This document discusses blogging and liveblogging. It provides tips for successful blogging such as developing a clear idea, using relevant formats, strong headlines and links. Liveblogging tips include preparing in advance, using short frequent updates and maintaining accuracy. The document emphasizes engaging conversations through questions and comments on blogs and during live chats or tweet chats.

1. Blogging and
Liveblogging
Steve Buttry
The Gazette
March 19 , 2012
#gaztrain

2. Read more about it
• stevebuttry.wordpress.com
• slideshare.net/stevebuttry
• @stevebuttry
• zombiejournalism.com
• https://www.newsu.org/introduction-to-
reporting
• stephenbuttry@gmail.com

3. Team liveblog
• Play-by-play
• Commentary
• Live-tweet (#gaztrain)
• Find & add links
• Photos
• Moderate questions, comments

4. What’s your blog about?
(6 words or so)

5. Factors in blogging success
• Idea • Links
• Format • Voice
• Headline • Writing
• Visuals • Conversation

6. Possible ideas
• News • Aggregation
• Events • Curation (pro media
• Previews or social media)
• Buzz • Reaction
• Controversy • Reflection
• Releases • Story behind the
• story
Quiz
• Notebook
• Q&A

7. Possible formats
• Brief • Promotion
• Video (w/ intro) • Chart/graph/map
• Photo gallery • Q&A
• List • Narrative
• Review • Poll
• News story • Curation

8. Think beyond writing
• Videos • Audio
• Photos • Tweets
• Slides • Source documents
• Graphics • Maps
• Curation

9. Keys to SEO
• Relevance
• Keywords in headline (what would you
search for?)
• Keywords in story (best in 1st paragraph)
• Understand how people are searching
• Relevant links

10. Reach a wider audience
• Effective use of social media (Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube, Foursquare, etc.)
• Relevant comments (w/ links) on related
blogs (no spamming!)
• Emails/tweets/#hashtags call to
attention of influencers

11. The blogging conversation
• Crowdsource (specific questions: “Do
you know anyone who …?” “Did you see
…?” “Has this ever happened to you?”)
• Consider ending post w/ question
• Stimulate/continue conversation in social
media
• Engage with comments

12. Start a blog post

15. Why to liveblog
• Immediacy
• News value
• Storytelling
• Traffic
• Community engagement, loyalty
• Interactivity
• Saving time

16. Liveblog formats
• Update (time-stamp, reverse-chron) in
blog or story template
• CoverItLive (can feed in tweets)
• ScribbleLive (can feed in tweets)
• Live-tweet (on Twitter or feeding blog)
• Video stream (w/liveblog)
• Raw, edited or moderated

17. Liveblogging situations
• Breaking story
• Meeting
• Event (festival, march, concert)
• Trial
• Daylong (Election Day, weather)
• Sporting event (can use fans, HS journos)
• Live chat

18. Liveblogging prep
• Get names (confirm spelling), titles in
advance (ask, get program, etc.)
• Set scene, saying what you’re covering &
that you’re live-tweeting
• Describe your circumstances, vantage
point: at event, watching on TV, curating
tweets (Andy Carvin)

19. Tips, techniques
• Short, frequent takes
• Space isn’t an issue; engagement is
• Liveblog becomes notebook for story
• Consider links, polls, photos, audio, video
• Promote live & replays
• Tweet links to liveblog & replay
• OK to step away for question, video, etc.

20. Managing liveblog & story
• Liveblog is notebook: cut, paste, write,
edit
• Note when you know you’ve written
good lead or passage for story
• Note questions to pursue later
• Does summary work for print?
• Plug “complete coverage” in liveblog

21. Live chat techniques
• Give some questions to guests in
advance (fewer waits while they type)
• Phone conversation w/ guests, giving
time to work on questions
• Host chat w/ community bloggers
(dining, sports, entertainment)
• Group related questions
• Preview questions coming up

22. Liveblogging issues
• Accuracy (stress verification, ask
questions, seek links & documentation,
correct quickly and candidly)
• Rough copy
• Sports credentials
• Multi-tasking
• Learning curve

23. Live-tweeting tips
• Don’t transcribe; observe & report
• In sports, mix play-by-play & commentary
• Use hashtag (& check to respond)
• OK to pause for checking facts, names
• Note significant pause (halftime, lunch)
• Fun interludes, exchanges, anecdotes
• Check facts before you hit “tweet”

26. Points to remember
• Standard of completeness changes;
commitment to accuracy remains
• Attribute, hedge, verify, seek verification
• Say what you don’t know, too
• Conversation, not monologue
• Consider tone (is opinion or humor
appropriate in this setting, for this
blogger?)

27. Read more about it
• stevebuttry.wordpress.com
• slideshare.net/stevebuttry
• @stevebuttry
• zombiejournalism.com
• https://www.newsu.org/introduction-to-
reporting
• stephenbuttry@gmail.com