their potential;” also perform poorly

                  in social media sites  

              3. Lack of on-site search engine to distinguish, filter and display video  

                  content leads to a “video ghetto” that can make video difficult to find   

                  on many news sites  

• Write effective Web headlines:

              1. Basic SEO is the conduit between an audience and content  

              2. The secret to the power of the headline and why it determines the  

                  effectiveness of the entire piece — on average, eight out of 10 people  

                  will read a headline, but only two out of 10 will read the rest  

              3. Thought and strategy must be put into headline writing  

              4. Write for readers and robots:  

                    * For readers: Web headlines should be simple, literal and direct; must  

                       motivate readers to click the mouse  

                    * For robots: if headline contains search keywords repeated elsewhere  

                       on the page, the story will aquire more Google juice and return higher  

                       on search pages  

              5. Make good headlines better:  

                    * Keywords — write for readers with Google in mind  

                    * Use conversational langauge — be direct, focus on the unique  

                    * Don’t be afraid to inject a little attitude — be fair, not boring  

Use social media as distribution channels:  

• Target specific channels: commenting and linking are effective ways to get others to view, link and comment on your journalism and become part of your community

             1. Blogs: read and contribute to blogs that write about same things you do  

             2. Flickr, YouTube, etc.: follow channles and streams of people who post  

                 content related to what you cover and link to them on your site  

             3. Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc.: make sure people can get your news  

                  through these popular platforms  

             4. Digg, reddit, Fark, StumbleUpon, etc.: social news and bookmarking

                 sites can provide significant short-term boost in traffic;  converting them  

                 into loyal audience is challenge  

• Increase social capital:

             1. Journalists earn social capital — becoming the trusted center for a  

                 community — by engaging in multiple channels  

             2. Participating in social media forces you into having a two-way   

                 conversation  

             3. Social media puts a face on a news organization

             4. Reminds readers journalists are part of the community  

             5. Those who can build bridges back to the community they cover have best  

                 chance of increasing their audience  

Track, measure, distribute, adapt:  

• Helps you discover new stories and provides more context for your journalism

http://www.ereleases.com/prfuel/myth-social-media-expert/

 

• How do journalists participate without sacrificing objectivity or credibility?
• What about legal and ethical issues?
• What happens if the audience doesn’t participate?

News as a conversation:

• Many journalists preferred news as a lecture
• Editors have to develop cheerleader and outreach skills
• Online commentary is a bete noire — participants are rarely as constructive or respectful as journalists would like
• Beyond interactivity, the power of transparency makes online comments worth the investment

Making conversation provides journalists with a lot more sources

• Conversing through comments:

              1. Most online news stories contain a comments link

              2. Audience always chooses what kind of journalism it wants

              3. Rarely do controversial conversations end up in court since prior restraint

                   has been ruled unconstitutional

              4. “Today, there is vastly more interaction between the social Web and the

                   news Web than ever before.”  

• Conversing through social networking:

              1. A new way to connect with people and communicate information, but the

                   standards and values of journalism do not change

              2. Benefits to news as a conversation:

                   * Provides transparency on the reporting process

                   * Enables an immediate feedback loop

                   * Spreads awareness of news coverage through word-of-mouth

                      marketing

              3. Common for people to discover news on social media sites — news

                   organizations must go where the audience is and participate how

                   the audience participates

              4. Social media tips for journalists:

                   * Familiarity with the tools is important

                   * Be mindful that you represent more than just yourself

                   * Presume your tweets, etc., will go further than you intend for them to go

                   * Ask your boss to follow you on Twitter — it’s a good accountability

                      measure

Why the news conversation is important:

• Knowledgable users can provide tips, links, additional insight or even clarify a post
• Five different types of user generators based on participants’ motivation:

             1. Those motivated by money (smallest)

             2. Those motivated by ego

             3. Those motivated by issues

             4. Accidental bystanders (largest) 

             5. “Plain old crazy” users every Web site seems to have

• If someone posts something questionable, the online community will “smoke it out pretty fast”

Build and manage a community online:

• Make news participatory — power of the Web comes from its interactivity

              1. The link, which connects one piece of information to another, is the

                   primary building block of the digital age

              2. Secondary building block is the comment, or contribution, from audience

              3. The 1-10-100 rule for participatory online communities states:

                   * One percent of the user community actually create content

                   * 10 percent of the user community will “synthesize” the content by posting

                      a comment, e-mailing a link to a friend, etc.

