Sometimes, finding a good story isn’t the problem. You could be innocently sitting at your desk, sneaking in a play on Facebook Scrabble, when you get a new email. Why, it’s from the academic dean, and he just wanted to let you know about this student who is not only first chair trombone in the local symphony orchestra, but has also not allowed a goal in net all season as the lacrosse team’s goalie and has logged 250 hours of community service … [Read more...]
The Recipe for Engagement
April 8, 2011 by
The ongoing challenge we face in creating content -- whether it's yet another alumni profile or a description of student life on campus -- is to be compelling and engaging. But what does that really mean, and how can we meet this expectation? Copyblogger's Brian Clark breaks the formula down to two components: meaning and fascination. The most effective content, he argues, has a balance of both. How do you strike that balance in your content? … [Read more...]
Three Lessons Higher Ed Web Communicators Can Learn from NPR’s Andy Carvin
April 6, 2011 by
Amid the political upheaval in the Middle East over the past several weeks, a dependable source of information has been Andy Carvin (@acarvin), NPR's senior social media strategist. But he's not reporting out of Tripoli or Cairo. Rather, he's tweeting from his Maryland home, often while his kids watch TV in the background and cats vie for attention at his feet. Carvin, whom one Metafilter thread dubbed "Curator of the Revolution," has been … [Read more...]
Who is the Hero of Your Press Release?
April 5, 2011 by
The press release is one of the most ubiquitous elements of higher ed communications, but it is also one of the most static. Lately, there has been a lot of discussion about how to bring the press release into the 21st century. But how about looking for inspiration from centuries past? In this blog post for PR Newswire, VP of user experience design and workflow Rod Nicolson draws on the insights of mythologist Joseph Campbell to outline the … [Read more...]
Content Strategy… Mmm Mmm Good
April 1, 2011 by
If there’s one thing we can all identify with, it’s not having enough time to do everything that needs to get done -- even the most important things. But, if you’re willing to eat lunch at your desk for a week (which you very well might do anyway), C.C. Chapman (co-author of "Content Rules") offers a starting point for getting a hold on your website’s content strategy. How do you make the time to get your content under control? People hope and … [Read more...]