Pamphleteer Thomas Paine...
Radical propagandist and voice of the common man
Active in local affairs
January 10, 1776, he published a short pamphlet, Common Sense
Provoked considerable controversy throughout his career as a “citizen journalist”
Federalist Papers
Authored by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay
series of 85 articles or essays
published serially in The Independent Journal
With the tragedy of 9/11 many
ordinary citizens became
on-the-spot witnesses and
their stories and images became
a major part of the story.
Citizen Journalism was an integral part and played an important role in:
Iraq War
London Bombings
2004 Tsunami
Hurricane Katrina
Design - keep it simple!
Consistency – be consistent with posts!
Value – ensure value for readers!
Delivery – switch it up! Look at different methods of delivery – audio, text, video, guests posts
Create a Buzz...use as many Social Media tools as possible to promote your blog - ,
and to name a few – the more exposure, the better
Tags - allow people and search engines to find your content easier
What do you want to achieve?
Do you want to give relationship advice? Comment on politics? Tell people how to garden? Provide updates on news stories?
One of the most important things a blogger can do is decide who their audience is.
Develop a content strategy
Choose your subject matter
Ensure that you have at least a month of content to ensure that your blog can be updated regularly
Utilize guest bloggers
Link to other digital influences in your posts to ensure you are part of the broader online conversation on your chosen topic