Writing for the Web

As the mediums of receiving information have changed, so too have the ways in which journalist write the news. Bethany Keeley, a blogger and PhD. student at the University of Georgia, discussed the new methods of news writing to a journalism class in the Grady College Wed., and advised the students to "Be brief. No one wants to read long things on the internet."

Currently, Keeley posts to several blogs, including a personal blog, which she began in 2002. Her humorous site, unnecessaryquotes.com, is her primary source of fame. Last week, Keeley was hired by a Christian blog to post her thoughts.

Keeley has created a brand out of her blog. She started it in 2005 after she saw a friend begin a successful humorous blog. "I started my blog to have fun. I wanted to be cool, but you can't say that, because then you won't be," laughed Keeley. Her site now generates a revenue of about $200 per month. On an average day, the site receives about 2000 hits. Based on site tracking information, Keeley said that most hits occur during the workday.

While speaking, Keeley emphasized the point that the audience is very specific, in addition to her topic. There are not many blogs about quotation marks.

Also agreeing with Keeley is Morgan Josey Glover, a blogger for a site on greener living. Glover, in an audio interview, mentioned niche audiences. Her site's content is specialized for the audience, so it must appeal to them. "You have to let people know what's out there," said Glover. She also advised the Grady students to know not only how to write, but also how to know other techniques, like online journalism and video reporting.

While neither Keeley nor Glover mentioned it, it became apparent that the key element to blogging to an audience is an interest in the topic chosen. As Keeley said, "If you've got a schtick that works, stick with it!"