Image Credit: "?" by Sublime Dharma
Students in most of my classes have blogging as a component of their grades. Many of them have rarely even read blogs, no less written one of their own. In this post, I am combining many posts I’ve previously written to help them get started in WordPress.
1
Review the slides in my “Getting Started in WordPress” presentation below. In this presentation, you’ll learn
- Blogging Do’s & No-No’s
- Signing Up for Your WordPress Account
- Setting Up Your Account
- Writing Posts & Pages
- How to Display Your Blog Comments (that you write on others’ blogs)
2
Watch some of the many FAQ screencasts provided by WordPress to help you with the step-by-step instructions. Here are a few of the best ones to help you get started on the right foot:
- What should I do first?
- General settings
- Where’s my dashboard (and what’s it for)?
- Writing & publishing your posts
- Choosing and applying a theme (look and feel of your blog)
- Displaying your blog’s Categories (using the Category widget)
- and dozens more
3
Read the blogging tips I’ve provided in various posts here at Public Relations Matters.
- 10 Blogging Tips That Will Change Your Life (or Grade, at least): This post was featured at Ragan’s PR Daily and is the most often viewed post on my blog.
- 11 Tips for New Bloggers, from New Bloggers
- 3-5-3 :: Blog Feedback for #PRCA2330 and #PRCA3330 (written for my students this past summer; the links in the post may take you to pages I wrote for other classes, but the content of the post is valuable)
4
And though you may have a good handle on the technical aspects of blogging, remember that the technical side is only part of the blogging equation. Corinne Weisgerber, a professor at St. Edward’s University and fellow PROpenMic member, created this presentation for her Social Media for PR class. The emphasis? How blogging can help you create your personal brand online. Take a look. It’s worth the time.
5
Remember to let me know your blog address by completing this Google Form. If I can’t find your blog, I can’t grade it. Hint, hint.
In our PR Applications classes (COMM 2322 at Southeastern University), we’ll all blog about the same general topic each week during the semester. Your TOWs of 300 words or more should be posted by Saturday at midnight at the end of each week.
If you are unsure how to get started writing these TOWs, many times you can use this three-pronged approach:
- What did you learn?
- What surprised you?
- What do you want to know more about?
WEEK ONE
- Using the three-pronged approach (above), what are your reactions to the NewsU Course you took on Understanding Media: Processes and Principles? (NOTE: You can post this week’s entry as late as Week Three, as you will not be creating your blogs until that time.)
WEEK TWO
- What is a “public”? Which publics are you a member of? How did you choose to become a member of those publics? (Choose and discuss at least three.) (NOTE: You can post this week’s entry as late as Week Three, as you will not be creating your blogs until that time.)
WEEK THREE
- Why are comments such an integral part of blogs? What advice would you offer on writing effective blog comments?
WEEK FOUR
- If you could work in an era of PR history (from a time before you were born), which one would it be? What interests you most about this era and why?
WEEK FIVE
- Based on what you read in Chapter 4 of your Public Relations Strategies & Tactics book, do you think it’s more beneficial for a new PR practitioner to begin his/her career in a PR department or in a PR firm? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? (NOTE: It is acceptable for you to write this TOW and post it during Week Six, after we discuss departments and firms.)
WEEK SIX
- One Week of Twitter (NOTE: You will do your One Week of Twitter experience mostly during Week Five, then write about it during Week Six.)
WEEK SEVEN
- What advice would you offer to a student who is working on a resume or preparing for a job interview? Be sure to share links to three or more sites / blog posts that would be helpful for a PR student.
WEEK EIGHT
- Using the three-pronged approach (above), what are your reactions to the NewsU Course you took on Online Media Law: The Basics for Bloggers and Other Publishers earlier this semester?
WEEK NINE
- Complete another NewsU course of your choice that you think would be beneficial for a public relations practitioner. What are your reactions to this course? Would you recommend it to other Journalism/PR students at Southeastern University? Why or why not? (Remember to name and link to the specific course you took. Also, submit your Course Report for the course.)
WEEK TEN
- Watch my interview with Martin Waxman. Use the three-pronged approach (described above) to react to the interview.
OR
- Watch my interview with Kneale Mann. Use the three-pronged approach (described above) to react to the interview.
WEEK ELEVEN
- Listen to at least one hour of PR/marketing podcasts (such as For Immediate Release, Inside PR, The Creative Career, Coming Up PR, Trafcom News or Marketing Over Coffee). Briefly summarize what you heard. Discuss how listening to PR podcasts can benefit PR students or new PR practitioners. (Optional: Also, write a short review of the podcast at iTunes.)
WEEK 12
- Based on what you learned in this week’s class discussions and lecture on Public Relations During Times of Crisis, write a blog post about some aspect of crisis communication.
WEEK 13
- Public relations practitioners often use news releases to get their clients into the news. Provide 10 tips for writing an effective news release. (Be sure to link to at least two sources for your information.)
