What’s Happening Today

• Welcome, introductions• Survey results!• Story best practices (The Campaign)• Writing for the web • Group exercise • Idea roll-up • One story, many forms(+ wrap up)

What’s Happening Today

• Welcome, introductions• Survey results!• Story best practices (The Campaign)• Writing for the web • Group exercise • Idea roll-up • One story, many forms(+ wrap up)

Survey Results

• 97 Surveyed• 56 Respondents

(nearly 58%)

Job Focus

Communications

Marketing

Public Relations

Stewardship

Web

Other

Survey Results

Roles

Managing

Spec./Coord.

Writer

Other

Survey Results

But we all write.

It's the main function of my position

It's part of my job, but not the sole focus

I do some writing from time to time when it's required of me

Survey Results

We know our stuff.

…how writing relates to our overall goals.

Yes

No

Sort of, maybe

...our audience.

Strongly agree

Agree

Survey Results

We’re handling the web.

Yes

No

Sometimes

Survey Results

We’re handling the web.

…no matter whence the content cometh.

Given to me

Brand/goals-driven

Other external content

Pitched --> group-vetted

Experience/"sense"

Analytics/user survey

Survey Results

We also manage newsletters and magazines.

Yes

No

Other (contributing, annual brochure, considering)

Survey Results

…often enough…

Newsletter FrequencyWeekly (52/yr)

Bi-Weekly (26/yr)

Monthly (12/yr)

Bi-Monthly (6/yr)

Quarterly (4/yr)

Thrice (3/yr)

Semi-Annually (2/yr)

Annually (1/yr)

Print frequency

Quarterly (4/yr)

Semi-Annually (2/yr)

Annually (1/yr)

Survey Results

…to a large number of constituents…

<1K

1K to <5K

5K to <10K

10K to <25K

25K to <50K

50K+

Survey Results

We manage or mess with social media.

Yes

A little bit

No

Survey Results

While we don’t feel under resourced…

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Survey Results

…only half of us are confident sharing about giving.

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Other

Survey Results

…about half know how to maximize Michigan News.

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Other

Survey Results

What do we want to get out of this…

What’s Happening Today

• Welcome, introductions• Survey results!• Story best practices (The Campaign)• Writing for the web • Group exercise • Idea roll-up • One story, many forms (+ wrap up)

Dynamite Content

1.) Goals + Content = Strategy• Campaign case statements

Best practices: Law School, Leaders & Best

2.) Lead with the dynamite• Impact!• Backstory• Editorial guidelines

3.) Connect to broader news stories if possible

What’s Happening Today

• Welcome, introductions• Survey results!• Story best practices (The Campaign)• Writing for the web • Group exercise • Idea roll-up • One story, many forms (+ wrap up)

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.

Imagine how the 5/15 rule could improve this site ….

Help Readers Understand

the Purpose of Your Webpage

• Be 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.

Example of writing for ease of scanning:

Example of using chunks and testimonials:

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.)

LSA Today headline examples from May & June:

Compare those with Buzzfeed.com:

Or Aol.com:

Or even Harvard:

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.com

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

What’s Happening Today

• Welcome, introductions• Survey results!• Story best practices (The Campaign)• Writing for the web • Group exercise • Idea roll-up • One story, many forms (+ wrap up)

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)

What’s Happening Today

• Welcome, introductions• Survey results!• Story best practices (The Campaign)• Writing for the web • Group exercise • Idea roll-up • One story, many forms (+ wrap up)

What’s Happening Today

• Welcome, introductions• Survey results!• Story best practices (The Campaign)• Writing for the web • Group exercise • Idea roll-up • One story, many forms (+ wrap up)

One Story, Many Outlets

• Share the story with fundraisers and development colleagues• Carve the story into market segments: long for print, short

for web, even shorter for Facebook, and 140 characters for Twitter

• Share 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

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 LessnauMichigan News