12.1 Online news writing and web-specific formats
4 min read•july 30, 2024
Online news writing demands a unique approach tailored to digital audiences. Writers must adapt their style, using concise language and scannable formats to capture attention quickly. The inverted pyramid structure becomes even more crucial, ensuring the most important information is front and center.
Web-specific formats like , infographics, and enhance storytelling and engage readers. Multimedia elements, such as videos and , provide additional context and make complex information more digestible. These tools help create a richer, more immersive news experience for digital consumers.
News Writing for Digital Audiences
Adapting Writing Style for Online Platforms
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Top images from around the web for Adapting Writing Style for Online Platforms
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Types of Reading Material | Basic Reading and Writing View original
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- Online news writing requires a more concise, scannable style compared to print, often using shorter paragraphs, bullet points, and subheadings to break up text
- The inverted pyramid structure, where the most important information is presented first, is especially crucial for online news to quickly capture reader attention
- Writing compelling headlines and subheadings is essential in online news to attract readers and improve search engine optimization (SEO)
- Understanding the characteristics and preferences of digital audiences, such as their shorter attention spans and tendency to skim content, is key to adapting news writing for online platforms
Incorporating Multimedia Elements
- Online news stories often incorporate multimedia elements like images, videos, and interactive features to enhance the storytelling and engage digital audiences
- Videos can provide additional context, interviews, or visual demonstrations to support the written content
- Interactive features, such as quizzes or polls, encourage reader participation and increase engagement with the news story
- Data visualizations, like charts or graphs, can help readers better understand complex information or trends related to the topic
Web-Specific Formats for News
Visual Storytelling Formats
- Slideshows are a web-specific format that presents information through a series of images or slides, often with captions or accompanying text (photo essays, step-by-step guides)
- Infographics are a visual format that combines images, charts, and minimal text to present complex information or data in an easily digestible manner (timelines, comparisons, process explanations)
- and experiences are emerging web-specific formats that can immerse readers in a news story and provide a unique perspective (event coverage, location tours)
Interactive and Dynamic Content
- Interactive graphics, such as data visualizations and maps, allow readers to engage with and explore information in a dynamic, hands-on way (election results, weather patterns, economic trends)
- Multimedia content, including videos, audio clips, and animations, can be embedded within online news stories to provide additional context and enhance the reader experience (interviews, news clips, explainer videos)
- enable readers to navigate through events chronologically, often with multimedia elements and additional information for each event (historical events, case studies, product launches)
Online Readability and Engagement
Structuring Articles for Readability
- Using short paragraphs, typically no more than 3-4 sentences, improves online readability by creating white space and making the content appear less intimidating
- Subheadings should be used to break up the article into logical sections, making it easier for readers to navigate and locate specific information
- Bullet points and numbered lists are effective for presenting key facts, statistics, or steps in a process, as they make the content more scannable and visually appealing
Engaging Writing Techniques
- Writing in an active voice and using conversational language can make online news articles more engaging and relatable to readers
- Incorporating relevant images, videos, or other multimedia elements throughout the article can break up text, provide visual interest, and keep readers engaged
- Using storytelling techniques, such as anecdotes or personal experiences, can help create an emotional connection with readers and make the news story more memorable
- Posing questions or presenting surprising facts can pique readers' curiosity and encourage them to continue reading the article
Hyperlinks and Web-Native Elements in News
Effective Hyperlinking Practices
- Hyperlinks allow writers to link to related content, sources, or background information, providing readers with additional context and the ability to explore topics further
- Internal linking, or linking to other articles within the same website, can help keep readers engaged and improve the site's navigation and SEO
- External linking to reputable sources and original documents enhances the credibility and of the news story
- Anchor links can be used to create a clickable table of contents, allowing readers to quickly jump to specific sections of a longer article
Integrating Social Media and User-Generated Content
- embeds, such as tweets or Instagram posts, can be incorporated into news stories to provide real-time updates, reactions, or first-hand accounts related to the topic
- User-generated content, such as reader comments, photos, or videos, can be featured in news articles to foster community engagement and provide diverse perspectives
- Social media sharing buttons should be prominently displayed to encourage readers to share the article on their own social networks, increasing its reach and potential for viral spread
- Live blogs or live-tweeting can be used to cover events in real-time, incorporating updates from reporters, official sources, and social media reactions
Key Terms to Review (23)
360-degree videos: 360-degree videos are immersive video recordings that capture a complete view of the environment in all directions, allowing viewers to look around and experience the scene as if they were physically present. This format enhances storytelling by providing a sense of presence and engagement, making it particularly effective for online news writing and web-specific formats where audience interaction is key.
Bounce rate: Bounce rate is a web analytics metric that measures the percentage of visitors who navigate away from a site after viewing only one page. This metric is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of a webpage in engaging visitors and can indicate issues with content relevance, layout, or user experience. A high bounce rate often suggests that visitors did not find what they were looking for or that the page did not meet their expectations.
Breaking news: Breaking news refers to urgent and significant information about current events that are happening in real-time, often requiring immediate reporting. This type of news prioritizes speed and relevance, making it essential for reporters to balance the need for quick dissemination with accuracy and ethical considerations.
Chunking text: Chunking text refers to the practice of breaking down large amounts of information into smaller, manageable sections or 'chunks' to enhance readability and comprehension. This method is particularly effective in online news writing, as it helps readers quickly grasp essential points without feeling overwhelmed by lengthy paragraphs. By using headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs, chunking text caters to the scanning behavior of online audiences.