                   * 100 percent of the user community benefit from the actions of the first

                       two groups

              4. How mainstream organizations make news more participatory:

                   * Message boards;

                   * Most commented, e-mailed, viewed;

                   * Display blog links to an article;

                   * Social bookmarking and sharing tools on stories;

                   * Social networks on sites

              5. Making news participatory creates brand loyalty

• Journalists must get involved and build online communities:

             1. Evangelize the brand, both print and online

             2. Solicit content and community participation

             3. Moderate comments, blogs, user submissions

             4. Solve user problems with Web tools

             5. Staff booths at weekend events

             6. Run contests to drive participation and traffic

             7. Inform community establishments about advertising opportunities

             8. Tap the power of the crowd during breaking news events

             9. Acknowledge who sent tips and how

           10. Set up and moderating a message board forum if breaking news is

                  significant  

• Develop sources through social networks:

             1. Generic, large-scale social networks like Facebook, MySpace or LinkedIn

             2. Niche social networks like CafeMom or Gather

             3. Building a niche social network for your sources with a free tool like Ning or

                 Google Groups 

             4. When journalists join existing social networks they should immediately let

                  people know who they are and that they are on specific social networks

• Collaborate with your community:

              1. The audience increasingly provides the “what” while journalists provide

                   the “why” and the “how”

              2. Regular citizens using mobile phones to report breaking news while

                   journalists provide the context and connect them together

              3. A form of pro-am journalism

              4. War is over between mainstream media and bloggers

              5. Networked journalism: reporters and bloggers complement each other’s

                  skills to expand the reach of the news

              6. The more resources shrink, the more essential collaboration becomes

Keep conversations accurate and ethical:

• Set guidelines for participants
• Monitor offensive postings

              1. Some editors turn off the comments, others keep a closer eye on them   

              2. Anonymity often blamed for destructive comments and trolls

              3. Many editors now believe requiring actual identities would stifle valuable

                  input

              4. Enlist community for help: flag comment as inappropriate; police the

                  comment streams 

• Know your legal responsibilities — Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, 1996

             1. Online publishers held to distributor standards — allows Web publishers

                  to open their sites to interactivity without worrying about verifying

                  every statement published by users

              2. Original creator of content can still be held liable for defamatory

                   statements

              3. You have no obligation to remove material from your site if you’ve been

                   notified by another user that it’s defamatory or problematic

              4. Just because you can leave defamatory material published by someone

                  else on your site doesn’t mean you should 

• Correct errors:

              1. Accuracy is a hallmark of the best journalism

              2. Nobody’s perfect, so mistakes will be made

              3. Journalists lose credibility when they fail to prevent and correct errors

              4. It’s in the best interest of news organizations to standardize a workflow for

                  error correction and to create the expectation for all journalists to be

                  accountable for their mistakes

Social media is journalism:

• Connects journalists and reporters to people and information
• Doesn’t replace other forms of connecting with people — adds to them       

“The world is always talking, and journalists can get a lot out of listening.” 

H4n Digital Recorder www.samsontech.com

Audio  Journalism:                                                                                                                 

• “Painting sound pictures for listeners is a skill that takes practice.”
• Digital tools make audio easy for one person to master
• People often listen to audio journalism while commuting or spending time alone
• “An audio journalist can create a more intimate and personal relationship with the listener and take advantage of that”

Why audio journalism is important: “it is the dominant form of information distribution on The Next Big Thing in Journalism: mobile journalism” 

Characteristics unique to audio journalism: 

• Presence:  being on location boosts credibility + interest
• Emotions:  message enhanced by tone of voice, expressions, intonation + pauses
• Atmosphere:  natural sound pulls listener in close

By combining voice-overs, natural sound and sound effects (for transitions), you build a multidimensional story. 

