Starting any blog is tricky. One of the hardest sites, to start, is a news blog. Why is that? Well, when people read the news online, they want cold hard facts. They are not looking for simple listicles or how to guides; they want something with more substance than that. There are certain journalistic rules, to which you must adhere if you wish to write a legitimate news site. The first step is reading this article. Here is the essential guide to starting a news blog.
Decide on a tone and style
When you read news online, you will notice that different sites have different tones when it comes to writing. In fact, the vast array of news sites covers stories from every angle possible. You don’t need to have a political agenda to start a news blog, but you do need to be aware of politics. Where do your loyalties lie? It is best to identify your views at the start. They will naturally come out in your writing. At least if you are aware of them, you can control them.
Find original sources
The best way, in which to find news stories, is to make contacts that can help you. Finding sources is always hard to do. If you don’t know where to start, you need to make it simple for people to contact you with information. Rather than having a form on your website, you should have a direct phone number. That way, if someone knows about a breaking story, they can tell you about it in an instant.
Set up Google Alerts
Google Alerts is a fantastic tool for people working in the media. If you want to know about things as they happen, you should set up an alert for news stories. If you have a Gmail account, you will find that it is easy to set up Google Alerts. Set your preferences so that you get alerts when any breaking story happens. That way, you will always know about the latest news as it happens. As soon as a story breaks, you need to report it. Only then, can you gain a reputation as a trusted news site.
Pay attention to social news
If you want to find original news stories, there is an easy way to do so. Social news platforms are a great way for civilians to share stories. Ensure that you pay attention to the top social news websites so that you can read new pieces all the time. Remember to research any articles that you find on these sites. You should contact users directly and question them about stories.
Investigate and research stories
On that note, it is important that you research all your stories before you publish them. Regurgitating old news stories is dangerous and can be embarrassing. For example, if an important news station publishes a story, and you re-word it, you could run into problems. If there was a mistake in the original story, and you copy it, it will be obvious where you got your information. Instead, use these stories as inspiration, and research them yourself before publication.
Find new angles and hooks
As I have already mentioned, copying news stories is no way to run a successful news site. Instead, you need to ensure that you have original content on your site. If you can’t find unique pieces, you should try a different method. You can use the same stories as other websites so long as you find a new angle on the story. For example, if a news site publishes a story about identity theft in the US, you can take that story one step further. Investigate how people steal information online, and publish a report on that. That way, you have used the same piece, but added more information to it.