Creating your "second" post

Today we're going to create a typical post.  Different from a "let me introduce myself and my blog" style first post, this should be a post you could see yourself posting to your blog whether it was a week old or several years old.

Please proceed through these steps before the end of class.

1. Read through your twitter feed and blog rolls.  With this and other information you've seen recently, determine a good topic.
2. Think about which linkbaiting scheme you'll want to use.
• News & comment
  
• Contrary
• Attack
• Resource
• Humor
• (Other)
  
3. Stop and brainstorm potential titles.  Make sure they are catchy, even slightly provocative.  Remember that your title and a few words of your post might be all someone at Google or Bing sees when they're deciding whether or not to follow the link.
4. Insert your tentative title and begin editing.
5. DO NOT PRESS PUBLISH!!  (yet)
   
6. As you edit, think about what other sites should be linked to from your post.  Make sure you include those links in your post.
7. Consider if a visual would make the post stronger.  (Quick answer: It would!)
   
• YouTube embeds are an easy way to strengthen some posts.
  
• You may need to take and add a photo after you edit your text.  That's fine.  (See point 9.)
  
• NOTE: If you use an image from another site, you may run afoul of copyright issues.  Some corporations make a living chasing down copyright violations.  Cite your sources or, better, use your own material.
8. Once you're done editing, look back over your post.
• Is the most important part first?  If your reader stops reading after two or three sentences, will they remember what you said and remember to return later for more?
• Why will others want to read what you wrote?  Consider your audience.
• Proofread!  This should be a professional blog you'd be happy to put on your online portfolio.  It should be nearly mistake free, and should maintain an appropriate tone.
• Is your title still appropriate?  Should you edit it slightly?  Create a new one?
  
9. Think about the best time for the post to go live.  Note that you can tell Blogger to publish your post at any time in the future.  You can hold publication until a specified time.  Regularity encourages readership.
10. When you're done, PUBLISH your post (at least temporarily), and bring the URL of your blog to your instructor.