Rising Above the Average Blog

Sept. 5, 2007

A few years ago, not long after starting a blog about Microsoft on the Seattle P-I’s Web site, I was talking with a Microsoft employee during an event at the company's headquarters. When he introduced me to one of his co-workers, he explained who I was by saying, “You know, he's the guy who writes that Microsoft blog.”

Suddenly it dawned on me: The employee didn't know or, more likely, didn't care that I wrote for the newspaper.

My first instinct was to correct him. My professional identity has long been wrapped up in that roll of paper that hits the doorstep each morning. I'm a newspaper reporter, I thought to myself, not some random blogger.

But then I stopped. That wasn't the right way to look at it. After all, this employee knew my name. He knew what I covered. He was clearly reading what I was writing. And based on that familiarity, he would probably answer an e-mail message or talk to me when I called. As a beat reporter, was that so bad? No. In fact, it was pretty darn good.

The experience was a turning point. In the years since, I've come to focus more and more on blogging. I still write regularly for the newspaper, but more often than not, those newspaper stories flow from the reporting, writing and digging that I do initially for my blog.

This blogging stuff isn't for everyone. It doesn't fit the audience and subject matter of every beat, or the temperament of every beat reporter. But if you're already blogging, or thinking about trying, here are a few of the things I've picked up along the way.

1 Time management: This will be your biggest challenge if, like most of us, you're expected to continue writing for your traditional publication after starting your blog. So incorporate the blog into your daily routine and, as much as you can, make your reporting count twice.
For example, when news breaks, let the story unfold on your blog. Post quotes, interview excerpts, key facts and links to related material as the day progresses. Your readers will appreciate the ability to follow along, and posting the material won't be a lot of extra effort for you, since you’re already gathering the information. In addition, that raw material and those links will be nicely organized for you when you start writing your story. In cases where you're writing first for the print edition, resurrect the scraps from your reporting to create material for your blog. You know that great anecdote your editor cut because your story was long? The interesting information that just didn't work with the flow of your article? A little context, some rewording, and you've got a blog post.

2 Create a conversation: This happens in a variety of ways. The ideal is when people comment on your posts. This can be one of the best parts of blogging, because readers with comments often make your blog better. On some blogs, the conversation in the comments is more interesting than the posts by the blogger. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. In general, though not always, the more people you can get involved and engaged in your blog, the better. But don’t be discouraged if you don’t get lots of comments. Other ways to foster conversation include posting the text of e-mails and voice mails from people responding to your posts or articles. Often, when people read strong opinions from others, they’ll feel compelled to comment.

3 Create long-term resources: People will value your blog not just for timely news and perspectives but also for useful posts worth revisiting over time. For example, consider posting a list of key people inside a company, a standing record of a company’s historical financial results, or a repository of key documents related to a company or industry. These types of posts will require more time up front and in the future, to keep the information current, but in many cases that investment will be worthwhile to readers and to yourself, in your own reporting. It's also key to building a sustained audience for your blog.

4 Show your source material: This is another big secret to building traffic, particularly for business reporters. Link to regulatory filings and analysts’ reports. Upload PDFs of court documents. Offer extended excerpts of executive remarks. Post transcripts of interesting interviews that you conduct for your stories. This will appeal not only to your readers but also to other bloggers, who will use your raw material to support their own posts, presumably linking back to you as the source.

5 Go digital: Carry a digital camera. You never know when you're going to see something photographable that leads to or supplements a blog post. And if you haven't already, switch from a traditional tape recorder to one that stores audio in digital files. Using audio editing software, you can then pull clips from interviews and post MP3s on your blog to supplement a post or story.

6 Don't forget your role: Fairness, accuracy and balance are just as important on a blog as in the newspaper. Reporters should keep their posts free of anything that would put their objectivity in question. Blogging reporters should include plenty of personality in their posts -- but they shouldn’t include their personal opinions. Columnists, of course, are a different matter.

7 Use time-honored reporting techniques: Finding and linking to other stories and articles online is important, but it’s not enough. Gather information for your blog just as you would for an article. Make phone calls, send e-mail inquiries and check public records when it’s appropriate. Your natural instincts and skills as a journalist will improve your posts and distinguish you from the average blogger.
In other words, there’s still plenty of value to be had from traditional reporting -- whether or not it ends up in that roll of paper on the doorstep.

Copyright © 2008 Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism