Usc dark arts

Dark secretsonline overlordsof the

very important things I won’t dwell on:

• social media• partnerships & guest-blogging• technology• SEO• cat photos

&sensibility

desire

what I will dwell on:

ackage, repackage, repeat.

Flickr photo courtesy of user scmgee.

P

lifehacker.com I. Package, repackage, repeat

packaging reinforces

packaging extends reach

stock and flow

andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com I. Package, repackage, repeat.

thelede.blogs.nytimes.com I. Package, repackage, repeat.

texastribune.org I. Package, repackage, repeat.

mashable.com I. Package, repackage, repeat.

talkingpointsmemo.com I. Package, repackage, repeat.

treams, not stories.

Flickr photo courtesy of user Mr. T in DC.

S

city room and l.a.now II. Streams, not stories.

gothamist network II. Streams, not stories.

city room vs. gothamist II. Streams, not stories.

feed > post

subscriber > visitor

sfist.com II. Streams, not stories.

Umbering is narrative.

Flickr photo courtesy of user svenwerk.

N

popurls.com III. Numbering is narrative.

soulofthecommunity.org III. Numbering is narrative.

theatlantic.com III. Numbering is narrative.

lists promise

themoneymeltdown.com III. Numbering is narrative.

examples of guides from different sites III. Numbering is narrative.

Eadlines are hooks.

Flickr photo courtesy of user minifig.

H

“Imagine you're writing a headline for a magazine

(one with tight deadlines)

rather than a newspaper.

source: Gawker founder/CEO Nick Denton

“

wired.com vs. gawker.com IV. Headlines are hooks.

Vs.

focus on implications, not events

nytimes.com vs. google news vs. gawker.com IV. Headlines are hooks

Vs.


Vs.

Vs.


12 most profit-producing words IV. Headlines are hooks

1.Discover2.Easy3.Guarantee4.Health5.Love6.Money7.New8.Proven9.Results10.Safety11.Save12.You

12 most arresting headline words IV. Headlines are hooks

1.Top2.Why3.How4.Will5.Guide6.Best7.Secret8.Ultimate9.Your10.Worst11.New12.Future

ompete through co-optation.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. military.

C

andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com V. Compete through co-optation.

npr.org V. Compete through co-optation.

huffingtonpost.com V. Compete through co-optation.

the new front page V. Compete through co-optation.

et the telling fit the story.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army.

L

cnn.com VI. Let the telling fit the story.

nytimes.com | theatlantic.com VI. Let the telling fit the story.

talkingpointsmemo.com VI. Let the telling fit the story

nytimes.com | texastribune.org VI. Let the telling fit the story.

Xplain, explain, explain.

Flickr photo courtesy of user Pip R. Lagenta.

E

““

When remotely possible, turn news into explanation.

source: Gawker founder/CEO Nick Denton

voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein VII. Explain, explain, explain.

slate.com VII. Explain, explain, explain.

Omments are content.

Flickr photo courtesy of user nolifebeforecoffee.

C

ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com VIII. Comments are content.

content gets

ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com VIII. Comments are content.

metafilter.com VIII. Comments are content.

Flickr photo courtesy of user movimente.

Llustrate everything.I

huffingtonpost.com IX. Illustrate everything.

Jim wanted a transportation blog.

A transportation blog?!

*actual transportation blog headlines IX. Illustrate everything.

blogs.startribune.com/roadguy IX. Illustrate everything.

“The word that came to mind was ‘brazen.’”

images courtesy of roadguy IX. Illustrate everything.

potential image sources IX. Illustrate everything.

1.Photowalks2.Station image licenses3.Handout photography4.Creative Commons (Flickr)5.Crowd-contributed 6.iStockPhoto, WebShots, etc. 7.Wikipedia

On’t fear digression.

Flickr photo courtesy of user simonsterg.

D

andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com X. Don’t fear digression.

voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein X. Don’t fear digression.

digression adds

E a bit predictable.

Flickr photo courtesy of user ahockley.

B

andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com XI. Be a bit predictable.

dcist.com XI. Be a bit predictable.

ENGAGE.

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