Web Strategy and Development Blog

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

For faculty and staff, registration is required via My Learning Connection (on the Profile tab of My Missouri State). Student employees who wish to attend should email Lucie Amberg.

 

How-to: Use photos ethically and effectively

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Using a cell phoneIt’s important to include visual content (such as photos and videos) in your blog posts, and doing so is the fastest way to amp up your blog’s engagement.

But there are stumbling blocks on the road to visual content bliss; a few of them are addressed below.

Where can I get good photos?

There are many sources where you can obtain photos and videos legally.

Free sources

Paid sources

Not a source

Never use an image you find through a basic Google image search or any other photo, video or song you don’t have written permission to use. (Someone somewhere owns that content.)

Which photos are the appropriate quality for my blog?

Professional photos aren’t necessary for your blog or social media accounts. Feel free to use images you took on your phone or tablet. Blog readers appreciate immediacy and authenticity, so it doesn’t have to be perfect.

One tip: Photos that feature engaged people or unusual details tend to be the most appealing for blog or social media distribution.

What about privacy? Do I need people’s permission to share pictures of them?

In most cases, yes. Obtain written permission to use the following:

  • Any image, voice, video or likeness containing identifiable human subjects (including students, University employees or non-University people)
  • Audio or video recordings of lectures or other presentations require written permission from the speakers
  • Images or video of someone else’s intellectual property such as artwork, writing, music, etc. require permission from the owner (more on intellectual property and copyright guidelines)

You don’t need written permission for someone’s likeness in a situation where that person wouldn’t have an expectation of privacy, such as:

  • When the photo or video is of a large group or crowd at an event or game
  • When the photo or video’s focal point is a building or non-human subject

When in doubt, obtain written permission. For convenience, the office of photographic services supplies a likeness release form.

For more on these guidelines, see the office of Web and new media’s policy.

 

September blogging inspiration: Time to Go Maroon!

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With the fall semester in full swing, it’s the perfect time to promote Missouri State’s environment and culture on your blog. Going maroon can mean participating in extracurricular events, sharing academic achievements, celebrating Missouri State’s public affairs mission or enjoying our beautiful campus.

5 ways your blog can Go Maroon

  1. Family weekend is Sept. 12 – Sept. 14. Does your program or unit have a unique resource or tradition you’d like students to share with their families? Use your blog to let them know about it.
  2. Public Affairs Week is Sept. 15 – Sept. 19, and it features an exciting schedule of events — all developed by and for students.Avenue of Flags in honor of Public Affairs Week Are any of your students involved? Consider soliciting a guest blog post from one, and take advantage of the Public Affairs Week social media kit to help promote this event.
  3. Showcase is Sept. 27. Prospective students will be on campus, and there’s a good chance that they will follow up by checking out your blog. It’s a great time to highlight students, faculty, alumni or opportunities that make your program stand out.
  4. This year’s Common Reader is The Heart and the Fist. Consider gathering a few reactions from students, faculty and staff who are reading it; share their quotes on your blog.
  5. Exciting updates have been completed on facilities throughout campus — from Plaster Student Union to Glass Hall and many other locations. Has your program or unit benefited from one of these improvements? Post about it on your blog; be sure to share photos!

 4 points of pride

  • The Football Bears get their first kick-off in the renovated Plaster Stadium this Saturday. This video will bring you up to speed on how to support them.

  • The new Center for Community Engagement, which will advance the University’s involvement in local, statewide and regional efforts, kicks off with the Conference on Civic Engagement, Sept. 17.
  • Bear Country at the Dickerson Park Zoo — now sponsored by the Missouri State Foundation, Alumni Association and Student Government Association — will be dedicated on Sept. 27.
  • Green Revolution, a Smithsonian traveling “eco-zibit” currently at the Discovery Center, is co-sponsored by MSU’s College of Natural and Applied Sciences. This hands-on learning experience focuses on waste, gardening and green engineering and runs from Sept. 9 – Jan. 4. Members of the Missouri State community will enjoy a free day on Oct. 1.

3 resources to help you Go Maroon

2 free training opportunities

  • Social Media 101 on Sept. 30 – Learn about the most popular social media platforms. Get demographic information and content considerations along with some best practice tips for all platforms. If you’re considering how to dive in to social media or wondering if you should add another platform to your communication strategy, you’ll enjoy this introductory-level information session.
  • Short and Snappy: Writing for the Digital World on Oct. 28 – Uncover users’ expectations for your website, blog and social media and get tips for communicating throughout the Web. This interactive workshop focuses on strategies for creating and distributing content and will help you take your online communications to the next level.

1 to watch: Missouri State Family Association

Research indicates that many of today’s students are very close to their parents, and the separation that can accompany college mayMissouri State students enjoying campus with their families prove challenging. The Missouri State Family Association helps families stay connected to their students. Its active blog and social media not only keep families updated, they provide new conversation topics for parents who’ve already exhausted, “How’re classes going?”

Like what the Family Association is doing? Remember that families might be following your blog as well, hoping for an inside look at the student experience. Reward that interest with frequent updates, and use your blog to celebrate student victories of all sizes.

Latest technical tips

Amp up your communication strategy by following blogging how-to tips like the ones below:

Writing for the Web workshop offered tips for websites, blogs and social media

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University marketing and communications presented a session of Short and Snappy: Writing for the Digital World on July 15, 2014. This The session of Short and Snappy: Writing for the Digital World held in July 2014interactive training focused on the distinct content needs of websites, blogs and social media and how leveraging users’ expectations for each platform can enhance online communications.

Your website: Where users go to get information

This section of the workshop focused on identifying a website’s audiences, setting goals for interaction and formatting content so that it can be easily consumed.

Key takeaways

  • 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.

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

Users approach blogs with a broader goal. Rather than searching for the answer to a specific question, they’re using blogs to learn more about the organization’s message and environment. Telling engaging stories on your blog is an important way to support your website’s goals.

Key takeaways

  • 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 offers an ideal channel for encountering new people, revealing new qualities and creating new kinds of interactions with people who are loyal to your brand. It should also be part of your strategy for sharing news about events, achievements and opportunities.

Key takeaways

  •  Best practices for social media include adopting a long-term strategy, focusing on good content and posting consistently.
  • One of the biggest challenges of managing social media — the feeling that you’re talking to everyone while talking to no one — can be addressed by defining your ideal audience. The presentation included an exercise on this process.

Next steps

Web and new media will continue offering training opportunities on communicating in the digital world.

Access the presentation

Short and Snappy – Writing for the Digital World

 

Free workshop on writing for websites, blogs and social media

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Answers to common questions about writing for the Web

Attend a free workshop on writing for the digital world, Tuesday, July 15. This interactive session, hosted by University marketing and communications, will address common questions such as:

  • What are visitors to my website looking for? What about my blog and social media?  Students at computers
  • How do I communicate effectively when visitors have such short attention spans?
  • How do I manage new information that needs to go on my website?
  • How do I tell stories that will hook readers?
  • How do I dive into the world of social media? Or how do I improve what I’m already doing there?
  • What should my expectations for these platforms be? And how do I make it all work together?

Key details

  • What: Short and Snappy: Writing for the Digital World 
  • Who: Open to all University faculty and staff; particularly beneficial for anyone who is managing or plans to manage University websites, blogs or social media (All ranges of experience are welcome.)
  • When: Tuesday, July 15: 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
  • Where: Karls Hall, Room 101
  • Why: To gain tangible strategies for maximizing the potential of your online content

This workshop is free, but registration through My Learning Connection (on the Profile tab of My Missouri State) is requested.