How news organizations use audio: 

• Reporter overview: quick, simple audio overviews by reporters that accompany their newspaper articles
• Podcasts: regular episodes on a selected subject help build an audience
• Audio slide shows: adding audio to images creates richer, more compelling stories
• Breaking news: Briggs says with free services like Utterli.com, a reporter can file a quick audio report from anywhere by mobile phone, to be published on a Web site; Utterli.com has since been purchased by Twitter.com

Get started with audio — plan and prepare: 

• Recording interviews: interview can be used as a stand-alone audio file with a news story, a podcast, a stand-alone audio file for a blog post, and an audio to accompany a photo slide show  
• Choose your location: best to record interview face-to-face in quiet place with good accoustics; if outside, stay as far away as possible from traffic and crowds; if phone is only option, try to keep interview focused, then edit down to most notable points  
• Gather natural sound: record natural sound in uninterrupted 15-second increments without anyone talking; helps describe setting; can be used in editing
• Prepare your subject so you’ll both be clear on the basics
• Watch what you say: keep quiet while subject is talking; use nonverbal clues, like nodding, to let them know you’re listening and understanding
• Try delayed recording: conduct interview, then ask subject to speak again about a couple of the most notable points while you start recording
• Mark the best spots: where the speaker said the best stuff; saves lots of time back at the office

Doing voice-overs: 

• Write a script: use short, simple declarative sentences and a compelling hook; put best quote up front; avoid long words; allow some moments of silence 
• Warm up: stretch muscles in face and mouth + hum or sing; facial muscles and vocal cords need to be ready to perform
• Find operative words:  usually who-what-where-when-why-how words; use changes in volume, pitch, rhythm and tempo to emphasize them
• Keep it conversational

Gear up and get out there: 

• Choose a digital recorder: consider recording quality, digital file format and compatibility with your computer, ease of use and ease of transfering files; consider only recorders that have external inputs for mic and headphones
• Start interviews by asking, while the recorder is running, “OK if I tape this?”
• Record with your computer:

              1. File name: use a standard file-naming convention; create new folders by 

                  year or month for more organization 

              2. Format: record in WAV format so files are uncompressed + of the 

                  highest quality; can convert to MP3 once they’re edited for publishing on 

                  the Web 

              3. Input/mic level: make sure software is set to capture data via microphone 

                  input; set microphone level to about 70 percent

• Use an external mic:

             1. Standard mic with a cord: helpful if interviewing more than one person at a time or if you want to include your own voice on the audio clip; best way to gather natural sound 

             2. Wireless or lavalier mic: most helpful in the field to capture the voice and words of one person  

• Use headphones: plug in and listen while you record to be sure you’re recording good audio
• Prepare before you go out: test everything before trying to use it on assignment; be prepared for worst-case scenarios

Editing digital audio: goal is to record with highest quality possible, then edit files before compressing to publish and distribute online 

• Understand digital formats:

             1. Different formats use different codecs that create specific types of files which work only on specific players or devices 

             2. Goal should be to provide audio clips for your audience in MP3 format because virtually any computer can play an MP3 and MP3 strikes the best balance between high quality and file size 

• Get ready to edit: many basic programs are free, like Audacity
• Try advanced editing techniques:

             1. Fade: gradual increase or decrease in audio level 

             2. Cross-fading: one track level increasing while another decreases 

             3. Establishing music: set tone with song clips 

             4. Segue: smooth transition from one track to another 

             5. Transition: smooth and natural connection of different tracks 

Start podcasting (iPod + broadcast): 

1. Podcasting — the distribution of audio files over the Internet using RSS subscription 

2. Files can be downloaded to mobile devices or played on pcs 

3. Podcast usually features one type of “show,” with new episodes available either sporadically or at planned intervals 

• Vodcasting (video + podcasting): podcasting with video files
• With iTunes, finding and listening to podcasts is simple:

            1. Click the Podcasts link in the left menu, then click Podcasts directory on the bottom of the screen 

            2. Search by category or by most popular 

            3. Click Subscribe and it will automatically update when there’s new content

canongl2camcorder.org

 

“Journalism without photographs is like writing without verbs.”

