While user-generated content is not a magic bullet for an effective content strategy, it is pretty nice to have in the arsenal. But what actually makes user-generated content work? As content marketing expert Joe Pulizzi explains, using LEGO as an example, the most fundamental building block for successful user-generated content is passion—when people love you so … [Read more...] about Talk About the Passion
13 Tips for a Good Interview (and Thus, a Great Story)
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 … [Read more...] about 13 Tips for a Good Interview (and Thus, a Great Story)
The Recipe for Engagement
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 … [Read more...] about The Recipe for Engagement
Three Lessons Higher Ed Web Communicators Can Learn from NPR’s Andy Carvin
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 … [Read more...] about Three Lessons Higher Ed Web Communicators Can Learn from NPR’s Andy Carvin
Who is the Hero of Your Press Release?
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 … [Read more...] about Who is the Hero of Your Press Release?