Tech

Creating Web Content Related to Breaking News

Tech blogs like Mashable, TechCrunch, The Verge, and Wired are being criticized forposting live updates on the Boston Marathon bombings. Mainstream media journalists are stating that they should stick to technology stories and leave the general news to them.

The tech blog Slashdot's post "Did Tech Blogs Exploit the Boston Marathon Bombings?" has an interesting comment thread dealing with this issue.

People are complaining that Facebook and Twitter go ballistic with hash tags and status updates whenever there's a tragedy. They are accused of disseminating misinformation.

But these accusations are largely unfair. Explosions have a technology angle to them. People who are into tech often spend a lot of time on tech blogs and forums and by reporting on disasters of weather or terrorism, these tech people are kept informed of breaking news.

The general news media have tech columns, so why can't the tech media have general news updates?

As far as misinformation goes, the mainstream media has much to feel guilty about, and they continue to issue breaking news that is then retracted, not to mention the vast amounts of pure speculation and repetitive commentary on cable news channels. Social media, especially Twitter and Facebook, have become our first alert news system, due to the widespread adoption of smart phones with cameras and video capabilities. Bad information travels farther, and faster, but so does good information.

For me, the bottom line is the fact that we now have multiple sources of timely information. We must become very adept at checking a variety of sources, comparing the reports, understanding the bias and limitations of the sources, and using common sense, logic, and experience to assess what "rings true" or has the most verifiable facts.

I think as we spend time on the internet, we gain a sense of what seems absurd and what sounds plausible. We must ask ourselves, "Does my ideology induce me to accept this as true? or does it seem valid on its own merits, based on what I already know or think I know?"

Official versions from established outlets are not always reliable. Neither are the extreme view blogs. Conspiracy theories abound, but so do lala lander "everything is fine" mentalities. Some people are skeptical of anything mainstream media reports, while others are cynical about all the social media postings. Most of us probably fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum.

Is it exploiting a tragedy to report on it, when it's not in your primary or customary field of content? Who is making the rules here?

Well, it is a great SEO technique to take a hot news item, find an angle that coincides with your field of expertise or interests, and publish an article that ties in with the breaking event. There's a smart way to do it and there's a cheesy way to do it. Riding on the coattails of a story that is already viral, whether that narrative is positive or negative, is a good way to drive traffic to your blog or social media presence.

Some of the people who arrive at your news flash post may never return, but some will be drawn by the news story, then return because they like your general content theme, based at it is on issues that they consider relevant to their interests and needs.

I think the key is finding an angle to the news story that enables you to share your expertise, or that allows you to present a unique and relevant point of view. You can build a bridge from your industry knowledge to almost any other topic if you use a little imagination and sincerity of intent.

For example, a law firm's blog could provide an interesting perspective on a terrorist act, speculating on how various government reactions might impact the constitutional rights of law abiding citizens. A hospital's Facebook page could offer their opinion about legalizing marihuana or immigration reform.

The statements don't have to be controversial or inflammatory. They can simply present some considerations, or technical data, from a specialized viewpoint, that the average person might not have thought about much.

You don't have to get all tangled in politics, religion, or personalities. You can just pass on some information based on your organization's distinct relationship to an issue, giving both sides of the debate some ideas to contemplate, or some new facts to digest without taking an ideological stance.

Be sure to include some links, in the body of your text, or as footnotes for further reading, to substantiate the information in your report. Link to reputable sources, not fringe or extremist blogs. Link directly to the article you're quoting or referring to, and use popular search query keywords in the anchor text (the wording of the link).

Don't make "Read More" the anchor text. Instead, in the sentence "Read more about the Boston Marathon bombing", make "Boston Marathon bombing" the anchor text (typically blue and underlined) that people click on to navigate to the external source.

As long as you keep the content relevant to your general theme, your audience will probably enjoy and benefit from your news-related articles, and look forward to hearing what you have to say as each new viral event occurs. 

About the Author

Steven Streight is a man of many skills. He’s a talented writer, web content developer, internet marketing consultant and photographer. He’s a trustee on the Peoria Historical Society, a member of SCORE Peoria and the author of the Peoria technology history book, “Bicycle Fever.” In his downtime, he’s hangs out with his beloved Min Pin and tries to get some rest. Considering how involved he is in the community, it sounds like he could use as much as he can get.