October 18, 2014
For many entrepreneurial journalists heading into the real world, competition will be lurking in every direction. Everyone needs to find that one thing that sets them apart from their peers. But, how do you excel above the rest if you are unsure of your own starting foundation? According to Mark Briggs, it is okay to “investigate your competition.”
By seeing what your competition is doing you can help yourself grow. For instance, some people might need that glance across the computer screen at another person’s website to benefit them. Yes, some may say that’s not ethical and you should do your own work, but according to Briggs, “It’s possible to learn from others.” So take advantage of what you can to get ahead. If you don’t take any risks in business your ideas will fall secondary to your competitions.
Poynter suggests, the best way to launch a Website is to start investigating existing solutions. If a Website targets a problem that you want to focus on, you need to figure out what remains to be answered. By addressing a new component of the existing problem to create a solution, it will lend an opportunity for success.
Mathway.com, is an excellent example of a website that knows how to capitalize on pain points among users to create a solution. I remember all throughout school when I was struggling with math homework and I had no one to turn to. I couldn’t bring a math tutor home with me every other day and there weren’t that many advances with the Internet that I could access information to my math problems through there.
Mathway.com is a way for students or anyone struggling with math problems to get it solved. This website took a pain and created a quick and easy solution. “Mathway provides students with the tools they need to understand and solve their math problems, it is the #1 problem solving resource available for students, parents, and teachers,” according to mathway.com. “Mathway’s long-term goal is to provide step-by-step solutions to all math problems, using the simplest interface possible, across the most commonly used platforms available.” This website took different platforms that were out there and found a way to create a simple website for its consumers.
This website is keeping up with their competition and allowing people to connect through Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and YouTube. With all these connections it keeps the attention of users through all different media outlets.
To be successful in a competitive landscape it takes work and doing something that might be out of your normality. By following the advice of Mark Briggs and tips from Poynter it helps pave the road to success. Its nice to have people and places to turn to for their insight but, at some point you have to take that leap of faith and hope you soar on your own.
Entrepreneurial Journalists Forces to be Reckoned With
October 9, 2014
It’s a competitive market and entrepreneurial journalists are competing with the best of them. So how does a young journalist get to the top? Journalists looking for entrepreneurial opportunities have to put in the work no matter what obstacles they have to overcome. “Everyone pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath.”
But, how does an underdog come out on top? Every entrepreneurial journalist has to build their way up from the bottom. But with these tips, you will be noticed in no time!
To start off every entrepreneur needs to create, rehearse, and tailor a pitch to a target audience.
With a positive attitude (and a cup of coffee of course), anyone can tackle their competition head on and bring their ideas to life.
Next, find a small point of pain that needs a solution.
By coming up with a solution to a problem, you’ll be a hero to your audience.
But, you’re not done there! Now, it’s time to start investigating existing solutions.
In order to get to the top sometimes you need to play detective. You need to know what already exists and what problems have already been solved. Like Brigg’s says, it’s a trial and error process. The real question is, is your solution something people want to see come to life? It’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work!
Lastly, focus on the little ideas first.
Start off small. The main focus is to plant little ideas here and there till something clicks. In order to be successful you have to take risks and realize what your strengths and weakness are. There are so many things out there that yet to have solutions. As an entrepreneur, you have to be driven and build on your ideas to see your passion come to life.
Don’t you want that finger up in the air “aha” moment.
The road to becoming successful as an entrepreneurial journalist isn’t always easy and you will want that advice from an expert. But, sometimes you need to be your own hero and eventually people will fall in love with your ideas.
Keys to Success: Launching a Website
September 18, 2014
There isn’t just one way to launch a successful website. According to Mark Briggs, the author of ‘Entrepreneurial Journalism: How to Build What’s Next for News,’ there are many key elements to being successful in launching a website. So why wait to start? People don’t just become successful; they go out and work at it.
Everyone has their own niches that they excel in, but that doesn’t mean people can’t succeed in other areas as well. Since we live in a time where everyone competes with one another there are tools to follow to help stay at the top. When launching a website, setting goals and being adaptable are essential in keeping a website alive.
