Welcome introductions Survey results Story best practices The Campaign Writing for the web Group exercise Idea rollup One story many forms wrap up Whats Happening Today ID: 623468
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What’s Happening Today
Welcome, introductionsSurvey results!Story best practices (The Campaign)Writing for the web Group exercise Idea roll-up One story, many forms(+ wrap up) Slide3
What’s Happening Today
Welcome, introductionsSurvey results!Story best practices (The Campaign)Writing for the web Group exercise Idea roll-up One story, many forms(+ wrap up) Slide4
Survey Results
97 Surveyed56 Respondents(nearly 58%)Slide5
Survey Results
RolesSlide6
Survey Results
But we all write.Slide7
Survey Results
We know our stuff.Slide8
Survey Results
We’re handling the web.Slide9
Survey Results
We’re handling the web.Slide10
Survey Results
We also manage newsletters and magazines.Slide11
Survey Results
…often enough…Slide12
Survey Results
…to a large number of constituents…Slide13
Survey Results
We manage or mess with social media.Slide14
Survey Results
While we don’t feel under resourced…Slide15
Survey Results
…only half of us are confident sharing about giving. Slide16
Survey Results
…about half know how to maximize Michigan News. Slide17
Survey Results
What do we want to get out of this…Slide18
What’s Happening Today
Welcome, introductionsSurvey results!Story best practices (The Campaign)Writing for the web Group exercise Idea roll-up One story, many forms (+ wrap up) Slide19
Dynamite Content
1.) Goals + Content = Strategy Campaign case statements Best practices: Law School, Leaders & Best 2.) Lead with the dynamiteImpact!BackstoryEditorial guidelines3.) Connect to
broader news stories
if possible
Slide20
What’s Happening Today
Welcome, introductionsSurvey results!Story best practices (The Campaign)Writing for the web Group exercise Idea roll-up One story, many forms (+ wrap up) Slide21
A Few General Web Tips
Remember that readers will jump around constantly—and write for that.More and more readers now search for the information they want vs. finding it through a site’s navigation—so use keywords in your text!Follow the 5/15 Rule: Within five seconds a user should understand the purpose of your web page. Within 15 seconds, a user should be comfortable navigating your page.Slide22
Imagine how the 5/15 rule could improve this site ….Slide23
Help Readers Understand
the Purpose of Your WebpageBe clear: don’t force web users to think.Be succinct: write 50% (or less) of the text you would have used in a print publication.Make text brief and easy to scan with chunks and subheads.Focus on benefits and not just features of a program, event, renovation, etc.Use testimonials.Slide24
Example of writing for ease of scanning:Slide25
Example of using chunks and testimonials:Slide26
Make Your Headlines Count
Clear trumps clever.Pique curiosity.Include action, if you can.Remember to use keywords for SEO value. (More on SEO in a minute.)Slide27
LSA Today
headline examples from May & June:Slide28
Compare those with Buzzfeed.com:Slide29
Or Aol.com:Slide30
Or even Harvard:Slide31
Writing for SEO
(Search Engine Optimization)Determined by keywords, links, page title, meta tags.And yet ..“Modern SEO is all about crafting content so compelling that other people want to promote it by linking to it or sharing it, which increases your trust and authority and helps the pages you want to rank well for certain keywords.” —copyblogger.comSlide32
Avoid these Common Pitfalls
Not getting to the point.Not writing with scanning in mind.Using acronyms and “insider” language.Not utilizing links and SEO.“Remember, even the best writing doesn’t matter if no one can find it.” —Mediabistro.com Slide33
What’s Happening Today
Welcome, introductionsSurvey results!Story best practices (The Campaign)Writing for the web Group exercise Idea roll-up One story, many forms (+ wrap up) Slide34
Group Exercise
Campaign Case Study • The Department of Slavic Languages and and Literatures received a $250,000 endowment gift • The gift was given by an Michigan couple who want to provide students with the opportunity to study abroad, specifically in Poland. • The gift will generate six scholarships each year with an amount totaling $7,000 per student, with the remainder in an expendable account. The department director will report on the gift annually at fiscal year-end.
•
The
department has names of students who have studied in Poland. The couple met while studying abroad 30 years ago.
With Your Group:
Brainstorm a lead, or at least what you think you’d write about in the first paragraph
Brainstorm a title
Brainstorm a teaser (no more than 30 words)Slide35
What’s Happening Today
Welcome, introductionsSurvey results!Story best practices (The Campaign)Writing for the web Group exercise Idea roll-up One story, many forms (+ wrap up) Slide36
What’s Happening Today
Welcome, introductionsSurvey results!Story best practices (The Campaign)Writing for the web Group exercise Idea roll-up One story, many forms (+ wrap up) Slide37
One Story, Many Outlets
Share the story with fundraisers and development colleaguesCarve the story into market segments: long for print, short for web, even shorter for Facebook, and 140 characters for TwitterShare the content with Michigan News for breaking stories Share the content with your unit communications team for placement in alumni magazines, e-newsletters, etc. Share your content, and ask to borrow content in return Slide38
LSA – Victors of discovery , Victors of
human thought and exploration, Victors of social understanding, Victors of invention, Victors of problems and solutions,Victors of knowledge Thank you!See you in 2014! Laura Lessnau Michigan News
writing