Blogging Tips for Journalists

Videojournalist Adam Westbrook devoted a five-part series this week to Blogging for Journalists, in which he strived to "look at why you really can’t ignore blogging if you’re a journalist, guide you through the basics of getting started, and reveal some top tricks for making blogging work for you."

Westbrook has been blogging since 1994!

For me, blogging has transformed from a revision-avoiding-hobby into a career changer. It has got me work, training and speaking gigs, and a bit of money. I’ve seen my readers start small, before growing by more than 10,000 visits a month in just twelve months...

Although it has never made me a penny directly, blogging is a huge part of the work I do, which is why I think almost all journalists need to blog.

Here's how you can get started... or improve the quality and increase the readership of your current blog.

#1: Six reasons why journalists must blog and how

#2 How to create your own blog

#3 How to build an audience
(Five things you can do to add value to your blog)

#4 Give your blog a visual edge
(Visual themes and plugins)

#5 Five big mistakes I wish I hadn’t made
(Things I wish I knew when I started blogging)

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And once you're up and running, please don't forget to point us to your blog. Who knows -- we might help promote it and send some traffic your way!

Have Vidcam, Will Travel ... Need $$$ ?

You want to travel to exotic lands where you can create videojournalism projects ... but you don't have the dough.

SalaamGarage, which leads small groups of visual journalists on worthwhile expeditions around the globe, is an expert at figuring out how to finance them.

SalaamGarage is a citizen journalist organization that partners with International NGOs and local non-profits. Participants (photographers, writers, videographers, etc.) create and share independent media projects that raise awareness and cause positive change in their online and offline social communities.

Now they've published a guide to funding your project, via social media -- including Facebook and WordPress.

The two methods for raising awareness and money documented here each have their advantages. Facebook is quicker, easier and does not require any technical background. Hosting your own site and blogging with WordPress is more technical, but it provides more customization options.

SalaamGarage's upcoming India trip is full, but they still have a few spaces left for their 2010 excursions to Vietnam and Guatemala.

Sign up now -- and start searching for your financial underwriting.