Because photography used to take a great deal of training and expertise, “visual storytelling used to be reserved for serious technicians only.”

Digital photography + ubiquity of cell phone cameras, has made everyone a photographer

“Doing it well takes patience, practice and preparation.”

“You need to know the basics… composition, how to operate the camera, how to work with a subject so you can make them feel comfortable”

Digital cameras are convenient because you can:

• Take as many pictures as you want
• See immediately whether you captured the image you wanted
• Upload pictures to the Web and share them
• Save money: don’t have to purchase film and don’t pay to print photos you don’t want
• Easily edit pictures on a computer

Pixel (PICTure ELement) — the visual representation of data in a digital image or graphic

Cameras store photographs as digital files on a memory card.  The more pixels in a photograph, the more bytes needed to store the picture.

Resolution — a measurement of pixels that are available to the human eye; refers to the number of pixels in an image

Photographs on Web sites need a resolution of only 72 ppi (pixels per inch); will look blurry in a newspaper, especially if enlarged

Ownership, copyright and fair use:

• Do not “borrow” others’ photographs without permission
• Creative Commons project:  an effort to legally protect those who wish to share their work as long as they are given credit

Digital camera basics:

• Two kinds of digital cameras: beginners should use automatic settings

             1. Point-and-shoot, or all-in-one:  more compact, easier to use; more

                 affordable; lens + flash built in; most equipped with a video mode

             2. DSLR camera: captures better photos because image sensor 10x larger;

                 more complex to use; usually costs 2 to 3 times more; accessories

                 (lenses, flash) cost extra; video mode not as good    

• Basic camera functions:

             1. Camera modes:  choose shutter speed icon from the dial on top

                 of the camera that represents the moment you’re trying to capture

             2. Zoom:  digital and optical; use only the optical provided by the

                  lens (doesn’t affect image quality)

             3. Flash:  lightning bolt icon on back of the camera; auto flash means

                  camera will determine whether flash will be used; you can turn off

                  the flash or “force” the flash (helpful when bright backlighting

                  leaves shadows on a subject’s face); avoid red eyes in photos

                  — use red-eye reduction mode, try changing angles or have

                  subject look slightly to the side of the lens

             4. View/delete: view photographs on your camera as you shoot

                  and delete ones you know won’t work

Shooting better photos with a digital camera:

• Good composition cuts away unimportant, distracting elements
• Best photos are shot with natural light only
• Cloudy and partly sunny days are best for outdoor photography
• Shooting mug shots/ head shots:

             1. Avoid harsh sunlight and strong backlight

             2. Try to photograph when skies are overcast

             3. Use flash as a last resort — adds shiny spots to faces

             4. Pick a background that’s neutral, simple and dark   

             5. Position the subject away from any walls

             6. Make sure nothing is “growing” out of the person’s

                  head (lamp, etc.)

             7. Biggest mistakes beginners make — they don’t get

                 close enough to their subjects or to the action, and they

                 don’t take enough photographs

             8. Shoot a variety of wide, medium and tight shots —

                 makes editing easier + increases odds of having a good image

Working with digital photographs:

• Real power of digital photography: editing on a computer
• Altering photos by adding or removing objects is strictly forbidden in documentary journalism
• Make sure photo reflects the scene accurately
• View images from a storytelling point of view
• Manage and organize photos from your camera to your computer by changing generic file names from digital camera to something you’ll recognize on your computer (combination of date and subject); use underscores, not spaces, to separate words in file names

Steps to prepare an image for online publishing:

• Edit a copy of the photo — never the original
• Crop the photo to omit unnecessary information
• Resize the picture
• Modify the resolution to 72 ppi
• Tone and color correct the picture
• Save a Web version
• Keep it simple

How to build a good slide show:

• Limit to two to three minutes in length
• Use the right amount of photos
• Match the photos to the audio
• Use captions
• Avoid awkward transitions — use fade in or out
• Avoid overpowering music
• Should have all the elements of a good story:

             1. Attention-grabbing opening

             2. Logical progression that builds to a climax

             3. A finish that provides a sense of summary

Briggs recommends Photoshop Elements to build a photo gallery and Soundslides to create slide shows with audio.