Click-through rate: Click-through rate (CTR) is a metric that measures the percentage of users who click on a specific link compared to the total number of users who view a page, email, or advertisement. This rate is crucial in understanding the effectiveness of headlines, online content, and engagement strategies, as higher CTR indicates successful attraction and retention of audience interest.
Comments section: The comments section is an interactive feature found on online news articles and other digital content where readers can leave their opinions, questions, and feedback. This space serves as a bridge between the audience and the content creators, allowing for direct engagement and discussion. It not only facilitates reader interaction but also provides valuable insights into audience perspectives and interests.
Data journalism: Data journalism is the practice of using data as the primary source for news stories, combining traditional journalism techniques with data analysis to uncover insights, trends, and stories that may not be immediately visible. It empowers journalists to provide context and depth to their reporting, enabling them to tell more compelling and accurate stories through visualizations and statistical analysis.
Data visualizations: Data visualizations are graphical representations of information or data, designed to make complex data easier to understand and analyze. By using charts, graphs, maps, and other visual tools, data visualizations help present information in a way that allows audiences to quickly grasp patterns, trends, and insights. They enhance storytelling by providing a clear and engaging way to convey statistics and other quantitative information.
Embed codes: Embed codes are snippets of HTML or JavaScript that allow multimedia content like videos, images, or audio files to be integrated into a web page seamlessly. These codes are crucial for sharing rich media across different platforms and enable journalists to present dynamic content without hosting it themselves. By using embed codes, content can be easily shared and displayed, enhancing the storytelling aspect of digital journalism.
Fact-checking: Fact-checking is the process of verifying information to ensure accuracy and credibility before it is published or broadcasted. This critical practice helps maintain journalistic integrity and builds trust with audiences by holding media outlets accountable for the information they present.
Headline writing: Headline writing is the art of crafting concise and engaging titles for news articles that grab readers' attention and summarize the main points of the story. A good headline is essential in online news writing, as it not only informs the audience but also plays a crucial role in search engine optimization (SEO) and social media sharing, making it a vital element of web-specific formats.
Hyperlinking: Hyperlinking is the process of creating a clickable link in a digital document that directs users to another location, which can be within the same document or to an external site. This feature enhances the user experience by providing immediate access to related information, making it especially vital in online news writing and the structuring of digital content. Hyperlinks can also lead to multimedia elements, enriching the narrative and offering depth to news stories.
Interactive content: Interactive content refers to digital media that requires active engagement from users, allowing them to participate and influence their experience. This type of content is designed to enhance user interaction through features like quizzes, polls, videos, and infographics, making the experience more immersive and personalized. By encouraging participation, interactive content can lead to a deeper understanding of the material and foster a stronger connection between the audience and the information presented.
Interactive timelines: Interactive timelines are digital tools that allow users to explore events in a chronological order, often incorporating multimedia elements like images, videos, and hyperlinks. These timelines enhance storytelling by providing an engaging way to visualize the sequence and context of events, making them especially valuable in online news writing and web-specific formats.
Listicle: A listicle is a type of online article that presents information in a list format, often combining engaging content with easily digestible points. This format is particularly effective for web-specific writing because it attracts readers' attention with clear headlines and encourages quick scanning, making it ideal for digital consumption. Listicles often include multimedia elements, such as images and videos, to enhance user engagement and provide a visually appealing reading experience.
Multimedia journalism: Multimedia journalism is the integration of various forms of media—text, images, audio, video, and interactive elements—to tell news stories in a more engaging and comprehensive way. This approach allows journalists to reach wider audiences by utilizing different platforms and formats, enhancing the storytelling experience and catering to diverse consumer preferences.
News aggregator: A news aggregator is a web-based platform or application that collects and displays news articles from various sources, allowing users to access a wide array of information in one place. These platforms play a crucial role in online news writing and web-specific formats by curating content, often tailored to user preferences, enhancing accessibility and engagement with the news.
Scannability: Scannability refers to the ease with which readers can quickly navigate and comprehend content, especially in digital formats. This is achieved through the use of clear headings, bullet points, short paragraphs, and highlighted keywords. Scannability is crucial for engaging readers online, where attention spans are shorter and information overload is common.
SEO Optimization: SEO optimization, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of enhancing a website's visibility on search engines to increase organic traffic. This involves a combination of strategies and techniques that help search engines understand a site's content, making it more likely to appear at the top of search results. In the context of writing for various news mediums, crafting headlines, and online news writing, effective SEO optimization ensures that content reaches the intended audience and maximizes engagement across platforms.
Slideshows: Slideshows are a web-specific format for presenting information through a sequence of images, text, or multimedia content that users can navigate through. They are particularly effective for storytelling, allowing journalists to combine visuals and narrative in an engaging way, catering to the preferences of online audiences who often seek quick and easily digestible content.
Social media: Social media refers to digital platforms and tools that allow individuals and organizations to create, share, and exchange information and content in virtual communities and networks. It plays a crucial role in communication, enabling journalists to connect with sources, disseminate news rapidly, and engage with audiences while facing unique challenges in reporting at both national and international levels.
Transparency: Transparency in journalism refers to the openness and clarity with which information is shared, allowing audiences to understand the processes behind reporting and the sources of information. It fosters trust between journalists and their audiences by providing insight into how stories are developed and ensuring that ethical standards are upheld throughout the reporting process.
Virtual reality: Virtual reality (VR) is an immersive technology that creates a simulated environment, allowing users to interact with computer-generated content in a seemingly real way. This technology typically uses headsets and motion tracking to enhance user experience, making it ideal for storytelling, gaming, and news delivery by providing an engaging way to present information and events.