By Dave Lieber
Dallas Morning News columnist
First, I write the column.
This is about what’s next. Did Breslin do this?
*
I write the headline. If I fail on this and nobody likes my headline, all the work I did for a 900-word column goes to the crapper. I know this from experience.
Pick a featured photo.
Add secondary photos with captions, some I took, some I grab from photo library.
Add a one-minute video (with music and narration by me) if I have good video from my research.
Write subheads (with Google in mind).
Place relevant hyperlinks throughout story.
Add three or four previous column links, related to this topic, as little interrupter promos, with their headlines sprinkled through the column.
Add these hyperlinked stories with their headlines showing at the bottom of the column, too, for a second try at keeping readers.
Pick keywords by checking phrases people use on Google.
Write lead-in text for social media.
Rewrite meta data summary for better search.
Embed a related tweet or Facebook post if possible.
Rewrite the suggested URL for the column to make it easier to find through search.
Post any important documents using Scribd so readers can dig deeper.
If there are good numbers, add a chart.
Check YouTube listing for the video to make sure the summary, keywords, and story link are correct.
Create a virtual billboard or other object promoting the story for social media posts.
Once posted, throw the link on Facebook personal and two business pages, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Google +, and Pinterest.
Alert members of my email group of the column through MailChimp.
Look for comments or questions on social media that I can answer.
Consider adding them to the original story post.
Prepare TV script to talk about it during weekly three-minute appearance on NBC local newscast.
Answer emails related to the story. Send story out to sources who helped.
Do this twice a week. Hundred times a year.
Did Breslin do this?
Dave Lieber
Dave Lieber is The Watchdog investigative columnist for The Dallas Morning News. DaveLieber.org @DaveLieber