Setting goals means there is a vision. With any successful website the person had a vision and made it come to life. People make the project and are more successful together than working alone. When people collaborate that’s when magic happens. It takes a site a while to get up and running and to stay alive, but if people are excited about the vision the support will follow. By aiming to reach goals, the website will progress, leading toward a successful road.
When launching a website, another key factor is being adaptable. Agility and adaptability will be imperative throughout the process. If there were a formula for entrepreneurs it would be, “Test, try, play, fail, try again,” according to Brigg’s. Trial and error is of major importance, no one gets anywhere with a being scared-of-failure attitude. New websites might not get it right the first go around, but practice makes perfect. Trial and error leads to success through process of elimination, there is bound to be something that works.
With the advances of technology it makes it easy to test out new ideas. So why not take full advantage of the Internet? Digital journalists have access to one of the biggest tools for information, the Internet. The power of the Internet has made a lot of lives easier, but it also has the potential to cause a burden on digital journalists. Yes, the Internet is extremely useful, but how much is too much? Digital journalists face the task of making sure the information they have gathered is credible for use. Journalists have the right to work freely, but in a digital world sometimes information can be falsified. Anything can be posted on the Web and extra precautions need to be taken. A digital journalist has to be sure of what they put out on the Internet and in writing for a website.
Forbes, with the new digital journalism age, journalists are breaking out and getting involved with the Web. Reporters and writers are trying to stay in competion with digital journalists and broaden their expertise.
As times are advancing many websites are turning to digital journalists to write for them. According to Pew Research Center, the sports site Bleacher Report was relying solely on fan content with no paid writers. Mark Jurkowitz stated,” In 2012 it was purchased by the Turner Broadcasting System and now, according to a company official, there are about 50 full-time writers, 45 full-time editors, 20 producers and 16 video editors.” This website started out with one website model based off just fan content and grew with the times as they went along. The fans supported their website then and are still following it now. There isn’t just one way to be successful in launching a website, everyone needs to start somewhere.
September 11, 2014
Even though 13 years is not that long ago, we have advanced so much in technology since then. 9/11 today would have been much more widespread in terms of getting information out to the public. We have progressed so much in how news stories are covered, especially breaking news stories.
“Twenty-five years ago, anyone who wanted to use the internet needed to have access to a computer,” Pew Research stated.
Even people who were alive to experience the 9/11 attacks still relied on the media coverage too piece together the chaos. Many people like to have the perspectives offered by the media because it offers insight into information that could not be accessed otherwise. The Internet is a huge source of information, but 25 years ago and even 13 years ago it was just not developed or up to par.
According to a 1995 study, the Pew Research Center found that, “14% of U.S. adults had internet access. Most were using slow, dial-up modem connections—just 2% of internet users were comparatively screaming along with an expensive 28.8 modem.”
In comparison to an article from The Washington Post, Brian Fung stated, “In an age of dial-up and DSL, it probably should have been no surprise that the Internet went down, just as cell phone networks did.”
Slow Internet connection is a huge problem with breaking news stories. People want things quick.
Yes, Americans were able to listen to the attacks on the radio, but people like to see with their own eyes what is going on. With communication as fast as it is today we can get updates within seconds when a tragic event like 9/11 occurs on every important radio station, TV station, or social media account. People want everything right at their fingertips.
Pew Research Center also stated, “Ninety percent of U.S. adults have a cell phone and two-thirds of those say they use their phones to go online.”
With the advances of technology everyone is using cell phones to go online. There are so many different outlets now with the Internet than there were 25 years ago. Three key things the internet gives us are fast connection, easy access, and different options.
You made an interesting comparison between the speed of information from 2001 to now. Users had dial-up, but now, high-speed Internet access is now available on different types of mobile devices.
I wonder how Americans interacted over the Internet — maybe through blogs, comments on news sites — through some sort of participatory medium. Was there any way consumers could participate in their news consumption, like they can now?