Content Writing, Copywriting and Doxing

Content Writing Basics

• Content writing, copywriting, and scriptwriting are types of writing for new media
• Content is created by anyone and aims to inform using different styles and techniques
• Copywriting aims to sell

What is Content?

• Content includes online material
• Content writing serves a distinct purpose, aiding business-to-business marketing to boost traffic
• Content can apply to a single online post, or describe a body of text, videos, and images on a site
• Content curation is finding, grouping, and sharing content, as opposed to content marketing, where content is created

Content Accessibility

• Content is accessible, immediate, and has a wide reach
• When creating online content, consider anyone can see what you create
• Content can be used for unintended purposes, for good or bad
• Doxing is searching for and publishing an individual's private information, typically with malicious intent

Laws About Doxing

• No specific law in the Philippines addresses doxing as a crime
• Laws penalizing acts associated with doxing include:
  • Cybercrime Prevention Act (CPA) of 2012 punishes illegal access, computer-related identity theft or cyber libel
  • Article 364 of the Revised Penal Code penalizes acts that blemish someone's honor/reputation
  • Anti-Bullying Act of 2013
  • Data Privacy Act of 2012, Sec. 31 (malicious disclosure) or Sec. 32 (unauthorized disclosure)

Keys to Content Writing

• Content writing is not poetry or prose
• Content writing involves the use of easy to read words and formats
• Content should get a message across quickly and be understandable, because readers don't have time to ponder what one means

Types of Content

• Informing people can be done through podcasts, videos, presentations, and posters i.e not just all words

Standing Out Through Content

• There's lots of content on the Internet, content creators need to stand out
• Building a following and gaining credibility takes time
• Consistency is important
• Crucial components include:
  • Releasing content consistently with planning
  • Publishing helpful information
  • Providing credible, verifiable information
  • Adding value through links to credible sources

Developing Content Approach

• Three-pronged approach to developing content:
  • Creation; original content, strategy from FAQs, find out what the world wants to know
  • Curation; use and share other people's content, aligning with beliefs, values, business model & thrust
  • Creative Curation; share content and comment from your own voice, to help share knowledge
  • *Note - always give credit where it is due

Blogito Ergo Sum

• Introduction
• Bloggers as Journalists
• The Blogger vs Journalist Debate
• Corporate Blogging
• Media’s Embrace of Blogs
• How to Write for Blogs
• Applying the Blogging Basics
• Blogging Ethics
• Top Ten Steps to Better Blogging

Blogs

• New media gave rise to personal publishing/citizen journalism
• Old diary/journal (old media) = weblog/blog (new media) = video blog/vlog
• Blogs are web pages or sites for frequently updated posts/entries

Blog Attributes

• Blogs are frequently updated and include features like archives, permalinks, hyperlinks, and timestamps
• Blogs serve as a connective tissue, that builds credibility and connects readers to the materials that were used to write/referenced in a post

The Transition of Bloggers to Journalists

• In the 21st century, blogging and the blog format became a medium used by journalists (e.g., The Huff Post)
• Digital news uses blog formats in social media
• Blogosphere: Different environment than newspapers, tabloids TV news

The Difference Between Bloggers and Journalists

• Bloggers: Prioritize publishing quickly and then filtering, often includes personal opinions
• Journalists: Filter before publishing, fact-checking, maintain accuracy and fairness
• Bloggers value immediacy, transparency, interconnectivity, and proximity to events
• Journalists and entire production staff hold on to objectivity

Journalism Requires

• Journalism requires:
  1. Information gathering that includes a process of verification
  2. Serving in the public interest

Corporate Blogging Perks

• Corporate blogs enable businesses to build long lasting informal relationships with customers
• Provides visibility, generates buzz, and adds outbound/inbound hyperlinks

Functionality of Blogs

• Connect with audiences to build trust
• Provide context to give room for content that doesn't fit into traditional media
• Tap into a network to gather ideas and opinions
• Build community
• Give an outlet for self-expression

Blogging Basics

• Update content frequently
• Write fast-moving stories
• Tag posts and identify keywords
• Keep texts easy to read (avoid essays)
• Layer information

List Posts

• Start with the number of items
• Mention the desired outcome where appropriate
• Take inspiration from top-ranking pages
• Add a table of contents with jump links

List Item Guidelines

• Use H2 subheadings
• Number items
• Make them benefit-focused
• Short conclusion with 1-2 final tips
• Keep it short

Driving Traffic Through Collaboration and Guest Content

• Collaborate with other relevant brands tap their audiences
• Write guest posts
• Benefits include free content
• Provide limited resources

Blog Objectivity

• How is objectivity affected by the era of citizen journalism?

Ethical Blogging

• Publish what you believe to be true
• Help safeguard against fake news
• Acknowledge references
• Publicly correct misinformation
• Post deliberately, checking and rechecking work
• Disclose any conflicts of interest
• Note questionable/biased sources

Code for Journalists

• Seek and report the truth
• Minimize harm
• Act independently
• Stay accountable
• Support arguments with credible sources
• Write as if it could not be changed

Assignments

• Print out a photo to post on created FB pages
• Relevant to the nature of the page
• 3 member task to make a 1-minute FB feature about a working professional relevant to the page

Tips

- Contact a professional for interview
- Identify the feature information to get
- Create an outline

Project B Task

• Create a 30 second video about an advocacy to assign to a page (2 members)
  • Free reign over format and video type

Tips

- Research various advocacies

Posts

• Submit the link of the posts in individual channels, tagging the members
• Label the post

Make sure

- There is 1 external link with relevant keywords
- There is documentation of activities

Sixity Second Vlogs

• Create a 30-60 second vlog and pose to FB

Guidelines

- Theme=A Day In The Life Of A Technologian
- Story=Condense, extract moments, version of  the artist
- Technique= Creative freedom with optional audio
- Publishing = Well thought captions with appropriate key words
- Artistic skills must be apparent

Group Project

• Create a hashtag for a cause -Create a vlog and promote cause -Use unified keywords

Rubrics

Guidelines

• Keywords: Unified, Relevant, Creative (10)
• Video concept, production, technical skill (15)
• Creativity of video content (script, setting, etc. (15)
• Caption (5)