Craig McGinty

A couple of articles elsewhere

A QUICK pointer to a couple of articles I have written elsewhere that might appeal, the first is a simple guide to Twitter that I hope will see more readers of This French Life try out the service.

And the second piece is called A transparent trade association, which looks at how tools such as Ning could be used to help smaller businesses work together - without them paying extortionate membership fees to appear in a useless directory.

As a little aside I've always wondered if a PR firm, online marketing operation or business support service couldn't use similar tools to help connect existing clients and draw in new ones.

Twitter meets local radio

HERE is a great example from my friend Tracey Smith who has been using her Twitter account to take requests and promote her three hour show on Apple AM.

And because people can listen to the radio station online Tracey can draw in new listeners from around the world, as well as easily stay in touch with people in the local area.

It is so much easier to use existing tools that are already popular as it lets you dip your toe in to see if it appeals to both yourself and others.

What journalists look for in a website

IF you are looking to increase your online presence and be followed, as well as quoted, by journalists, what are the key elements your website needs to offer?

E-Consultancy say sites need an About Us page, a Press area and a blog - not too difficult really.

What do journalists want from your website? E-Consultancy

A 24 hour lesson from Preston

ANOTHER entertaining meeting of the Digital Editors' Network took place in Preston with plenty of thoughts and ideas zipping around the room at the University of Central Lancashire.

First up was Simon Wharton, of PushOn, who provided an insight into what search engines are looking for on websites and if followed how they can help newspaper stories rank well for search requests.

Sport, search and sandwiches at Preston

Pick a path through search at Preston

THE next meeting of the Digital Editors' Network, at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in Preston, will be taking place on Tuesday, January 29.

Full details can be found on the Network's blog, if you want to attend this free event, then drop a line to Nick Turner.

The afternoon will start with a look at websites aimed at sports, drawing on the experiences of Robert Hardie, managing editor of Northcliffe Digital Integrated Media, and feature sites such as those aimed at Derby County fans and those who follow Leicester City.

A friend of mine, Simon Wharton of PushON, will also be giving a talk on search engine optimisation and how newspapers can look to get their content up those all important search results.

Blend blogging tools with a regular website

I AM on a number of newsletter lists and a recent one I received asked for comments about how a online store selling dog products could improve its sales.

You can get an idea of the amount of work the shop owner has undertaken, but it is clear he is struggling to make this convert into sales.

Some simple steps I think the chap could take, and which anyone with a similar online presence could use, are:

Charitable groups and blogs

I THINK charitable groups, of whatever size, should take a serious look at what blogging technology could allow them to do.

The first thing to remember is that blogging software is just another form of publishing, so whatever size your group is there is a good chance you want to tell people about your work.

Chelsea move to YouTube

NOW I'm a Man City fan by birth, but this is a smart move by Chelsea to promote the club and its TV service through YouTube via a branded page. (The Guardian)

Related article:
How newspapers could use online video

Helping readers answer questions

THERE is a very good piece by the Wall Street Journal that looks into the success of the Lifehacker website.

The article highlights the site's editor Gina Trapani and the work she puts in to help make the life of her readers a little better every day.

Gina and the other writers point out interesting websites and tools that users can take advantage of, and also lets them leave simple comments and pointers that ensures the whole site is a real resource.

Of course Lifehacker is aimed at a tech audience, but there is nothing stopping people developing their own site that grows into a real community and becomes a valuable stop off for readers.

Google Alerts embrace blogs

IF you are still wondering if your should start a blog-style site, either to support your business or to promote your freelance work, then Google drawing in blogs to its news alert service should convince you.

These regular emails from Google that people use to track stories, product mentions, company names and any other selection of words have become a mainstay for many.

In the past they highlighted stories from regular news websites, such as the press and TV, now these Google emails are drawing information from blogs.