Web Strategy and Development Blog

Blogging inspiration: five fun questions

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In this series, we’re trying out engaging approaches to office and departmental blog posts. These inspiration posts are intended to help anyone who’s suffering from “blogging block.”

A new take on a familiar form

One idea to get you blogging: ask a staff or faculty member five fun questions — the kind of questions they don’t often get a chance to answer. Add a casual photo and you’ve got an entertaining post.

As an example, we visited with Jen Murvin, senior instructor in the English department.

Q: What is your favorite album ever?

A: Tom Petty’s Wildflowers.

Q: What would you tell yourself at 20?

A:  Dear Jen at 20,

I’m going to quote George Saunders to you, darling, so listen up:

“Since, according to me, your life is going to be a gradual process of becoming kinder and more loving: Hurry up. Speed it along. Start right now. There’s a confusion in each of us, a sickness, really: selfishness. But there’s also a cure. So be a good and proactive and even somewhat desperate patient on your own behalf — seek out the most efficacious anti-selfishness medicines, energetically, for the rest of your life.

“Do all the other things, the ambitious things — travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes, swim naked in wild jungle rivers (after first having it tested for monkey poop) – but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness. Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial.

“That luminous part of you that exists beyond personality — your soul, if you will — is as bright and shining as any that has ever been. Bright as Shakespeare’s, bright as Gandhi’s, bright as Mother Teresa’s. Clear away everything that keeps you separate from this secret luminous place. Believe it exists, come to know it better, nurture it, share its fruits tirelessly.”

Also – throw away that sweater, you know the one. And read everything; it will help prepare you. Xo.

Love,

Jen

Q: What do you dream of doing besides teaching/current job?

A: In another life, I’m a back-up singer for a sort of bluesy-jazzy female artist. Singing harmony is my favorite, and I’m too shy to take center-stage. I also dream of living by the ocean – view, short walk, daily swim, shell-collecting.

Q: What is the worst advice you have ever received?

A: Stop wearing high heels. *Never.

Q: What is one day you would relive?

A: The day I gave birth to my son. (Thank you, epidural.) That was truly the most incredible experience of my life; I’d love to relive that moment I first saw him and held him.

Maximize the potential of websites, blogs and social media

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Writing for the Web

If you’re in charge of a website, blog, social media platform — or all three — you’ve likely asked the following questions:

  • What do users want my website, blog or social media to provide?
  • How do I organize content on my website so that users can find the information they want?
  • What should I be communicating on a website vs. a blog? How do the two relate?
  • How do I repurpose my website and blog content and distribute it on social media?
  • What can I do immediately to make my digital communications more strategic?

The office of Web and new media is offering a free, interactive training session that will address each of these questions. The workshop will also provide tips and techniques that can be implemented right away in order to make your digital communications more efficient and effective.

A session of Short and Snappy: Writing for the Digital World will be held on Oct. 28Workshop details

Who should attend

This session is open to University faculty, staff and student employees who are responsible for University websites, blogs or social media accounts.

Free registration

Registration is requested via My Learning Connection (on the Profile tab of My Missouri State).

 

Recap: Find Your Place in the Digital World – Session 1

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The office of Web and new media recently presented an afternoon of training for University website editors, bloggers and social media managers.

The first session focused on writing for websites, blogs and social media — with an emphasis on optimizing content for mobile devices.

Website: Where users go to get information

Users visit your website because they are seeking information, and they typically come into your website with specific questions.

Strategies for helping users find information:

  • Test your website’s organization by asking someone to find something on it. How (and how easily) does that person locate the information you requested?
  • Identify your audiences and goals. Get input from other stakeholders, and write your goals down so that everyone stays on the same page.
  • Think mobile first. Lean text, engaging visuals and clear structure are critical.

Blog: The perfect place to tell a story

Users approach blogs with a broader goal — they want to get to know you better.

Strategies for telling your story:

  • Users will notice how recently you’ve updated your blog. Updating at least once per week tells readers that you’re enthusiastic and have lots of news and ideas to share.
  • Get visual! Include photos and videos when possible.
  • Engage readers with classic storytelling techniques.

Social media: A way to create new impressions

Social media users are looking to engage and discover — casually. Take advantage of social media platforms to encounter new people or present a different side of your program to those who already know about it.