Don’t forget, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”  A photograph has impact.  It provides color and interest.  It makes the story come alive for the reader and later serves as a memory prompt for all of the emotions associated with it.

fotosearch.com

According to Briggs, all traditional journalists need to get their “mojo” (mobile journalist) on is a smartphone with the following: 

• A camera with a flash and video mode
• A full QWERTY keypad
• Mobile Internet capability with full-featured e-mail

A gearhead who reports from the field every day needs compact versions of the following items that fit into one backpack: 

• Small laptop or netbook                                                                                   
• Internet connection:  a mobile Internet card is best option 
• Camera: point-and-shoot with video                                                               
• Video camera
• Tripod: compact that folds and stores in a small space
• Audio recorder: digital; records to memory card or interfaces with your laptop
• Headphones: folding portable models that cover your ears
• Microphone: durable with some type of windscreen
• Cell phone to make calls

Cell phones have created a whole new field of journalism: mobile reporting

For mobile reporting the deadline is always right now 

Mobile technology is emerging as a powerful means for publishing multimedia to mobile audiences 

Journalists are experimenting with using audiences for mobile crowdsourcing 

Mobile journalism can be an important complement to news reporting, especially in breaking news situations 

Bottom line:  

• Keep it simple:  don’t lug more equipment than you need
• Be prepared: don’t try to use a new device in the field before you’ve practiced and gotten comfortable with it

Kinds of assignments to report and publish from the field: 

• Criminal and civil trials
• Important speeches or announcments
• Breaking news events
• Public gatherings
• Sporting events
• Grand openings of popular consumer destinations

Some ways journalists have gone mobile: 

• Mobile microblogging:  via Twitter or FriendFeed or Facebook’s status updates
• Live blogging:  done with standard blogging software or with an add-on service like CoveritLive
• Mobile video: use Qik, Kyte and Flixwagon to stream video live from anywhere on a cell phone without an Internet connection; only works on phones that can shoot video
• Mobile Multimedia

              1. Text is critical and easiest to publish 

              2. Photos and video crucial, especially in situations where no TV coverage   

                  or other visual is available 

              3. Photos and video only need to be “good enough”; powerful because of  

                  relevance, not because of editing and composition  

• GPS possibly the next game-changing technology for journalism

              1. News, information and advertising could be served to you depending on  

                  your location — no need to search 

              2. Will change how people contribute information — will be able to quickly

                  and easily publish to Web sites that organize content geographically 

• Portability and small size of smartphones are less intimidating and will change relationship between reporters and interviewee

• You don’t need the resources of a big news company to connect with a mobile audience             

http://www.tbd.com

Mandy Jenkins, Social Media Producer for TBD.com, spoke to our COMM 361 Online Journalism class on Tuesday, Feb. 10.  A graduate of Kent State in Ohio, Jenkins’ background is mostly in online journalism.  Before TBD, Jenkins began her own blog titled “Zombie Journalism.” 

Jenkins advises that the best way to get jobs and to get noticed is to do good work and connect with people individually — people you want to emulate and work with.

TBD is a local news Web site for the D.C. metro area, including Northern Virginia and parts of Maryland.  It employs 15 reporters and has built a blog network of over 200 local bloggers. 

Jenkins said that forming good relationships with people is the only way to obtain good news.  Tipsters are quoted and credited in TBD news stories.  As a result, they are eager to come back and help again.

Online sites recommended by Jenkins:

• Hootsuite.com / Twitterdeck.com — lists other people with the same accounts; has news source lists 
• Twellow.com — like a Yellow Pages for Twitter
• Trendsmap.com — lets you see news bubble up on national and international maps
• Storify.com — lets you build a story that pulls in tweets, photos from Flickr, videos from YouTube; embeds Web sites into the story; can write all your text around it

 Note:  Jenkins did not use the word “persistence” in her presentation, but she certainly personifies the concept.