Strategies for tackling social media:

  • Think long term; commit to sharing quality content and post consistently.
  • Know your goals, and keep them realistic. Use social media to engage and direct people back to your website or blog.

 

Access the presentation

Read the recap of Find Your Place – Session 2. 

Training will provide tips on unlocking the power of academic blogs

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BBlogger with Missouri State coffee muglogging for recruitment and retention

Academic blogs are one of the simplest tools for nurturing relationships with prospective students and faculty; sharing important information among current students, faculty and staff; and promoting a program’s accomplishments and offerings.

A well-maintained blog is a huge boost to both communication and search engine optimization strategies, but getting started can feel challenging.

The office of Web and new media and the faculty center for teaching and learning are co-sponsoring a Q-and-A panel discussion and training on some of the most persistent blogging questions, such as:

  • Why should I be blogging?
  • How do I get started?
  • How do I know it’s worth the effort?
  • How do I integrate this type of communication into a schedule that’s already packed?
  • Who’s reading our departmental blog?
  • What do I talk about on the blog?
  • How do I solicit content?
  • What does a successful blog post look like?
  • What do I do with blog content once it’s been created? Where else can I use it?

The training will feature a panel of expert faculty bloggers, who are willing to share their tips and tricks for maximizing a blog’s potential, along with key analytics data and useful blogging resources.

Key Details

  • What: Blogging: Connect with Your Target Audience
  • When: 12:15 – 1:15 p.m., Nov. 19
  • Where: Plaster Student Union, Room 313
  • Panelists: Natalie Allen, Mark Biggs, George Connor, Kristin Tivener
  • Facilitator: Lucie Amberg
  • Free registration is available through My Learning Connection

Tips from Writing for the Web workshop: What you can do right now

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The session of Short and Snappy: Writing for the Digital World held in July 2014University marketing and communications presented a session of Short and Snappy: Writing for the Digital World on Oct. 28, 2014.

This interactive training focused on identifying what users want from your website, blog and social media and then using that understanding to get the most out of your communications strategy.

Access the presentation

Short and Snappy – Writing for the Digital World – Oct 2014

Your website: Where users go to get information

Users visit your website because they are seeking information, and they typically come into your website with specific questions.

Identifying your target audience and goals is a critical step in making your website as efficient and effective as possible.

What you can do right now to improve website communications:

  • Test your website’s organization by asking someone to find a piece of information on it. How easily does that person locate the information you requested? What path does he/she take to find it?
  • Consult with other people who are involved in your website’s maintenance and messaging. Together, identify your audiences and goals. Write them down so that everyone stays on the same page.
  • Follow consistent formatting strategies (which were covered extensively during the presentation) to ensure that information on your website is easy to consume.

An exercise on writing a six-word story, employed during the blogging portion of Short & SnappyYour blog: The perfect place to tell a story

Users approach blogs with a broader goal. They have “softer” questions in mind; users visit your blog because they want to get to know you better.

What you can do right now to improve blog communications:

  • Remember that users will notice how recently you’ve updated your blog. Updating at least once per week tells readers that you’re enthusiastic about your subject and have a lot of good news to share.
  • Engage readers with classic storytelling techniques (which were explored through an exercise on writing the six-word story).
  • Keep the online communication formatting strategies in mind; they work for your blog posts, too.

Your social media: A way to create new impressions

Social media users are looking to engage and discover — casually. Take advantage of social media platforms to encounter new people or present a different side of your program to those who already know about it.

What you can do right now to improve social media communications:

  • Focus. Pick a platform (or two) that best serves your audience and goals.
  • Adopt a long-term strategy, commit to sharing quality content and post consistently.

Next steps

Web and new media will continue offering training opportunities on digital communications.

  • Nov. 19: Blogging: Connect with Your Target Audience – This training, co-sponsored by the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning, will feature a faculty panel of expert bloggers. It’s designed to help academic units unlock the recruitment and retention capabilities of academic blogs — arguably the easiest, most underexploited marketing tool available.
  • Nov. 21: Creating Effective Mass Emails – Get tips for making the most of mass email communications — including ones for format, content structure and subject lines — along with what not to do when you’re creating a mass email.